How To Do The Sumi Otoshi – A Fundamental Judo Throw

The Sumi Otoshi is a fundamental Judo throw that is designed to floor the opponent whilst you remain standing. Like many Judo throws, it begins with a traditional collar and sleeve grip. With these established, the next step is to push and pull the upper torso of the opponent.

Simultaneously, you should also be moving them with your feet. With these two combined, the Sumi Otoshi can effectively end with an Ippon or even set up submissions. Because of this, it is a staple of Judo which is learned by many and considered a very effective move. Below we shall analyze the position in greater detail.

Setting up the Sumi Otoshi

The Sumi Otoshi begins with a textbook Judo stance and grips. The idea is to have a lead leg whilst holding their collar and elbow. Some people may prefer to grab the sleeve and lower lapel. However, it is generally advised to control the elbow and grip the lapel on the shoulder. The idea behind this is that when doing the throw, you will generate more power and shutdown and opportunity to defend. It is important to get these grips set and make sure they’re not weak. With this done you can begin to enter the next phase of the attack.

Footwork with the Sumi Otoshi

Like most throws in Judo, there is a lot of detail in your footwork. In brief, without subtle foot movement, the throw may fail. This is probably the part where most people mess the throw up. Often, a lot of people focus on the upper body of the throw without using the key movements of the feet. To set up the feet, you need to lead with the same leg on the side that controls the elbow. It’s important not to lead with the same leg that controls the shoulder and won’t work otherwise. With this stance, you need to explosively step forward with your back leg trailing.

It should be noted that previous to doing this, you’ll want to move your opponent around. To do this, you will need to feint other attacks and literally keep them on their toes. One example could be through aggressive arm movements which drag and dictate their movement. Ideally, when you make the forward step, you will need the opponent to be light on their feet. This will help move their weight and take them off their feet with greater ease.

Finishing the Sumi Otoshi

To finish the Sumi Otoshi, you want to put the above together at the same time. That means stepping forward with the side where the elbow is held. At the same time, you want to pull the elbow towards you. Whilst doing this, you should also be explosively punching your shoulder grip forward. Mechanically, this works by using your opponent like a steering wheel. The idea is to throw their weight to the floor by twisting their upper body. A large part of this comes from forcing their shoulder back.

This can completely control and dominate their shoulders which in turn dictates where their body will go. Ideally, this throw should finish with you standing over the opponent. With this said, you don’t want to go to the ground with them and stand over their body, hovering above them. Usually, this is done by maintaining the grip on the elbow as this is the side they will fall on. With this done, you have finished the throw.

Remember, it’s important by doing the movement properly the opponent should have little chance to defend. This means you’re controlling three key parts of their body, the elbow, shoulder, and leg. With the force of the upper body combined with the speed of the lower body, the opponent has to rely on hopping on one leg to defend. With enough momentum, this simply isn’t a viable defense.

Chaining the Sumi Otoshi with a Juji Gatame

Due to the nature of the throw, there is sometimes a Juji Gatame available after landing the move. Ideally, you would put the opponent on their side or back. With this done, you should keep hold of the elbow and then swing your legs around the head. Remember, a key part of armbars is to get your leg over the head. This is to stop the opponent from pulling their head forward and posture out of it. However, if you keep your leg over the face then you can force it down.

In this position, you should not allow the opponent to make a grip with their hands. If you manage to quickly isolate the arm and fall back then the submission is yours. In competition Judo this will end the match in victory, however if they are able to defend without being flat on their back, then you may get stood back up if the submission times out.

Of course, this variation is situational. If the opponent manages to bring their elbow inwards once hitting the floor, then the Juji Gatame is probably lost. It would be unwise to try and force it from this position. Instead, you should stick to holding the original position and accepting the takedown. If it ends flat on their back then you win anyway via Ippon. If not, you still have secured a successful takeover.

Summary

The sumi otoshi can be a very high percentage throw if done correctly. As mentioned, it is significantly harder without the correct footwork. The idea is to get the opponent’s feet moving before attacking the throw to destroy their balance. Even more urgent than this involves setting up the initial grips in the first place which form the basis of the entire move. Further, when finishing make sure you control the elbow to allow for the possible armbar or to stop the opponent from escaping. Like all Judo takedowns, the sumi otoshi is no different in relying on aggression, technique, timing, and stance.

Overall, the move is also incredibly versatile. Not only is it used in Judo but also has a place in Sambo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Even in MMA, variations without the gi can also be used to put the opponent on the floor. In summary, the sumi otoshi is something that all Judoka should consider adding to their game as it can easily turn a match in your favor.