Sode tsurikomi goshi as a counter to a high grip

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 11/07/2012 5:36pm

Often when someone goes for a high grip behind my neck I find that the best ways I have of dislodging it is to push up and turn into a sode tsurikomi goshi. The spin helps pop it off, and at least they don't just grip up again straight away.

The only problem is that I can't do sode very well at all. Sometimes I can clip their legs out if they over cook their attempt to step around my throw, but most of the time it just ends in a mess, we break away and I've lost any initiative I had.

Thinking about it, I guess I may be able to step across for a bastardised tai-otoshi if I miss the sode and they don't rear up straight away. I'd need a bit of work before I can work out how feasible that is though.

Any ideas on what I should be doing? Sode is a bit of a tricky throw, should I keep trying to work it? Should I go with something different?

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 11/07/2012 6:01pm

Originally Posted by CrackFox

Often when someone goes for a high grip behind my neck I find ...

Stop right there. That grip is bad. That lets your opponent control your head. Priority No. 1 is to get rid of it (and don't let him get it again). If you can push it up into sode, he's not doing it right. Judoka uk has a thread somewhere showing how you clamp down from that grip.

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 11/07/2012 6:13pm

Originally Posted by Res Judicata

If you can push it up into sode, he's not doing it right.

I can't push it up once it's locked in, but if I catch it as it's coming in, I can get it often enough. If it's locked in I'll just go for a break that ends in a neutral-ish position and be glad of getting out of the fire. If they start with a cross grip to feed the collar, that also buggers things - but that's another day's work.

**Krijgsman** · Posted On: 11/07/2012 10:22pm

That's the grip where you want to pin your elbow to their chest, right? In my first tournament I got stuck with a former wrestler who used that grip and a wrestling tie up on my neck to dominate me. It sucked. It confirmed I was very much a white belt.