Uki-Otoshi (hand technique)

The technique of Uki-Otoshi is making Uke's body into a right (left) forward floating position, then, with both hands Tori pulls down strongly to the left and throws or uses a similar technique to throw. Uki-Otoshi and Sumiotoshi are identical techniques, which are generally called Kukinage.

(Type 1) Nage-no-kata techniques (per Kodokan Nage-no-kata)

Tori & Uke face each other in a right natural posture. Uke tries to step his right foot forward to hold Tori in the right natural posture. Tori uses Uke's movement to step his left foot back in a Tsugiashi to keep pace while pulling Uke's body forward in a right natural posture. Uke, trying to keep his balance, follows Tori's Tsugiashi and takes one step forward with his right foot. Tori, again, takes his right foot backward in Tsugiashi to further put Uke off balance. Then, Uke takes another step forward in Tsugiashi to maintain his balance. Tori, again, pulls Uke forward. Then, when Ukeresponds to this pull by putting his right foot forward, Tori steps his left foot way back to put Uke further off balance. Tori kneels his left knee with the tip of his toes placed on the mat (at this time, the angle of the left leg in relation to the right leg is 30 to 40 degree). Then, Tori pulls both hands strongly toward himself and throws. Uke falls forward in a big circular motion with his right toe as the point of rotation.

These Nagenokata techniques are illustrations of how to put Uke off balance by taking a step back, once, twice, with each step larger. Then, and on the third step, while pulling Uke toward the right front forward into a floating position, Tori drops his body and places his left knee on to the mat and pulls down and throws. Purpose of Nagenokata is to try to learn the logic of these movements. When Tori pulls both hands, rather than twisting his hands, he should concentrate his whole strength in pulling toward his hip.

Techniques of practical applications

(1) Throwing the Uke in standing position (Uki-Otoshi.

Tori tries to make Uke off balance toward his right front forward. Themoment that Uke steps his right foot forward, Tori pulls his left foot way back and immediately pulls his right foot back, thereby putting somedistance between each other. Tori lifts his right hand in a upward motion and pulls his left hand down and puts Uke off balance to his right front forward into a floating position. At this time, Tori widen his stance and drops his hip to take a right defensive posture to secure his balance. The moment Uke loses his balance to his right forward, Tori, while in a standing position (without completely dropping his left knee on the mat) changes his pulling direction from upward to downward toward his left foot, throws in one motion. Uki-Otoshi is not only executed with a dropped knee but is used extensively from a standing position in randori practice.

(2) Tori grabs Uke's belt over his back with the right hand and grip Uke's trouser over his knee and throws by twisting (Uki-Otoshi.

When Uke bends his body in a defensive position, Tori grabs Uke's belt over his back and pulls. At the same time, Tori grips Uke's right trouser over his knee with his left hand in a pulling motion to make Uke off balance to his left front forward. By twisting his body to the right, Tori throws down. The logic of this technique is not too good but we see many cases during the competition. After Kodokan Waza Study Group Department studied this technique, they all agreed to segregate as Uki-Otoshi. The following are similar techniques. Tori grabs Uke's belt over his back with his right hand and grips Uke's trouser with his left hand. Then Tori places his right leg between Uke's legs and scoops Uke's body up and twists his body to the right and throws down. In this case, it is called Sukuinage.

(Type 2) When Uke steps his left foot back, Tori chases Uke's movement to put him in a floating right forward position and then pushes him down for a throw (Uki-Otoshi).

Tori and Uke hold each other in a natural right-handed posture. Tori tries to step his right foot back and pulls Uke forward to put him off-balance. Uke steps his left foot forward to stop, but his body is already off-balance so Uke, again, tries to step back his left foot and return to normal posture. At this moment, Tori releases his pull and pushes his right hand. In response to the push, Uke pulls his left foot back and raises his body upright. While in a floating position, Uke tries to step his left foot back. To match this movement, Tori takes a deep step forward with his right foot to take a right defensive posture. While Tori pushes his right hip forward, he pushes his right hand up while his left hand pulls up and out to Uke's right front for a floating postion. At this time, Tori bends both knees and drops his hip in a secure position facing straight against Uke. With all his weight on his right toe, Uke is unable to touch the mat with his left foot creating a floating position and thereby losing his balance. While controlling Uke's body, Tori shifts his body 180 degree to the left using both of his toes as the shaft. This causes Uke's body to further float in the direction of his right front forward (Uke's right foot direction). At the moment Uke's body is completely off balance Tori pushes his right hand and pulls his left hand down and throws. Uke falls in a large circular motion with his right toe as a pivot point. To make this technique efficient, coordinate both hand movements (push and pull) and the twisting of the hip.

Techniques of practical applications

(1) Push Uke's left elbow with Tori's right hand and throws (Uki-Otoshi).

Tori grabs Uke's right sleeve (or right collar) with his left hand and grabs the lower part of the left sleeve with his right hand. As mentioned previously, the moment that Uke steps his left foot back Tori steps his right foot forward while pushing Uke's left elbow with his right hand and pulls his left hand upward. As his turns his body to change the direction, Tori pushes Uke up and down to throw. By pushing Uke's left elbow up, Tori will sufficiently cause Uke to lose his balance.

(2) Twist both hands (without twisting his body) and throws down (Uki-Otoshi).

Tori and Uke hold each other in right-handed natural posture. When Uke tries to step back with his left foot (same as Type 2), Tori chases Uke by stepping his right foot in and puts Uke off-balance to his right front forward. He, then, leans back without twisting his body and throws to the left by twisting his arms. At this time, Tori can throw Uke's body to his right (outside of Uke's right foot).

(Type 3) Dodge Uke's throws and change to Uki-Otoshi (combination techniques from dodging).

(1) Dodge opponent's Osotogari to change to Uki-Otoshi.

The moment before Uke sweeps his right leg for Osotogari, Tori dodges Uke's sweep by stepping back his right foot causing Uke's body to float to his left front corner. At this moment, Tori pushes his left hand up and pulls his right hand down and throws.

(2) Dodge opponent's right Osotogari by Tori swinging his right leg high to change to Uki-Otoshi.

Tori steps back his left foot the moment before Uke executes a right Osotogari by bending his body forward and swinging his right leg forward, high to dodge. As Uke's right leg drift backward with momentum, his body will float to the left front forward. At this moment, Tori brings his lifted leg back to become a left-handed position. Then, Tori throws Uke toward the direction he is floating by twisting down.

(3) Dodge Uke's right Ouchigari to change to Uki-Otoshi.

The moment before Uke's Ouchigari, Tori steps his left foot back to take a right-handed position for dodging. Uke loses his balance to his left front forward. At this moment, Tori pulls his right hand and pushes his left hand and twists Uke's body down for a throw.

(4) Dodge opponent's right Kouchigari to change to Uki-Otoshi.

The moment before Uke sweeps for right Kouchigari, Tori steps his right foot back to take a left-handed posture for dodging. When Uke misses his sweep, his right foot is in a floating position and his whole weight is on his left heel causing his off-balance. At this moment, Tori pulls his left hand and pushes his right hand and twists Uke down and throws.

In these dodging movements to change to Uki-Otoshi, Tori must anticipate Uke's sweep and step his foot back quickly to dodge Uke's sweep. When the timing is perfect against Uke's sharp sweep, Uke will automatically turns his body and throws himself. In addition to these, the dodging of Uke's Hanegoshi is also known as Uki-Otoshi. In the case of dodging the Uchimata by pulling down, it is called Uchimatasukashi instead of Uki-Otoshi. When Tori dodges Uke's Ouchigari and Kouchigari to change to Uki-Otoshi, it is similar to Ouchigaeshi and Kouchigaeshi. The difference will be explained later in the relative throws.