There are many takedowns you can learn and practice with the Gi on but there are only a few that you are actually able to effectively apply in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Why is that? Because the majority of takedowns in traditional Judo or Sambo require BOTH you and your opponent to engage in combat- fighting for grips, foot placement and ultimately access to each other’s center of gravity via hip exposure. In Judo, if one competitor decides to play passive and just lean forward denying their partner access to most throws, they would be issued penalties and in some cases points would be awarded to the other competitor. The rules prevent this style of passive play entirely.

Yoko Tomoe Nage addresses a huge/common problem every BJJ practitioner encounters when attempting takedowns whether in competition or in the academy- there are no rules in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that penalize passive posture during standup. This allowance in our sport creates an uneven battlefield- one where one person is trying to engage in combat and another is constantly fleeing. Yoko Tomoe Nage is one of the most effective throws to counter this problem because the goal of the throw isn’t to connect your hips to your opponent’s hips; instead, it’s to connect your foot to their hip. This means that no matter how far forward your opponent attempts to lean or disengage, you will always be able to attempt this throw which can land you in either Side Control or Mount with an arm exposed.