The MMA shoulder throw.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 10/01/2012 7:54pm

Learned this over the weekend and still only half get it. But the fun of a discussion of a MMA version of the shoulder throw was too good to miss.

This was shown to me by Rob Guffrida and he really does know his buisness when it comes to grappling.

So the set up is from the clinch. The underhook crossed the body and grabs the arm and sets up for the throw. As far as I know this is pretty normal shoulder set up.

But here you don't go 180 degrees and put the hips in. You rotate further to 720 the hips are well past theirs and you drop to your knees. Other guy goes straight over the top of the shoulder.

A failed attempt does not give up the back as much. I think it was straight for the single leg if you screw it up.

I need to get some video. But everybody who will not make a mockery of it is away at the moment.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 10/01/2012 8:00pm

significantly more sidways than this.

**The Cap** · Posted On: 10/01/2012 8:59pm

In doing a 720 turn you spin around in a full circle twice and end up facing the direction you started in. Sounds more like a lucha libre shoulder throw to me.

Did you mean 270? If so I have a good idea of what that looks like and I think I have a video of that around here somewhere. I'll link when I find it.

*Edit: here's what I've got:

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 10/01/2012 10:48pm

Yes bang on.

The only difference is that we were told to scramble for underhook and side mount.

(I knew it would exist somewhere)

**PointyShinyBurn** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 5:13am

Might have been more of an arm spin, from your initial description:

**The Cap** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 5:36am

Whether the arm is wrapped around the shoulders or the neck, once your hips are past your opponents' you need to drop to provide momentum for the toss, which is not my favourite thing. There's just nothing like landing a throw and turning that standing advantage into a Rick Hawn style finish.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 7:17am

but it does protect yourself from having your back taken. See for me this is why I have pretty much gone off the shoulder throw. The reward is there but the risk is there too.

Here less risk

**Hedgehogey** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 7:07pm

If I had a quarter for every time I heard someone say that you shouldn't do drop seoi nage because it risks getting your back taken, I could buy one mediocre handjob or about three bad ones.

While yeah, you can get your back taken if you follow the IPPON JUDO FOLLOW THROUGH WARRIOR SPIRIT RARRRGH mentality, if you're actually smart with your koshi waza and have an effective hikite and tsurite the benefits far outweigh the risks.

The real danger of drop seoinage isn't on the mat, it's the potential effects on your knees. I spent weeks on crutches this spring due to the effects of constant drop knee attacks.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 8:32pm

Yeah that is my struggle at the moment is the whole pysicality of it. As there are limits to the amount of diving on to the mat I can do.

But I need a Judo throw of some sort to take advantage of when space between the hips is created.

What I am going to go for is one of the ones where I trip them over my leg. But was pretty bog standard and less intersting to talk about than MMA variations on judo stuff.

**The Cap** · Posted On: 10/04/2012 2:26pm

Knee-pads. Maybe spray-paint them or get them cut from your favourite suit cloth for everyday use. Or just don't drop.

When you get concerned about the risk that presents to your back, remember that throws are as situational as any other move. You w(c)ouldn't use a butterfly sweep from mount, just like you wouldn't do standing seoi on an opponent who insists on squatting and falling back. Feel him and throw him in the direction he's going. If you're trying the throw and can feel he isn't coming forward you reverse into an inside leg trip. Or you even feed him some shoulder throw faints until he reacts backwards continuously and drop him with the sweep.