01 / AT A GLANCE
Remove the outside heel from a connected rear corner
Ko-soto-gari is the small outer reap, an ashi-waza that attacks a support from outside while directing the opponent backward or toward a rear corner. The leg action can be compact, but the whole technique is not a small ankle tap. The upper body must make the attacked heel matter. Otherwise uke can simply step away or turn while you are occupied with their foot.
Convention: you are tori and your partner is uke. Begin with your left hand holding uke’s right sleeve and your right hand holding uke’s left lapel. Your left sole attacks the rear of uke’s right ankle in the formal reference, while your right leg supplies your support. The body is directed toward uke’s rear or right-rear corner. This explicit left-foot/right-ankle relationship prevents confusion with the right-foot inside reap used in our ko-uchi guide.
Ko soto gari and kosoto-gari are spelling variants. Ko-soto-gake is a distinct recognised technique, so a hooking action should not be hidden behind the same name simply because it attacks from outside. Ask your coach to identify the action you actually perform, especially when a moving entry changes into sustained hooking or entanglement.
This guide studies a controlled standing reap with a clear return to stance if the opening disappears. It does not prescribe falling sideways onto a trapped leg. Begin with comfortable contact, a manageable rearward direction and a partner prepared for ukemi. A small technique deserves the same care in receiving and finishing as a larger throw.
02 / WATCH THE TECHNIQUE
Watch the shoulders before examining the heel
Open this video on YouTube if the player is unavailable.
Open this video on YouTube if the player is unavailable.
The Kodokan demonstration is the formal technical reference. Efficient Judo’s second video is an additional demonstration, accurately labelled as a demo rather than a spoken lesson. First identify the attacked ankle and attacking sole. Then watch where uke’s shoulders travel. The connection between those observations explains more than the size of the visible foot movement.
In your own footage, inspect the moment before contact. Is uke already being directed toward the rear corner, or are you hoping that touching the heel will create the whole imbalance? Then look at your right supporting leg. A distant base may leave you reaching with both arm and foot, which can make a compact technique feel surprisingly weak.
Observe the finish without assuming every outside attack belongs to ko-soto-gari. A sustained hook, a larger reaping leg or a lateral sacrifice changes the technical question. Use the official form as a comparison, and have a coach assess the classification when the action differs. Names should clarify the movement rather than excuse an unclear leg relationship.
Do not infer a universal grip rule from one demonstration. Different grips can change the approach, but their usefulness depends on whether they control the upper body in the intended direction. Record the particular grip and stance when asking for advice. “My ko-soto does not work” is too broad to identify whether the missing piece is access, balance or contact.
03 / WHEN TO USE IT
Find the rearward support you can actually reach
A near heel beneath a controlled shoulder line
The right heel is a useful target when the upper body can be directed backward and the distance allows a compact sole action. If the foot is near but the shoulders can freely turn away, the target is incomplete. Establish the body relationship first instead of repeatedly checking the ankle with a disconnected leg.
Uke recovers from a forward threat
A defended turning attack can make uke withdraw or settle backward. Recover your own facing stance before attempting the outside reap. If your back is still exposed or your feet are crossed from the first entry, the new attack is not ready. The recovery creates a possibility, not a guarantee that the rear corner belongs to you.
A retreating step settles within range
Following a controlled retreat may bring the heel into reach as uke accepts support. Move your base with the partner and maintain the upper-body direction. Chasing only the foot from behind usually enlarges the gap. In practice, let uke occasionally take a longer step so you learn when to rebuild rather than stretch.
When the heel is light or far away
If uke has already withdrawn the target or shifted onto another support, the same rearward reap may be unavailable. A moving-foot sweep or another direction may fit, but only after you recognise the change. Do not keep scraping at an ankle that no longer supports the body you are trying to move.
04 / HOW IT WORKS
Make the upper body and small reap agree
Connect the rear corner
Use the sleeve-and-lapel relationship with your body movement to direct uke backward or toward their right-rear corner. Avoid an isolated long-arm shove. The sleeve connection should help prevent the near shoulder from escaping while the other hand and your position maintain the intended line. A moving torso makes the support removal meaningful.
Bring your supporting foot close enough
Your right leg must carry your body while the left sole reaches the back of the target ankle. Too much distance turns the reap into a stretched poke; excessive crowding can jam the legs. Inspect the fit slowly with a coach rather than adopting a fixed distance that ignores partner size and stance.
Reap the ankle from behind
Use the left sole against the rear of uke’s right ankle in the baseline. Coordinate the small removal of support with the rearward direction of the upper body. Do not strike upward into the calf or drive sideways against a trapped knee. Comfortable low contact and a clear route for the foot are prerequisites for adding resistance.
Continue with posture
As the support changes, guide the partner’s fall without throwing your own torso beyond your base. Some competitive applications involve committed following, but the learning version should let you identify whether you remain balanced. A controlled finish gives you options afterward; an uncontrolled collapse can give away top position even when the initial reap disturbed uke.
Return if the target disappears
If uke withdraws the heel, put the attacking foot down and restore stance. Do not leave the leg hooked while forcing the upper body in an unrelated direction. That turns a missed opportunity into a tangled exchange. A clean reset makes it possible to read the next step and choose a technically appropriate continuation.
05 / KEY POINTS
Four cues for a compact outside attack
Move the body onto the threatened support
Ask whether uke has to recover when you create the rearward direction before completing the reap. If they remain comfortable and square, the ankle action may be doing all the apparent work. Test a better upper-body connection rather than a stronger foot flick. The partner’s response helps locate the missing part.
Keep the attacking leg short enough to recover
At contact, notice whether your left leg is stretched away from your hips. If it is, bring the base closer before changing the reap. Practise a touch-and-return without a throw. You should be able to replace the foot without hopping or pulling yourself upright through the partner’s jacket.
Guide the shoulder line through the finish
Do not release the sleeve as soon as the heel moves. The upper body still needs a controlled direction, and uke needs a predictable landing. Observe the final connection in slow practice. A small foot action can produce a sudden backward fall when the body is properly involved.
Keep the knee out of a twisting contest
The target is low support removal, not a sideways lever against the knee. If the legs entangle or uke turns while the foot remains caught, stop and reset. This check is especially important when trying to copy a hooking variation that has not been taught as a separate action.
06 / PROBLEMS & ADJUSTMENTS
Diagnose the heel contact in its body context
You touch the heel but uke does not move
Possible causes include a free shoulder line, an unloaded target or excessive distance. Observe which foot actually supports uke and whether the torso moves with your hands. Test one closer, connected entry at low intensity. If the heel still feels irrelevant, reconsider the target rather than repeating the same tap more rapidly.
Uke steps away before the reap arrives
Your approach may announce the attack, or you may be following the foot after the body has already retreated. Shorten the gap through ordinary movement before lifting the attacking leg. In a drill, let uke alternate short and long retreats. Attack only the reachable one and count the correct decline as a useful decision.
You pull uke forward over your own attack
The hands may be following an old turning-throw habit while the foot attempts a rearward reap. Film the shoulders and heel together. Practise the rear-corner direction without finishing, then add the low contact. The correction is coordination of directions, not necessarily a change in grip strength.
You lose balance sideways
A wide reach, crossed support or an attempt to hook without repositioning can pull your base apart. Stop the finish and check the standing right foot. Return to touch-and-recover until you can remain organised when uke moves the target. Do not compensate by falling harder onto the opponent.
The action becomes an uncomfortable leg entanglement
You may be retaining a hook after the initial opportunity has gone, or uke may be turning against a fixed contact. Stop immediately and identify the leg relationship with your coach. Learn ko-soto-gake separately if that is the intended action. Changing the label after the fact does not make an uncontrolled entanglement a sound technique.
07 / SETUPS & COMBINATIONS
Use the recovery to select the next support
A forward throw to ko-soto-gari
Begin with a coach-taught seoi-nage or other forward threat. If uke withdraws and settles backward, recover your facing base and connect the rear corner before the outside reap. If the first attack remains available, complete it. If the response opens distance beyond reach, rebuild your approach rather than launching from a twisted stance.
Ko-soto-gari to a forward turn
If uke escapes the rearward threat by stepping forward and the sleeve remains controlled, a turning throw may become available. The new entry needs its own distance and support. Do not simply turn your back while the left foot is still occupied at the ankle. Return the leg and assess whether the shoulders follow before committing.
Ko-soto-gari to ko-uchi-gari
A recovery can shift weight toward another inside target. Study ko-uchi-gari as a different approach and contact relationship. Identify the actual heel you intend to reap and reposition your support. If the partner has merely stepped out of range, alternating outside and inside taps will not repair the lost body connection.
Ko-soto-gari to de-ashi-harai
When uke withdraws the threatened heel and takes a travelling recovery step, de-ashi-harai may address the moving foot. Change the timing and upper-body action with the task. A reap into settled rearward support and a sweep of a mobile foot are related options, not interchangeable names for the same contact.
Every combination should include a reset condition: lost grip, unreachable target, tangled legs or a partner who remains stable. Let the receiver occasionally provide that condition during practice. The attacker should learn to explain why the next technique was chosen or declined.
08 / DEFENCES & COUNTERS
Remove the rear corner while preserving your base
Early defence can involve adjusting the targeted step and recovering the shoulder line before the reap controls support. Pulling the heel away while leaving the torso driven backward may simply present another leg. Practise the body and foot recovery together, beginning with a predictable attack and a modest pace.
Avoid twisting hard against a caught foot or trying to hop through an uncomfortable entanglement. In a learning drill, both partners should stop when the intended low contact turns into a joint-loading position. The point of controlled resistance is to test the technique, not to see who tolerates a compromised leg longer.
A counterthrow requires a stable new relationship after the attack has been neutralised. Do not treat falling sideways across the opponent’s leg as a default answer to ko-soto. Ask your coach to choose and teach an appropriate counter with its own safe entry. This page concentrates on prevention, recovery and recognising when a fall is already committed.
When the rearward projection is established, use the ukemi taught for that fall rather than posting a locked arm behind you. Tori retains controlled contact and avoids landing unpredictably on the partner. If the target disappears before the throw develops, returning to stance is a technically useful result, not a failure of courage.
09 / GROUND TRANSITIONS
A rearward reap can leave a passing task
You arrive outside the legs
If the shoulders are controlled and the legs remain clear, move toward yoko-shiho-gatame or another coached hold. Keep your balance as you lower. Being beside the torso is only the start; uke may still turn, frame or bring a knee into the space.
One leg remains trapped
Do not wrench your knee free while pressing the upper body in the opposite direction. Establish posture and use the passing action your coach has taught for that specific entanglement. A static drill from the landing can isolate this problem. It may be more useful than changing a standing reap that already produces a controlled top arrival.
Uke rotates to the front
Follow the actual position and identify whether a turnover is available. Retaining a sleeve can help connection, but it does not control the whole torso. Avoid pulling the head or arm into a forced twist to recreate the pin you planned. Learn the ground task from the position the opponent really gives you.
You fall underneath
Recognise the defensive ground position immediately. Review whether your standing base was lost before the reap or whether you followed without controlling the landing. Record that outcome separately from the initial balance disturbance. A technique that often turns into bottom position needs a different training question from one that simply misses the heel.
10 / PRACTICE PROGRESSION
Develop a genuine threat before adding more attacks
Rear-corner connection
Begin with a cooperative partner and the baseline grip. Direct the upper body toward the rear corner without reaping, then return. Uke reports whether a recovery was necessary. Progress when the movement is connected and comfortable rather than an arm-only shove that leaves both torsos in their original positions.
Contact and return
Add the left sole behind the right ankle at low intensity, then replace the foot. Check support, distance and contact quality. Progress when tori can recover stance even if uke lightly withdraws the target. Repeated reaching or knee discomfort means the fit still needs adjustment before a full projection.
Controlled throw and arrival
Add the rearward fall with agreed ukemi. Pause after landing to identify outside position, trapped leg or lost top control. Those outcomes guide the next practice block. Do not rush directly into a pin if neither partner understands why the leg is repeatedly caught.
Short retreat or long retreat
Uke chooses a small reachable step or a larger step that removes the target. Tori attacks the first and follows with posture on the second. Count late reaches and correct declines. This makes distance perception visible before free gripping and multiple attacks make the same problem harder to isolate.
One forward continuation
Allow ko-soto and one trained forward throw when uke recovers toward you. Include a stable response that requires resetting. Progress when the attacker can name the actual change in support. Finish with a short randori observation and use the grip-fighting guide if access to the starting connection is the main obstacle.
11 / COMPETITION EXAMPLE
A named small outer reap in a major final
The IJF report on day two of the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games 2018 identifies Irena Khubulova’s ko-soto-gari for ippon against Sosorbaram Lkhagvasuren in the −52 kg final. This is a source-reported example of the technique as a scoring attack, not merely an empty setup for another throw.
When studying the contest, investigate how the upper-body direction makes the outside target meaningful. Identify the approach and the opponent’s recovery before assigning a reason for the finish. This article does not claim a verified timestamp or reconstruct the exact grip from the report alone. Historical scoring describes that event, not a rule recommendation for your age group.
Compare the example with your own attempts in which the ankle is touched but the shoulders remain free. The useful question is whether the initial connection differs. A high-level result does not prove that a larger or more forceful leg action is the correction your practice needs.
12 / VARIATIONS & COMPARISONS
Small outer reap, outer hook and moving-foot sweep
Ko-soto-gake is a distinct recognised outer hook. Ko-soto-gari’s reference removes the rear support through a reaping action. Ask your coach to identify the actual function of the leg in your version. Sustained contact is not automatically wrong, but an unclear transition into hooking should be taught deliberately rather than discovered through a tangled struggle.
O-soto-gari uses a larger outside reaping relationship and a different body approach. The compact sole action of ko-soto is not simply a weak version of o-soto. Compare where your body stands and which part of the opponent’s support the leg action removes.
De-ashi-harai addresses a moving foot around a support transfer. Ko-soto-gari is organised around a rearward line and an outside reap. That distinction helps explain why a late sweep should not just be made harder: the appropriate body direction may have changed. Use the official reference for classification and your coach for the particular application.
13 / YOUR NEXT PRACTICE
Check the shoulder line before counting heel contacts
Ask: “Does my rearward connection make uke rely on the heel I am attacking?” Use one partner, one grip and a small approach. Record connected threats, disconnected touches, targets withdrawn and correct resets. Include the ground arrival when a controlled throw occurs, but do not change the entry and the passing task simultaneously.
Illustrative note: “Ten entries: four connected, four ankle-only touches, two targets withdrawn. The connected attempts began closer and kept the sleeve engaged. Next session: compare the same approach with a shorter gap before changing the reap.” These numbers illustrate a decision process, not an expected success rate.
Ask your coach whether distance or shoulder control best explains the difference. If the closer entry helps but repeatedly traps your leg, preserve the standing improvement and study that landing separately. Save the result in the practice record or Judo AI so the next session begins with an observed problem rather than another generic repetition target.
14 / SOURCES & REVIEW
Sources, authorship and review
Kodokan official technique names establish the name and category. The IJF Ko-soto-gari definition and video library and linked Kodokan demonstration are the primary technical references. The second video above is credited separately. The competition report linked in section 11 supports the named example, not every coaching suggestion on this page.
By Judo AI · Editorial review: October 9, 2026. Definitions, source identity, article consistency and links have been checked. Practice tasks and diagnostic questions are editorial proposals to discuss with your coach, not a validated training protocol. Named technical-coach approval is still pending. Video identities were verified; complete playback and every contest detail have not been independently analysed.
Rules and scope: this is a supervised judo study guide, not a current refereeing manual. Historical scores describe the cited event. Ask your coach to check the applicable age group and event rules before using grip variations or submissions in shiai; this draft does not certify their legality. Stop a practice action when your partner taps, asks to stop or reports pain.