Drop Seoi Nage

If you’re looking to be the best at what you do, it’s pretty important that you take the time to learn from the best. Adonis Diaz is a National Judo Champion, ranked number 1 in the 60kg division, and is currently training for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. One of Adonis’ best throws? The Drop Seoi Nage. Adonis’ mastery of this technique has enabled him to throw countless opponents in international judo competitions and find success in a number of tournaments. Take the time to learn from his technique, and you will be on your way to mastering the Drop Seoi Nage throw too.

Drop Seoi Nage Speed vs. Power

The trick to Drop Seoi Nage throw is speed, not power. Power is a helpful component for Judo players, but in this particular throw you don’t necessarily need to be the most powerful person on the mats. Instead, it is very important that you come at this with speed! Before that, though, let’s break it down into bite-size chunks, take it a little at a time, and add speed in as you get comfortable with the technique.

Drop Seoi Nage The BreakdownAdonis breaks down Drop Seoi Nage step by step and the key details follow. It’s one thing to learn by reading and watching video, it’s an entirely different thing to learn by doing. Make sure that as you learn these techniques, you’re executing them on the mats as well. That should go without saying, so without further ado, The Drop Seoi Nage:

Drop Seoi Nage Step 1:

The first place to start this throw is by controlling the very end of your opponent’s sleeve in order to ensure you have the inside control. Drop Seoi Nage sets the tone of the throw and will become increasingly more important down the road, so make sure you start right so you can finish strong.

Drop Seoi Nage Step 2:

Next up, you’re going to need to get your hips underneath your opponent. Part of Adonis’ success in this throw comes from his immaculate positioning. He manages to maintain contact and control with just one knee down. Take note of that, because not only is it impressive, but it’s important for the rest of the throw.

Drop Seoi Nage Step 3:

Ready for the speed part? Explode in an upward direction as fast as possible in order to take your opponent’s feet out from underneath them. They’re in the air, and you’re in control. A common mistake here is allowing your head to descend toward the mat when driving your opponent; don’t do that! The more control you maintain the better this throw will go for you. Notice how powerful and explosive Adonis is here. He drives up so powerfully that his knee actually comes off the mat and all of that drive is coming from his one planted foot. The power and importance of single leg strength training for the judo player is revealed in this type of unilateral stance.

Drop Seoi Nage Step 4:

When you and your opponent land, the job isn’t done yet. Make sure you maintain contact throughout and you land with your back still on your opponent’s chest. Giving them space will lead to trouble (and quickly). The best thing for you to do in order to remain in control is to stay tight to your opponent, don’t let them have too much space, keep the pressure on them and stay in control.

The best part about this technique is that, when executed properly, athletes of varying abilities can find success with it. You don’t have to be as explosive as Adonis for this throw to work well for you, you just have to be able to move your body decisively and execute the technique. Additionally, a lot of the power Adonis uses here comes from the speed at which he enters the throw, so consider that you don’t always need to be explosive, but you do need to have an element of speed in order for this throw to work well. Study this technique, and then go explore it, find the way you can best get it done, and make it work for you.

Strength Training and the Grappler

Before you go, we mentioned in step three how impressive Adonis’ single-leg strength was. In most sports, but especially in judo, you’re relying on the strength of one limb independent of the other as you go about executing technique, combinations, and throws. While a lot of this strength can be developed on the mats, it is equally important to work on your craft in the weight room as well. The best judo players in the world spend time lifting weights and developing strength outside of the dojo. The reality is that it supplements your precision, strength, and technique on the mats. Don’t be afraid of the weight room, use it to your advantage!

A Final Thought

Lastly and above all, be assertive with your decisions on the mat and fully commit to your Drop Seoi Nage. Learn from the best, then go experiment with the throw and incorporate it as your comfort and ability grows and improves.

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My guess is you read the headline and immediately recognized and imagined your favorite version of Osoto Gari. Something everyone can agree on is Osoto Gari is a very common judo throw at all levels of judo. From the local grassroots judo, all the way to the Olympic stage. It is so versatile and familiar in the world of judo, it's almost comforting to think about it!

There are a lot of different ways to do throws like Osoto Gari. But if you want any of them to work you should have a strong understanding of the basics before attempting to learn some of the more advanced techniques that are seen in this video and a lot of other videos you will find on the internet.

Angie Delgado and Osoto Gari

Angie Delgado is the top performing athlete in the United States for Judo currently in the year of 2018. The Osoto Gari that Angie Delgado displays in this video is a great variation of the basic version that hopefully, we all know already. When your first starting out learning judo things can seem difficult. Once you get the hang of it you will start to see some success when doing Randori.

Once you have started to have some success with your basic throws the real struggle will begin with your judo training. With success in the way of throwing people, your training partners will start to make some adjustments. It’s when people are adjusting the basic throws that you want to start getting into the different types of Osoto Gari’s you could learn. Here is a little breakdown and key points of Angie Delgado’s Osoto Gari. 

"Basics win championships" 

Key Points of Osoto Gari:

Osoto Gari Step 1:

Angie likes to start off the throw by being in the same stance as her opponents. Here she can control her opponent's sleeve and neck. When she does this, she's in the ultimate position of power. Take note.

Osoto Gari Step 2:

Angie likes to make sure that she pulls her opponents head down hard and traps it in her elbow. She makes a major effort to, and emphasizes her ability to control her opponent's head. This is often an overlooked detail with Osoto Gari.

Osoto Gari Step 3:

The pull is one of the most important parts of doing Osoto Gari. This still shot may seem mundane and basic, but there are a lot of details in this photo that are important to pay attention to. 

• Angie's foot placement – She has stepped past her opponents’ foot.
• Angie is ear to ear with the person she is trying to throw
• Angie has a strong pull because of her opponent's left foot coming off the ground.
• Watch how upright Angie is here. That's impressive!

Osoto Gari Step 4:

The leg sweep is extremely important when doing Osoto regardless of the variation you are looking to execute. More importantly, one of the most overlooked points of reference in an Osoto Gari is eye placement. Where we look is extremely important. Check out Angie's eye placement. She is looking right where she should be which is where she wants to throw her partner. Where we look dictates where we move and how, don't underestimate the importance of it.

We can see in the photo Angie is looking toward the mat over her opponent’s shoulder. This, in turn, will help her off balance her opponent and raise the percentage of scores tori will have.

Osoto Gari Step 5:

Angie Delgado makes a strong point in the video to plant her foot on the ground when doing her Osoto Gari. This is something that most instructors never teach or strongly tell you not to do. Angie, however, makes a point to put her foot down when doing the throw. This is awesome and innate with her and true competitors and athletes. While not the focus of the throw, this is a super important detail to incorporate as you become proficient in the technique!

Osoto Gari Step 7:

Here is a great shot showing how Angie likes to keep her foot on the floor when powering throw her throw. 

Final Thoughts

Remember the most important key to getting this technique to work is having a firm understanding of the basics! The advanced techniques are very pretty and sometimes elusive, but you have to make sure you have a solid foundation first. Angie is a high-level judo player who is training to make the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She's an exceptional example. Definitely take her cues and learn from her, but make sure you're a master of the basics first!

Once you start drilling Osoto Gari and become more and more proficient in it, let us know how these tips and tricks have worked for you. It is also a great idea to come back to this post as you become a more advanced athlete to see how it can continue to help you further your training.

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