How to Flip Someone over Your Shoulder

Last Updated: February 11, 2024

Have you ever wanted to flip someone over your shoulder? Well you've come to the right place. This article has instructions on how to perform this maneuver in martial art type training.

Steps

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4e\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4e\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-1.jpg\/aid384397-v4-728px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":325,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":515,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/2.5\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Have your hands on their shoulders and their hands on your shoulders. Make sure that your hands are inside. This is a general description and will need to be adapted in any real fight situation.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-2.jpg\/aid384397-v4-728px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":325,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":515,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/2.5\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Grab their arm. Place your bottom into their hips, bend over, squat, and lift, while pulling their arm forward. You should be able to hold them on your hips. ^{[1]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-3.jpg\/aid384397-v4-728px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":325,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":515,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/2.5\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

3
Roll them off of your hip. Flipping them straight over your back or high into the air gives them a chance to recover and land or their feet or in some other stabilized position. It also has a great chance of straining your back if done improperly. You want to drop them from hip height, before they can right themselves. The goal is to let the ground knock the wind out of them. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Trained people can counteract this by releasing a kiai and knowing how to break their fall .
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-4.jpg\/aid384397-v4-728px-Flip-Someone-over-Your-Shoulder-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":485,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/2.5\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Once they are on the ground make sure they slap the floor as they hit to prevent friction. Do Not Let Go of them until they have been on the floor for about two seconds.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

What will happen if the other person does not catch my shoulders?

Community Answer

An alternate method is to grab his/her wrists and flip the person; however, this method requires much more strength, and isn't used quite as often.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 62
Question

What if the opponent is taller or heavier?

Mueez ul Haq

Community Answer

Grab his arm with force, get in the position and get your knees flexed in the air. In this case, the gravity can really help to flip him over your shoulder.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 8 Helpful 50
Question

Does it cause the person pain?

Community Answer

If completed properly, then yes. Flipping people over your shoulder will send a shock through their nerves into their brain. It's hard to flip someone over your shoulder and not hurt them.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 8 Helpful 55

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

Start out practicing on a good mat or on a trampoline. ^{[3]
X
Trustworthy Source
HealthyChildren.org
Health information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Go to source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If you can grab their arm, there is another way to "take them down" or put them on their back. This decreases risk of injury. Once you have their hand/arm in hand take it and put it diagonally behind them. So if you have their right hand, put it behind their left foot, or vice versa.

Thanks
Helpful 8 Not Helpful 0
Make sure they are around your height it's a little difficult to flip someone too short or tall your first time.

Thanks
Helpful 10 Not Helpful 1

Show More Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Do not let go of their arm, if you do, you both are in danger of injury.

Thanks
Helpful 15 Not Helpful 1
Don't rip a muscle.

Thanks
Helpful 14 Not Helpful 2
Use a mat to start out to avoid injury.

Thanks
Helpful 16 Not Helpful 3
Don't make them smack you in the head.

Thanks
Helpful 13 Not Helpful 2
Do not dislocate their shoulder.

Thanks
Helpful 11 Not Helpful 3
Do not hurt the person.

Thanks
Helpful 12 Not Helpful 11

Things You'll Need

A soft surface to flip someone on e.g a trampoline.
A person to flip.

You Might Also Like

[1]

[2]

[3]

Trustworthy Source

Go to source

Log in

How to Flip Someone over Your Shoulder

Steps

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Did this article help you?

About This Article

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Explore Categories