Ouchi Gari / Inside trip Takedown: How to set up and finish
The inside trip is one of the prettiest moves in wrestling. Judokas know this move as the Ouchi Gari, and while there are some technical differences between gi and no gi, the main principles remain the same. If you can execute the inside trip in one style of grappling, you can most certainly execute the inside trip in another style.
Inside trip / Ouchi gari Set Up
To set up an inside trip, you need to make your opponent step forward with the foot you want to trip. You can do this by either pulling your opponent or by backing up just slightly so your opponent moves forward.
The inside trip works much better in a close tie up. Most no gi set ups involve the overhook position (this is because you have a limited amount of attacks from an overhook), but you can also transition to an inside trip from any other tie such as an underhook, two-on-one, collar tie, or inside tie. In most cases, the attacker will transition from any of these tie ups to an overhook while executing and finishing the inside trip.
Inside trip / Ouchi gari Execution
After setting up the inside trip, move your back leg closer. If you lead with your right leg, your left leg needs to move forward so that your front leg can execute the trip without you getting too extended. This ends up looking like a sideways hop. Then, hook your opponent’s leg. You have the option of hooking higher on the leg or lower depending on which takedown finish you prefer. The lower finish tends to be a higher percentage but your opponent may not fall directly to their back.
Additionally, a subtle trick is to pull the opponent up while executing the move. This makes it easier to move the opponent and trip the opponent. After hooking the leg, you can then pull your opponent’s weight down to knock them off balance.
Inside trip / Ouchi gari Finish
Ideally, the opponent falls flat on his or her back. If you like higher percentage finishes, you can drop the inside trip to the opponent’s ankle and finish like a double leg takedown. If the opponent resists, you can transition into lifting your opponent and putting them down to the mat to secure your takedown.
Other Inside Trip Variations
A few variations exist for the inside trip. Some wrestlers execute the inside trip from open space (they have very quick feet). The inside trip can also be used as a counter attack to an attack. Regardless of which variation you perform, it’s undeniably one of the more technical (and stylish) techniques in grappling sports.
