ko uchi gari

Ko-uchi-gari is the judo name for the inside trip — the foot sweep that catches the inside of the opponent’s near leg to disrupt their forward base, used as both a standalone throw and as a setup for follow-up attacks.

Etymology. Ko (小) means “small” or “minor”; uchi (内) means “inside”; gari (刈) means “reap” or “sweep.” The combined term — small inner reap — distinguishes the technique from o-uchi-gari (the “large inner reap,” a deeper inside leg-attack) by the depth of the foot’s penetration into the opponent’s stance. The technique appears in the foundational go-kyo of judo throws and remains a primary search term in judo and wrestling contexts. Wrestlers adopting judo techniques generally retained the “inside trip” English vocabulary.

Mechanics. The throw catches the inside of the opponent’s near leg with a sweeping foot motion, timed to coincide with the moment the opponent’s weight shifts onto that leg. Kuzushi — the off-balance loading — is the prerequisite: the leg the attacker is reaping must be carrying the opponent’s weight at the moment of the sweep, or the foot redirects no meaningful structure. The throw completes as the opponent’s base side is removed while the rest of the body continues its forward momentum.

Cross-reference. English-speaking no-gi and wrestling use “inside trip” or “inside sweep.” Full mechanical coverage on Inside Trip.