Combat Sports
De-Ashi-Harai
De-Ashi-Harai is a judo foot sweep that catches a partner’s advancing foot before it bears weight. It trains timing, balance, and coordinated leg and trunk movement.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Face your partner with a sleeve-and-lapel grip on their jacket.
- Guide your partner into a small forward step with the foot on your sleeve-grip side.
- Shift your weight onto your nonsweeping leg.
- Place the sole of your sweeping foot against the outside of their advancing ankle before that foot takes their weight.
- Sweep their foot sideways toward their other foot, close to the mat.
- As you sweep, steer their upper body with your grips into the direction of the fall.
- Guide your partner onto their side with continuous grip control.
- Release your grips once your partner is settled on the mat.
Form cues
- Keep your arms responsive, not rigid.
- Keep your sweeping leg relaxed.
Common mistakes
- Sweeping a planted footReset when your partner’s weight has settled onto the foot rather than forcing the sweep.
- Kicking instead of sweepingUse a smooth brushing motion rather than a sharp impact.
- Leaning sideways to reachMove close enough to keep your torso balanced over your supporting leg.
Safety
A forceful sweep against a planted foot can twist the ankle or knee. Losing control of the throw can cause a fall onto the shoulder, neck, or head.
- Learn this throw under qualified judo instruction rather than from written directions alone.
- Practice only with a cooperative partner who can reliably perform the required breakfall.
- Use an impact-rated throwing mat with a clear landing area.
- Keep initial practice free of live resistance, ending the set when fatigue disrupts timing or control.
If you have ankle, knee, shoulder, or neck symptoms, get advice from a physiotherapist or doctor before practicing throws or taking falls.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Combat Training Mat
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 3–5 reps per side
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Count each controlled throw as one rep; use entry-only practice until both partners are ready for full throws.