The Judo Throw That Works in Tournaments, Street Fights, and Family Reunions (Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi)
Every Judo throw has its own flavor. Some are loud and dramatic, like a suplex on pay per view. Others are sneaky, like stealing the last slice of pizza without anyone noticing. Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi (a fancy way of saying “foot block throw”) is the perfect middle ground. Smooth, sharp, and efficient. One moment your opponent feels solid, the next they are flat on the mat wondering if you hacked gravity.
Let’s break it down with the holy trinity of Judo: Kuzushi, Tsukuri, and Kake.
What Is Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi?
The name sounds intimidating. Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi (sah-sah-eh tsoo-ree-koh-mee ah-shee) literally means “supporting foot lifting pull.” Translation: you are blocking their leg while pulling them forward, and suddenly their balance has trust issues.
It is all about three phases:
Kuzushi (off balance) where you make them stumble.
Tsukuri (entry or setup) where you slide into position like you are setting up the perfect prank.
Kake (execution or finish) where you commit to the throw and send them earthbound.
Get these three in sync and you will look like you barely touched them. Miss one and you look like you just tried to trip your grandma at Thanksgiving. Timing is everything.
Breaking Down the Move: Grips, Kuzushi, Tsukuri, Kake
Grips: Start with a collar grip and a sleeve grip. Collar grip is the steering wheel. Sleeve grip is the gas pedal. Together you decide where this ride is going.
Kuzushi: This is step one. Pull on the collar, rotate their body, and force their weight onto their near leg. You are basically turning their stance into a Jenga tower missing the bottom block.
Tsukuri: Now that they are wobbly, you step in. Block their near leg with yours, slide into the right angle, and set up the trap. Think of it like pulling out a chair just as someone goes to sit down. You want to be perfectly timed and perfectly placed.
Kake: Finally, the finish. Commit. Drive through with the block, keep pulling with your grips, and let physics do its thing. This is the payoff. The mat-slam. The dunk. The mic-drop.
The Magic of Timing: Watch the Counters
Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi is not a cheat code. Your opponent can still fight back. But if you know the counters, you can turn their defense into your offense.
Ouchi Gari (Major Inner Reap): If they step back to dodge your block, great. They just offered you their far leg. Sweep it and boom, they are down.
Kouchi Gari (Small Inner Reap): If they shift away too hard, they might expose their near leg. That is like leaving your phone unlocked with toddlers nearby. Reap it, finish the throw, and claim victory.
Using Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi as a Counter
Here is where the technique gets spicy. You can flip it around as a counter to their throws.
Counter to Tai Otoshi (Body Drop): As they drag you forward to drop you, block their leg mid pull and Reverse Uno card them onto the mat.
Counter to Uchi Mata (Inner Thigh Throw): When they try to hoist your leg, jam their near leg and turn their attack into your highlight reel.
It is martial arts Uno. Reverse their reversal.
Two Sneaky Setups
Pull Push Kuzushi: Yank their collar forward, push their sleeve back. It is like trying to steer a shopping cart with a broken wheel. When they stumble, step in with tsukuri, then finish with kake. Smooth, sneaky, satisfying.
Fake Seoi Nage (Shoulder Throw): Pretend you are going for a shoulder throw. They will shift their weight to defend. Perfect. That is your tsukuri moment. Slide in, block their leg, and boom, kake seals the deal.
This one is a crowd pleaser. Like juking left in basketball and driving right to the hoop.
Self Defense Bonus Round
Judo is not just for tournaments. It is practical. If someone charges you in real life, you do not need to slam them WWE style. With Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi, you time their rush, block their leg, and let their momentum do the dirty work. They are on the ground, you are still standing, and you get to leave the scene looking like you practiced self-defense and choreography at the same time.
The Takeaway: Why You Need This Throw
Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi is all about finesse. With kuzushi, tsukuri, and kake, you have balance breaking, setup, and finish in one clean sequence. It works as an attack, a counter, or a self-defense move. And it is efficient. Less effort from you, more face to mat time for them.
Like all great Judo techniques, there is no “best throw,” just the right throw at the right time. And once you master this foot block, you will start seeing opportunities everywhere.
So grab your gi, hit the mats, and try Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi. And when you finally land it clean, drop a comment here and tell me the story. Did your partner give you that “seriously?” face? That is the universal sign of success.
A Stealthy Reflection
At Des Moines Judo Academy, we follow the curriculum, but we also bend it. Sometimes we go out of order because we want everyone to see what Judo has to offer, not just the pieces tied neatly to belts and levels. Yes, some techniques are complicated and demand hours of training and solid ukemi to keep it safe. But it is inspiring, and it fills the cup. For me, Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi spilled over from other arts. In Silat there is Puter Kepala (Head Turn). A failed Sasae often becomes the perfect setup for a successful Puter Kepala. I was able to learn the throw faster because I had other fundamentals baked in. That is the beauty of this technique. It is considered a beginner’s throw, but when mastered it opens doors. It builds fundamentals that carry into everything, inside and outside Judo. Even in Kali stick fighting, the same lifting and pulling principles appear. Add footwork and positioning, and suddenly you are creating across arts because the fundamentals are tattooed into your DNA.
