Uchi Mata
Also known as: Inner Thigh Throw · Uchimata
The queen of judo throws: lift your opponent’s inner thigh with the back of your own leg while their balance is drawn forward and over.
Takedown · Gi & No-gi · Difficulty 4/5 · Usually learned at Blue belt
Starts from Clinch as the either grappler → lands in Side Control.
The details that make it work
- Their weight must be moving forward/over you before your leg rises — pull them onto the throw.
- The lifting leg sweeps up the INNER thigh; your support foot turns fully so your hips face the same way as theirs.
- Head and chest drive down as the leg lifts — the body is a seesaw.
Where it goes wrong
- Lifting with a bent, weak leg from a square stance ("half-mata"), which stalls mid-throw.
How opponents counter it
- Hop around the lifting leg (uchi-mata sukashi)
- Sag the hips back and re-square
Is the Uchi Mata legal in competition?
Legal in all major rulesets at all levels (IBJJF, ADCC, sub-only). Rules change — always confirm against the current official rulebook for your event.
Related techniques
All moves from Clinch · Back to Grapplepedia