Double Ankle Sweep
Sweep · Closed Guard
A simple sweep from closed guard bottom for the moment the opponent stands up to break your guard and his weight sits on his heels; you end on top, passing. As he stands, grab both ankles right behind the heels before you open the guard, hands on the outside of his legs, and pull them in toward your hips so his feet are pinned. Put your feet on his hips or upper thighs, never on the knees, and push: with both feet trapped he cannot step back and falls straight backward. Technical stand-up at once and pass, because the sweep scores only once you are on top. Hands inside his legs, or a late grab after he has settled his weight, lose it. If he leans over you, go to the balloon sweep; if he drops to his knees, close the guard again.
How to do it
- As they stand up in your guard, before you open the closed guard, reach down and grab both ankles from behind, right behind the heels, hands on the outside of the legs.
- Open the guard, drop your hips and drive your knees, squeezed together, into their belly (or put your feet on their hips), never into their knees.
- Pull the ankles in toward your hips so their feet are pinned and cannot step back.
- Push with both feet at their hips: with the feet trapped they fall straight back.
- As they fall, do a technical stand-up straight away and pass, so the sweep scores.
Key details
- The ankles must be pinned so they cannot step back: a free foot just steps behind and catches the push.
- Push at the hips, never at the knees.
- Grab the heels from the outside; two hands inside the legs get passed.
- Stand up quickly: the sweep scores only once you are on top.
- Grab the ankles while your guard is still closed, then open it: if the guard opens first, they step back out of reach.
- Instead of standing up you can follow the fall to mount: pull one leg straight, sit up as he falls, post a hand and walk your knees around his straightened leg into mount.
Common mistakes
- Grabbing the pants instead of the ankles. — The feet can still move and they step out of it. — Grab low, right behind the heels.
- Pushing on the knees. — It is dangerous for their knees and they bend them to stay up. — Put your feet on their hips or upper thighs.
- Staying down after the sweep. — No points, and they sit up into your guard again. — Do a technical stand-up the moment they fall.
How to drill it
Partner stands in your guard, you sweep and stand, 10 reps.
What comes next
Where it comes from