Wrestling sweeps from guard

At the training camp in Estonia last summer, Martin Aedma talked about using wrestling to sweep from the guard. More specifically, using Jiu Jitsu to set up wrestling takedowns, in order to take the opponent down and thereby "sweep" him. I have been playing around with this since then, and inspired by Martin's post about the subject on his new blog, I decided to do a small video on which "wrestling sweeps" that works best for me in the guard at the moment.

One detail, I forgot to talk about in the video is, that when I go for the armdrag, I don't always try and pull him forward. Sometimes, I just want him to react by pulling his arm back and posturing up, before I move forward for the double leg. Small detail :)

Enjoy the video!



Next instructionals coming up are:

- The art of learning the art of slowrolling
- The loopchoke

Double under pass counter

Just a small detail on how I counter the double under pass using the stiffarm escape. Nothing special, just using it a lot so thought I would put it out here :)


More videos coming up soon!

Combat base DLR sweep series

I learned this De La Riva sweep series from Christian Montes in New York when I visited them in 2004 and have been using it ever since. I almost always go for this when people sit in combat base (=one knee up) in my guard.

This works both with the gi and without. Naturally it is more difficult without the gi as you need to have good control of your opponents arms, but it is possible and I do it all the time.


Ok we start out with my opponent sitting in combat base in my open guard. Notice how I sit. I wanna be a little to his left and using my right arm to block his right shoulder, keeping him from turning and leaning into me.


To set up the sweeps, I first control his arms. I grab both sleeves joystick style (or grab the wrists no-gi) and place my left foot on his right knee. I wanna pull his arms a little towards me, not allowing him to lean back and create space.


Now I kick out my left foot, pushing his knee back to create space between his legs for me to insert my DLR hook. Also I lean a little to the side which makes it easier for me to get my leg in.


I insert my right leg so that my ancle is touching his hip. Wanna be aware a little aware of the heelhook here, so be prepared to pull the foot a little back if he tries. As long as you control the arms it should be no problem though.


Now the first sweep is simple. Keeping my grip, I pull his arms towards me and almost straighten my body out as I fall to my side.


I am not trying to push or pull him to the side - if I keep my grips correct, he will fall really easy (actually sometimes landing pretty bad on his right shoulder). Me falling to my side is all it takes to make this work.


As soon as I have swept him, I slide my knee over his thigh. Don't wanna try and mount here as he will probably catch me in halfguard og guard.


From here I underhook and crossface to flatten him out.


...and hopefully end up in side control position.


Second variation

If my opponent knows I am gonna sweep him to his right, he might switch his weight to his left in order to defend the sweep.


In this case, I place my left shin across his chest for the scissor sweep position.


Now it is a little different from the regular scissor sweep, because here I wanna try to kick my bottom leg as far back as possible, stretching his left leg out and thereby making him fall to his left.


Third variation

Another option he has is to lean backwards.


If he does this, I let go of his arms and put my left hand on his left shoulder and my right hand behind me.


In my very best zhoo zhitzoo style I lift my butt and pull my right leg out under me to strech his left leg out.


From here I drive forward and probably end up in his halfguard.


Forth variation

Sometimes this sweep is possible to do as well, depending on his weight placement and your angle on him. It's really simple, works great.


From the starting position I insert my left foot behind his left ancle.


Now I lean to my side and kick that foot up in the air. This will make him fall backwards.


I sit up and try to slide my knee in right away.

Also here, I always try to look as cool as possible with my new SuperFro gi patch

Attack combination using armdrag from the guard

This is an attack combination from guard starting with the armdrag which I use very often and find easy to pull off. The most important thing about this series is to understand the combinations. You will probably never just pull one of them off right away, but if you try one then switch to the other then switch again, you will most likely get one of them at some point. Key is to feel what energi he gives you to what you do and then counter that - play with it! :)


Starting out with my opponent in my guard.


I set up the armdrag by controlling his right wrist with my left hand and grabbing behind his tricep with my right.


I pull his arm all the way across my body.


As quickly as possible, I reach over his back and grab his armpit. With my right arm, I pull him to me as thight as possible. This is very important, as it prevents him from getting his right arm out and reach around my back to escape the position.

Ok so this is the position I need to set up my three attacks which all depends on, where he puts his weight.


First attack is a simple sweep. If his weight is centerd, this works, still it is not high percentage, especially not if you are shorter than your opponent. Anyways, if it doesn't work, it is great for setting up the other attacks.

First, I sit up with my right arm behind me. Remember to pull that left arm thightly towards you all the time or you'll loose the position easily.


Now what I wanna do is point my knee and kick it directly towards his left shoulder.


This will force him to fall over my left leg and roll.


And I will end up in mounted position.

This move will no work if he leans into me. In that case, try it then swith to one of the others below.


Second one, starting from the same position sitting up with my right hand.


Now I lift my butt off the mat.


Pull my left leg out so it is now a hook on his right leg.


Swings my right leg over and insert the hook to take the back.

This move will not work if he leans into me or holds on to my leg. In that case, try it once, then switch to one of the other moves.


Last one. I have the same position but my opponent is leaning into me to prevent me from kicking my knee over or taking the back.


I push into him for a while just to make him put as much as his weight in my direction. Then I quickly lay down and underhook his left leg with my right arm.


In one motion I start to take him over in the direction where he puts his weight. With the right timing this should be no effort at all.


I roll him all the way over.


And end up in mount.

This move will not work if he leans away from me. In that case, try kicking the knee over og take the back instead.

Alternative sweep from scissor

This is an alternative way to sweep from the scissor position in the guard. I really like it a lot because people don't expect it and also it's very easy to make your opponent go flying a little, which we all know looks super cool.


I start out in the normal position for the scissor sweep.


Instead of sweeping him to my left, I grab his left wrist with my right hand and grab his left bicep with my left hand ready to do a basic armdrag.


This is the armdrag position from another angle.


With my left arm I pull his arm all the way across my body and release the grip with my right hand.


With my right hand I reach over his back and grab his armpit then release the grip with my left hand and use it to sit up. It's really important that I pull him in thight with my right arm here, otherwise he can easily get his left arm back around my back and escape.


When I'm sitting up, I hold him as thight as possible to me, then roll back and kick up with my right leg. This will easily lift him off the mat and take him to my right.


Look at him go! :) It might look like a muscle move, but it's purely leverage and no strength is involved. Just remember, you never wanna PULL your opponent anywhere, but instead keep him thight to you and then move yourself.


When he's all the way over, I secure cross sides position.

Takedown when opponent is standing

This is a very high percentage move for me, and one of my favorites. Use it all the time. It's a takedown combination when you are sitting and your opponent is standing.


Ok so we start out where I am sitting and my opponent is standing (trying to keep his pants up wtf? :-D). I am sitting with my left arm behind me and my right knee pulled to my chest. This make movement and standing up much easier for me.


I hook one leg just to make sure he doesn't step back with it.


I lay down a little on my side to grab his heel.


Notice how I grab it without the thumb and with my hand touching the mat. These details makes the takedown much easier.


I now move my butt to his foot hand place my right foot by his left hip and my left foot behind his right knee.


My toes must point away from away from his body in this case.


From here the takedown is easy. Just push and pull.


When I land I wanna sit up with my left hand. Notice I keep my left foot behind his knee. If he was allowed to kick this would block it.


It's important that I don't let go of his foot, otherwise he will be able to stand up as well and we will end up in a neutral position.


From here I lift my butt off the mat.


Then pull my left leg out under myself.


And I have reversed the position.


One way he can defend is if he steps back with his right leg (kind of a horse stance defense :-D).


In this case I have to turn my body a little to the side and place my left foot in his hip instead. I place my right leg between his.


In one motion, I push him straight backwards with my left leg as I kick my right leg in behind his right knee at the same time.


Sit up...


And you will most likely end up in his guard.