This article is excerpted from the book "Kodokan Nage Waza" written by Daigo Toshiro 10dan. (Picture, Tori: Sengoku Tsuneo 7dan, Uke: Sato Tadashi 8dan)

1. SEOI-NAGE (hand technique)

Seoi-nage is accomplished by making your opponent off balance by pulling in a straight forward motion, or a right or a left forward motion, then pick up your opponent's body on your back and throw over the shoulder.

Generally Morote-Seoi-nage (two hands Seoi-nage or Eri-seoi) is called Seoi-nage. Technically tori grips with his two hands.

    Techniques of Seoi-nage

    Tori & Uke hold each other in a natural right-handed posture. Tori pulls the Uke straight forward while stepping back slightly to pull the Uke off balance. The Tori then places his right foot in front of Uke's right foot, starts to lift the Uke with both hands.

    The Tori bends both knees, spins on his right foot while dropping his hip and placing his left foot in front of Uke's left foot. The Tori and Uke are now back to front. The Tori bends his right elbow and places it in the Uke's right arm pit, then pulls the Uke's right arm down and locks it against Tori's body. While keeping close contact to Uke's chest, lifts Uke up (picture 1).

    Tori lifts Uke with both hands and bends his body forward, while straightening both knees throws Uke over his right shoulder. With Tori's right arm acting as a shaft, Uke's body will spin and fall (picture 2).

    (picture 1)
    (picture 2)
    Techniques of practical applications.

    1. Tori grips the Uke's right sleeve with the left hand and grips the right collar by inserting his fingers inside the collar-- then throw over the shoulder (picture 3). This is generally called Kataeri-seoi.

    2. Tori takes a deep step along the outside of Uke's right leg with his right foot. While sliding in a lifting motion against Uke's right knee with the back of his right leg, Tori throws over the shoulder (picture 4).

      *This is a practical application of Seoi-nage technique and not a Tai-otoshi technique.

    3. When Tori picks up the Uke, Tori twists his body to the left and pulls his opponent into a roll to his right. This technique was once categorized as Yokosutemi-waza and named Seoi-makikomi but now considered as one of the Seoi-nage techniques.
    (picture 3)


    (picture 4)