01 / AT A GLANCE
Tsurikomi-goshi: organise the lift and pull
Tsurikomi-goshi (釣込腰), the lift-pull hip throw, belongs to koshi-waza. It teaches a coordinated relationship between the collar hand, sleeve hand, lowered hips and subsequent turning action. The goal is not to lift an opponent with the arms alone. Nor is it simply to squat beneath someone and hope that standing up produces a throw. The upper-body connection must make the hip placement useful.
Tori means the throwing partner; uke means the receiving partner. Our example is right-sided: tori’s right hand grips uke’s left collar or lapel, the left hand controls uke’s right sleeve, and the hips enter while tori turns left. The precise collar height and stance should be selected with your coach. A left-sided version mirrors both hands and the direction of entry, not merely the leading foot.
This page is for supervised learning and troubleshooting after appropriate ukemi has been established. It is especially relevant when you can enter a hip throw cooperatively but cannot make the upper body follow under movement. Compare it with sode-tsurikomi-goshi, which changes the lifting connection to the sleeve, and o-goshi, which uses a different waist relationship.
02 / WATCH THE TECHNIQUE
Separate the hand action from the hip action
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 official movement reference. Efficient Judo’s demonstration provides a second published presentation. Titles and publishers were checked; the prompts below are a viewing plan, not a claim of frame-by-frame playback verification. Use the original links when necessary and select one version with your instructor before comparing variations.
Watch first for when uke’s posture begins to change. Does that happen before the hips arrive, during the entry, or only after tori appears to strain? Next follow the collar hand and elbow relative to tori’s chest. Finally observe the height relationship between the two pelvises. Each pass asks one question, making it easier to see a connected action rather than memorise a frozen shape.
Do not confuse a low hip position with a rounded back. From a front angle those can look similar. A side view is more useful for checking whether tori lowers through the legs while maintaining an organised torso. The official demonstration should inform an in-person correction, not replace a coach’s assessment of your mobility, distance and partner’s receiving ability.
03 / WHEN TO USE IT
Recognise a shoulder line you can raise and turn
A useful opening begins with sleeve-and-collar control that can move uke’s upper body toward the front or right-front corner. That may arise during an advancing step or after a rearward attack prompts a forward recovery. The important condition is that uke’s shoulder line can be led while tori enters. A strong collar grip by itself does not establish that condition.
If uke’s arms form an effective frame, tori may lower underneath without bringing uke’s chest into the throwing relationship. Work first on angle and sleeve direction. A small movement that makes the frame turn can be more informative than repeatedly pushing against it. Test this without a throw so you can distinguish a grip problem from a hip-placement problem.
A defensive lean with the hips far away is also a poor invitation to squat deeper. The distance may require a preceding movement or a different attack. Ask whether the collar hand can influence the torso without tori reaching or shrugging. If not, restore posture and work on grip access and movement before returning to the lift-pull entry.
Opposite stances change the route between the feet and the angle available to the collar arm. Treat them as a separate learning situation. Begin with the same simple question—can the shoulder line follow the hands?—but let the coach choose a suitable entry rather than transplanting a same-stance footprint. Technique principles can transfer while the exact approach needs adjustment.
04 / HOW IT WORKS
Lower through the legs, then turn a connected load
The IJF definition describes collar-and-sleeve control, forward balance, lowered hips near uke’s thigh level and a coordinated rising and pulling action over the hips. That is the classification reference. The checkpoints below translate the task into supervised practice; they are not a universal prescription for grip height or knee angle.
The sleeve hand leads uke’s right shoulder into the forward turning path. Keep enough tension to connect to the body without locking your elbow into a rigid pulling position. If the sleeve fabric stretches but the shoulder stays behind, inspect the direction and starting distance. An efficient connection lets uke’s torso respond before tori has to use maximal arm effort.
The collar hand provides the complementary lift and guidance. Its position should allow the arm to remain connected to tori’s trunk during the turn. A raised shoulder and collapsed wrist often make the action feel like isolated upper-body lifting. Ask your coach to adjust the elbow and distance together. Do not force the forearm into a painful position to copy an image of someone with different proportions.
Lower the hips through supported legs while turning into the available space. The body should not fold forward to create the appearance of being lower. Nor should the feet spread so far that tori cannot rise or rotate. In a cooperative entry, verify that tori can hold their own posture and return comfortably before asking uke to accept a full throwing action.
Coordinate the rise with the continuing pull and turn. If tori straightens the legs before uke is connected, the hip may push away rather than carry the body. If the arms stop during the rise, uke can recover around the entry. Think of the motion as one connected change in height and direction. Keep the sleeve guidance through the finish and provide the agreed space for ukemi.
05 / KEY POINTS
Four practical cues
Raise the shoulder line, not your own shoulders
Uke should feel a change in balance, while an observer can see tori remain relatively organised through the neck and shoulders. If tori shrugs dramatically but uke stays upright on both feet, the collar action is not doing the intended job. Reduce effort and inspect distance and sleeve direction before adding strength.
Lower without folding
Use an entry-only side view to compare chest and hip movement. The pelvis should lower through the legs rather than the head simply dropping forward. A coach can choose a comfortable depth that fits your current movement. More depth is not automatically better if it prevents the coordinated rise or forces the knees into an unstable position.
Keep both hands in the same story
The sleeve and collar hands must move the same torso into the same throwing path. A sleeve pulled down while the collar lifts straight up can create opposition without useful rotation. Practise slowly and ask uke which direction the combined action requests. Adjust that direction before changing the speed of the entry.
Rise only after connection
In cooperative practice, compare an entry with clear chest-to-hip relationship against one where a gap remains. Notice which requires more arm effort. Do not use the pause as a prolonged loaded hold. Its purpose is to reveal whether the subsequent rise would move a connected partner or merely straighten tori’s legs underneath empty space.
06 / PROBLEMS & ADJUSTMENTS
Find why the lift-pull action feels difficult
The collar arm collapses
Possible causes include entering too far away, an elbow that loses its relationship to the trunk, or uke’s frame directing the arm out of position. Start closer without throwing and repeat the hand path. If that resolves it, rebuild the approach. If it persists, have the coach adjust the arm arrangement rather than asking for a harder lift through an uncomfortable shoulder.
Tori cannot get low enough
Check whether “low enough” is being judged by a fixed photograph instead of the actual partner relationship. Excessive distance and early forward bending can make any entry feel too high. Shorten the approach and lower within a supported range. If a comfortable entry still cannot be found, choose a different practice version with the coach rather than forcing depth under load.
Uke slips off the side
The sleeve may stop guiding the shoulder, or the hip may enter at an angle that leaves the body outside the carrying path. Another possibility is that tori rises before completing the turn. Use a slow entry with an observer at the side. Change one variable—shoulder direction or hip angle—and compare the contact before adding a full finish.
The throw requires a large heave
That can indicate absent kuzushi, a gap between the bodies or a rise disconnected from the hands. Ask uke to remain naturally balanced rather than preloading onto the hip. Practise one small moving step and look for the first genuine shoulder response. A smaller, better-timed entry is a more useful experiment than another maximal lift from a static dead position.
The entry works but the finish stalls
Inspect whether the hands stop once the hips are in place. Tori may regard the entry as complete and then start a second, separate throwing effort. Rehearse a continuous low-speed turn with uke cooperating, focusing on the sleeve path through the finish. If the movement becomes smoother without additional force, retain that continuity when reintroducing the approach.
07 / SETUPS & COMBINATIONS
Use a reaction to improve the entry
O-uchi-gari into tsurikomi-goshi
Begin with a controlled o-uchi-gari threat from sleeve and collar. If uke withdraws the attacked leg and returns the upper body forward, recover your attacking leg and lower into the hip entry. If uke remains back or the hands lose connection, stop and reorganise. The reaction supplies the opportunity; the technique names alone do not make the sequence work.
Ko-uchi-gari opens the turn
A small ko-uchi-gari action can change the near foot’s position and prompt a forward adjustment. Continue only when the shoulder line can be lifted and the hip route is clear. Practise the foot recovery separately before joining the attacks. Do not twist into the hip throw with your leg still caught between uke’s supports.
A sleeve opportunity changes the grip
If the collar connection becomes unavailable but you gain a suitable outer-sleeve control, sode-tsurikomi-goshi may become a separate option. Establish that new connection while balanced before entering. Gripping a sleeve is not permission to wrench the arm into the old collar-hand path. The sleeve variation needs its own comfortable shoulder movement and receiving preparation.
Retreat closes the hip route
When uke withdraws beyond the lifting connection, recover your stance rather than chasing with a deep squat. A foot attack or renewed gripping may follow after that reset. In a constrained drill, let uke choose to retreat on some repetitions and reward tori for staying balanced. This teaches the boundary of the technique, which is as important as its cooperative shape.
08 / DEFENCES & COUNTERS
Keep posture before the load develops
Early defence addresses the hands and distance. Uke can move the feet to preserve a balanced shoulder line and avoid being drawn into the hip path. Merely leaning backward may create a new rearward opening, so the aim is a supported posture rather than an exaggerated counterpose. Ask the coach to evaluate whether the feet are actually following the defensive movement.
If tori lowers but has not connected, uke may be able to step around and restore the facing relationship. Train that opportunity before adding throws, so both partners know when a reset is expected. Once the body is loaded and rotating, appropriate ukemi takes priority. A rigid arm post or abrupt twist is not a substitute for an earlier defensive decision.
Tori should recognise the risk of entering low with the back exposed and the collar arm stranded. If the shoulder connection is lost, stand back into a safe base when possible instead of continuing to pull from a folded position. Counterthrow work requires a specific supervised exercise. It should not be introduced unexpectedly into a drill meant to develop comfortable lifting mechanics.
Record where the defender interrupted the chain: grip access, forward balance, hip connection or final turn. A defence at the first stage does not prove the lifting mechanics are wrong; a failure at the last stage does not necessarily require more grip strength. Clear diagnosis keeps the next training task proportionate to the actual problem.
09 / GROUND TRANSITIONS
Turn a controlled finish into a useful ground position
After a successful hip throw, retain sleeve guidance and settle beside the shoulder line before choosing a hold. Kesa-gatame can suit a close side landing; yoko-shiho-gatame may fit when the chest can turn across uke. Do not carry the collar grip into the ground simply because it was useful standing if it now prevents a stable base.
If uke turns onto the side or toward the knees, follow the actual shoulder position without hauling the arm backward. Stabilise and use a coach-approved turnover where appropriate. A partial throw can leave tori bent and extended, so recovering posture may precede any ground attack. The planned pin is not available until the body position supports it.
Train the transition in two parts: a controlled finish with a deliberate pause to settle, then a short positional exchange in which uke tries to turn or recover a knee. Observe whether tori can change grips without losing the shoulder line. That handover is a skill of its own, and practising it separately prevents rushed landings from being mistaken for good ne-waza continuity.
10 / PRACTICE PROGRESSION
Build the hand-and-hip timing gradually
Begin with the hand action and a small lowering movement, without a throw. Uke supplies natural posture and reports whether the shoulder line moves. The coach watches tori’s collar arm and back. Use short sets with immediate corrections. The purpose is to make the lifting direction intelligible, not to exhaust the arms through repeated static resistance.
Next add a complete entry and selected controlled finishes. Keep the starting grip and distance consistent enough to identify a change. Progress when tori can lower, connect and rise without a separate heave, and uke can receive comfortably. A repetition that succeeds because uke jumps onto the hip should be recorded differently from one produced by the intended action.
Then introduce movement: one agreed advancing step followed by either an available shoulder line or a balanced withdrawal. Tori chooses the entry or reset. Count correct refusals as useful decisions. If tori lowers automatically on every step, the drill is still choreography, even if the successful throws look smooth. Slow the choice until the visual and tactile cues become clear.
Finally, add a preceding foot attack or a constrained gripping round. Keep the experiment narrow: one setup, one hip entry and one reset option. Free randori can come later under your coach’s direction. When resistance makes the collar arm collapse again, return to the specific connection that failed rather than adding more combinations to compensate for the same unresolved issue.
11 / COMPETITION EXAMPLE
Use a named IJF replay as a comparison task
The Zelym Kotsoiev tsurikomi-goshi replay selection lists Kotsoiev–Muzaffarbek Turoboyev at Paris Grand Slam 2023. This is a verified official technique-tagged entry. No score, precise grip sequence or frame-specific interpretation is asserted here from the listing alone. Open the named contest and inspect the available action before drawing a technical conclusion.
Ask when the upper body becomes connected, how the hip height changes and whether the lift and turn appear continuous. If the camera hides the collar elbow, leave its exact position unresolved. Compare the visible body relationship with the cooperative version you practise, rather than assuming a competitive variation must match every detail of the teaching demonstration.
Choose one feature to discuss with your coach, such as whether the entry follows a recovery step. Reconstruct the relevant starting situation at low speed if appropriate. Historical footage supplies a concrete example to investigate, not current competition-rule certification or evidence that the same attack will fit your stance and gripping habits without adaptation.
12 / VARIATIONS & COMPARISONS
Tsurikomi-goshi and its close relatives
Sode-tsurikomi-goshi changes the lifting connection from collar to sleeve. That affects how the shoulder is guided and how uke’s arm must be allowed to move. It is not merely the same entry with the hand relocated at the last instant. Compare the two from a comfortable, controlled starting position and ask what changes in the upper-body path.
O-goshi develops its hip throw through a waist wrap rather than the collar-based lift-pull arrangement used here. Uki-goshi uses a shallower floating relationship. These distinctions help diagnose why a drill feels different even when all three end with uke travelling over or around the hips. Identify the intended action before deciding that an entry needs to be deeper, lower or stronger.
Seoi-nage uses a shoulder-oriented carrying relationship rather than the hip action described here. A deeply bent collar arm does not make every failed tsurikomi-goshi a shoulder throw. Compare the supporting contact and the route of uke’s torso. In your notes, pair the official name with the exact grip and movement situation you actually practised.
13 / YOUR NEXT PRACTICE
Measure the connection before the rise
Take a single question to your next session: does uke’s shoulder line follow before you rise through the legs? Ask your coach to observe two short entry sets from the same right sleeve-and-collar grip. Mark each attempt as connected, gap present or collar arm collapsed. Add a few controlled throws only after the entry can be reproduced without discomfort.
Illustrative record: five of eight entries connected before the rise, while three began too far away. A slightly closer starting position produced four connected entries in the next five attempts. The next test would add one step while preserving that distance relationship. These numbers show how to describe an experiment; they are not a required success threshold or a prediction of match performance.
Record the adjustment in the practice-log template. Ask: “Did I improve the hand direction, or simply start from an easier distance?” Your next exercise should answer that uncertainty. Keep enough consistency between sessions to know whether the lift-pull action is becoming more reliable rather than merely more familiar.
14 / SOURCES & REVIEW
Sources, authorship and review
Kodokan official technique names establish the name and category. The IJF Tsurikomi-goshi definition and video library and linked Kodokan demonstration are the primary technical references. The second video above is credited separately. The official replay listing linked in section 11 verifies the named contest selection and technique tag, not an unviewed score or 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. The historical replay selection does not establish current rule permissions. 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.