Outside Trip

What This Is

The outside trip is a clinch takedown in which the practitioner hooks their near leg behind the outside of the opponent’s near leg — stepping to the outside of the opponent’s lead foot — and trips the leg inward while driving the upper body in the same direction. The approach from the outside of the leg means the tripping leg contacts the outside of the opponent’s ankle, calf, or knee and sweeps it inward or forward, removing it from its support position.

The outside trip is the complement to the inside trip: where the inside trip enters between the opponent’s feet, the outside trip approaches from beyond the outside of the near foot. Each approach has different setups and applications. The inside trip is more accessible from a neutral clinch; the outside trip is more effective when the opponent’s near foot is stepped forward or when the practitioner has an outside angle from a clinch position.

In judo, the outside trip family includes o-soto-gari (major outer reaping), which is the archetypal outside trip — a powerful takedown that is among the most scored throws at elite judo competition. In wrestling and submission grappling, the outside trip appears primarily from body locks and over-under clinches when the practitioner has an angular position.

The Invariable in Action

The outside trip attacks the opponent’s base at the outside of their stance — the least protected angle of their base. An opponent who bases against an inside trip by widening their near foot creates an outside trip opportunity by extending that foot further into range. The outside trip’s destabilisation is the same two-force principle as the inside trip: leg removed, upper body pushed in the same direction simultaneously.

The upper body drive pushes the opponent’s centre of mass backward and to the outside — toward the tripped leg. Once the centre of mass crosses past the outside leg and the leg is tripped inward, the opponent has no remaining base in that direction. The throw is complete from physics: the centre of mass is beyond the base.

Entering This Position

From Over-Under Clinch — Outside Angle

From the over-under clinch when the practitioner has managed to step to the outside of the opponent’s near foot, the outside trip is applied by hooking behind the near calf or ankle from the outside while driving the upper body inward. The outside angle step sets up the trip. See: Over-Under Clinch.

From Front or Rear Body Lock

From a body lock, the practitioner steps the near leg outside and behind the opponent’s near leg — the outside trip is a common body lock takedown. The body lock provides the upper body drive; the outside step provides the trip. See: Front Body Lock.

As a Counter to a Widened Stance

When the opponent steps their near foot wide to defend an inside trip or to base against forward pressure, the outside foot is extended further outside — bringing it into outside trip range. The counter is applied by stepping outside the widened foot and tripping it inward.

Trip Mechanics

The Step Position

The tripping leg steps outside and behind the opponent’s near leg — the step goes past the outside of the opponent’s near foot, placing the practitioner’s calf or heel behind the opponent’s calf or Achilles area from the outside. This is the contact point for the trip.

The Trip Direction

From the outside contact, the tripping leg moves inward — sweeping the opponent’s leg inward toward their own stance while the upper body drive pushes the opponent outward and backward (toward where the leg was). The two forces create a rotation: leg swept inward, torso pushed outward. The opponent rotates over their own leg.

Body Drive Coordination

The upper body drive direction for the outside trip is outward and backward — pushing the opponent’s chest or shoulder away and back while the leg trips. This is opposite to the inside trip, which typically drives forward and to the side. The outside trip’s body drive pushes the opponent’s torso in the direction the tripped leg was standing.

From This Position

Side Control — Far Side

The outside trip typically lands the practitioner on the opponent’s far side — the side from which the outside trip was applied. Follow the opponent’s fall to side control on that side.

Back Exposure

When the outside trip creates a rotation rather than a straight fall, the opponent may land partially on their side or expose their back. The practitioner can follow to a back take position if the rotation creates the angle.

Turtle Top

An opponent who defends the outside trip fall by posting their hands may land in turtle. Follow to turtle top.

Common Errors — and Why They Fail

Error: Outside step that is too shallow — leg contacts the opponent’s outside knee rather than behind the calf or ankle. Why it fails: Contacting the outside knee rather than below the calf means the trip contact point is above the opponent’s centre of mass — a push rather than a trip. The trip contact must be at the ankle/lower calf level to remove the base. Correction: Step deep enough that the contact is below the opponent’s knee. The trip goes at the ankle or calf, not the thigh or knee.

Error: Body drive direction is forward (as in an inside trip) rather than backward and outward. Why it fails: Driving the opponent forward when applying an outside trip pushes them toward the tripped leg — but the outside trip’s trip direction is inward (leg swept in), not outward. Driving forward with an inside leg sweep is an inside trip. The outside trip requires the body drive to push the opponent outward and backward. Correction: On an outside trip, drive the opponent’s torso backward and to the outside — away from you — while the leg sweeps inward.

Error: No outside angle established — attempting the outside trip from a squared-up position. Why it fails: From a squared-up stance, the outside of the opponent’s near leg is not accessible without a step that telegraphs the trip. The outside angle must be achieved first — a step to the outside, a clinch position that provides outside access, or an angle gained from the opponent’s own movement. Correction: Create the outside angle before applying the trip. The trip is the finishing move; the angle is the setup.

Drilling Notes

Outside step drill. From over-under clinch, practise stepping the near leg outside the opponent’s near foot — without tripping. Confirm the foot ends up outside and behind the opponent’s near ankle. This isolation confirms the step position.

Drive direction drill. With the outside step established, apply the upper body drive (backward and outward, not forward). Partner feels the drive direction without falling. This confirms the drive is in the correct direction for an outside trip.

Full outside trip. Outside step → calf contact behind the opponent’s ankle → drive backward and outward → leg sweeps inward → side control. Cooperative. Partner breakfalls on the far side.

Ability Level Guidance

Also Known As

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