In Judo and BJJ, if you want to have success with setting up throws, you need to use powerful combinations and use fakes.
If you attack giving everything you’ve got with one attack, your opponent will have a great chance to defend. A more effective option is to attack with 2 to 4 attacks that are all linked together so that by the time you hit the 4th attack, the opponent will still be focused on defending your 3rd attack. The better your opponent is, the more combinations you will need to use in order to throw them.
If your opponent is at a lower level, you may throw easily with your first try.
This is where using fakes comes into place. Fakes are used to make your opponent react in a way that they give you what you want. One example is if your goal is to throw them with Seoi Nage, you can first fake a Kouchi Gari (which makes them fall back). They counter your fake by putting their body forward which is perfect for your Seoi Nage (Which makes them fall forward).
You should also be using all parts of your body when using fakes. Footwork is important, side to side movement and head movement which sells the fake.
Judo Master Shintaro Higashi illustrates these points in this great video:
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