Osoto Gari

[ps1]

While playing live. Try circling away from the leg you are going to reap. This will get them stepping forward with that foot. Make your entry. If you are to far away and you feel you are reaching with the foot, hook it anyway to scotch the leg and hop as if jumping behind them, which you are. The whole idea of breaking there posture back is to take the head out of alignment with the hips. Osoto gari can also be done in sequence with a shoulder throw. Osoto being part two. Which you will have more success with than a single entry. Train for 2 and 3. 1 is the setup.

This is good advice.

It's just like punching and kicking...never throw just one. You set up your angle, attack with the first and transition seamlessly into the next and so on.

[Kuma]

I learned it that same way joesteph. It helps take your opponent's balance a lot easier because you're twisting them in such a fashion that the leg you're going to sweep has less weight on it and makes it easier to get. If you don't get that movement down they'll stand heavier on that leg and it'll make you need more muscle to do it.

[JiuJitsuNation]

The goal is to load the leg for reaping. If the leg is light there is a greater chance they will step off. A foot sweep requires the foot to be light.

[sensei8]

The goal is to load the leg for reaping. If the leg is light there is a greater chance they will step off. A foot sweep requires the foot to be light.

Can someone say...RIGHT ON!

[Kuma]

Oh heck, I just realized what I said was completely backwards from what I originally meant to say.

*curses the night shift*

I'm with JJN. Consider me the ignorant noob for the rest of this thread.

[joesteph]

I'm with JJN.

So, Kuma, when you said:

" . . . you're twisting them in such a fashion that the leg you're going to sweep has less weight on it and makes it easier to get."

Did you really mean:

" . . . you're twisting them in such a fashion that the leg you're going to sweep has more weight on it and makes it easier to get."

[Kuma]

I meant to say that since the other leg will have less weight it's going to say the sweep is easier because then the weight is only distributed on one leg.

You can see right before uke gets thrown his other leg is actually up in the air.

I was too eager to post and not paying attention, couple that with posting during the slow hours of the night shift and you get that confusion.

This is actually great stuff here:

I am not a Judo man though, for what it's worth.

[joesteph]

I meant to say that since the other leg will have less weight it's going to say the sweep is easier because then the weight is only distributed on one leg.

You can see right before uke gets thrown his other leg is actually up in the air.

This YouTube video is the first one in my OP, in which I was questioning not the weight on the leg, but the "bump" or "crash" of tori, who's larger than uke, against uke's chest. The other videos after it from eHow also show a larger, heavier tori. I was questioning the validity of learning/reviewing the technique from a video if it seems based on size/weight.

When I did this with Sensei, the difference between us was 100lbs--in his favor. But by performing a twist of his shoulders to break his balance (and he was letting me do this; no resistance), it was technique and not my physical size that caused him to go down. This was reinforced by Shihan, who was less than my weight (170lbs), but who turned the tables on me if I didn't do that twist of his shoulders, turning my shoulders if I tried to use muscle instead of technique, and I would wind up taken down. When I worked with Sempai, I had to block a hook punch, "strike" his face with my elbow (as though softening up), then twist his shoulders and get my leg in there for the takedown. After Sempai, I worked with other students while he observed.

I do follow what you mean regarding the legs and weight distribution, Kuma, and I can see in the second half of the YouTube video that uke's forward motion, and then tori's coming in on him, takes advantage of a lack of balance.

This is actually great stuff here:

The opening throw of this video is more technique than size-oriented, more aggressive on moving in to break uke's balance and take him down. The "resistant uke" variations are interesting. Thanks for the find.

[JiuJitsuNation]

As far as the "twisting" of the shoulders. It's more of a bow. The head drops and the foot comes up. All throws work off of getting the opponent moving. Work your entry over and over. Just the first step to the outside and the loading of you partner. Do this 20 or 30 times and then add the reaping leg without actually reaping yet. Just gliding into position 20 or 30 times. Never let the reaping leg touch the floor until it returns to it's original position on the floor at start. This will improve agility and ability to move into the throw easily while training live. Then throw 20 or 30 times checking to make sure you are always on balance and not holding onto the lapel when they hit the floor, as this will get you armbarred. Keep hold of the sleeve though as this gives you the armbar option in the end.

I hope this helps.