Inner Thigh Throw Drill: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Inner Thigh Throw Drill is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed by stepping deep between a partner’s legs, driving the hip into their groin and thigh area while lifting with the inserted leg and pulling with the arms to throw them backward. Driving the hip contact upward through the partner’s center of mass, and not only forward, is what completes the throw.
Equipment Needed
A yoga mat is optional, though a padded floor makes the repeated falls noticeably safer, and a cooperative partner able to fall and resist safely is required throughout.
Why It Matters
Chaining the deep entry, the hip insertion and the lift into one continuous throw asks for more timing and body control than any single phase. The inner thigh muscles (adductors) drive the leg insertion, and a muscle at the front of the hip (hip flexors, iliopsoas) lifts through the throw. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) extends the hip into the finish, and the muscles along the sides of the abdomen (obliques) manage the rotation. A muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) and the front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) drive the lifting leg, a large back muscle (latissimus dorsi) pulls the partner backward and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) stabilize the spine through the finish.
When to Do It
Inner Thigh Throw Drill works well within a judo-focused session, added once the entry step already feels deep and balanced. Two to three sessions a week suits most people building toward this throw, as long as the partner already knows how to fall safely.
Anyone with a current hip, groin or low back issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since the deep entry, the hip insertion and the lift all load the hips, the groin and the low back.
Getting Ready
Entering deep and inserting the hip without completing the lift checks the setup this drill depends on. A few slow, partial lifts preview the full throw before a complete rep against resistance is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step deep. Drive the lead foot between the partner’s legs.
- Insert the hip. Drive the hip into the partner’s groin and thigh area.
- Lift with the leg. Raise through the inserted leg while pulling with the arms.
- Finish the throw. Continue the motion backward until the partner lands.
How Many, How Often
Inner Thigh Throw Drill is dosed by reps, with each full entry-to-throw sequence counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to chaining the entry, the lift and the throw against light resistance | 3 sets of 2 to 3 reps per side |
| Intermediate | The entry and the lift connect smoothly under moderate resistance | 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 4 reps per side |
| Advanced | Comfortable finishing the throw against committed, active resistance | 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side |
Driving the hip contact upward through the partner’s center of mass matters more here than how deep the entry step lands, since a hip drive aimed only forward stalls the throw however deep the entry was.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Entry and Foot Placement drills the deep entry step and the foot placement alone, without loading the hip or completing the throw. Inner Thigh Throw — Full Speed runs the same entry, lift and finish at competition speed against a resisting partner, trading the controlled pace used here for live timing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Driving the hip only forward. Pushing the hip straight into the partner without lifting through their center of mass stalls the throw at the insertion point. The hip drive has an upward component on top of the forward push.
Shortening the entry step. Stepping shallow between the partner’s legs leaves no room to load the hip and the lift that follow. The entry reaches full depth before the throw can work.
Pulling with the arms before the hip insertion lands. Yanking the partner backward before the hip has driven into their base turns the throw into a tug of war. The pull follows the hip drive.
After Your Set
A few slow circles of the hips unwind them once the set of throws wraps up. The lower back benefits from a gentle seated forward fold as well, after stabilizing through every finish.
Going Deeper
A deep entry becomes a throw once the hip insertion, the lift and the pull combine against a resisting partner. The hip tends to drive forward without the upward lift that unbalances the partner. Slowing down and checking that the hip drives upward through the center of mass fixes this faster than repeating a stalled throw that pushes only forward.
Someone new to this drill generally manages a slow, cooperative throw within the first few sessions, then works toward completing it against committed resistance over the following couple of weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A hip drive that clearly adds an upward lift on top of the forward push
- A deep entry on each rep
- A pull that follows the hip insertion
- A throw that works against committed resistance
The upward direction of the hip drive matters more than the depth of the entry alone.
Muscles Worked
- Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, driving the leg deep between theirs)
- Iliopsoas (the hip flexor group at the front of the hip, lifting the inserted leg to break their base)
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, extending the hip into their thigh to send them over)
- Obliques (the muscles along the sides of the waist, turning the trunk to steer the throw backward)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, holding the lifting leg extended as they rise)
- Erector Spinae (the muscles running along the length of the spine, holding the back from rounding under their weight)
- Latissimus Dorsi (a large back muscle, pulling them backward over the inserted leg)
- Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, holding the standing knee solid through the lift)
FAQ
Why does the hip drive’s direction matter so much here? A hip drive aimed only forward stops at the point of contact, while one that drives upward through the partner’s center of mass lifts and unbalances them enough to complete the throw.
Is this harder than the entry alone in Entry and Foot Placement? Yes, adding the hip insertion, the lift and the finishing pull on top of the entry asks for more coordination and power than the entry step alone.
Is some hip or groin fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, a worked feeling through the hips and the groin after a full set of throws is expected. Groin pain that lingers overnight is worth a visit to a doctor or physical therapist.
Does the entry come before the full throw? Yes, Entry and Foot Placement builds the deep step and the foot placement, which are worth having solid before the hip drive and the lift are added.
How often should the inner thigh throw be drilled? Two to three sessions a week works well for most people, as long as the partner already knows how to fall safely.
Related to Entry and Foot Placement as the easier version drilling the entry step alone and Inner Thigh Throw — Full Speed as the version run at competition speed.