Overhead Sweep
Sweep · Closed Guard
The tomoe nage of the guard: from closed guard bottom against a standing opponent who leans forward to break it, you throw him over your head and finish in mount. Grip both sleeves or the collar, open the guard and put one foot on his hip bone on the side of your sleeve grip, knee bent. Pull him forward until his weight comes onto that foot, then extend the leg up over your head while you keep pulling, taking away the post on one side so he goes over that shoulder. Hold the grips, roll back over your shoulder after him and come up in mount. A foot on the belly, or an opponent standing back, turns it into a push. If he sits back on his heels, hit the hip bump; if he posts a hand over you, the armbar is there.
How to do it
- When they stand in your guard and lean forward to break it, grip both sleeves or the collar.
- Open the guard and put one foot on their hip bone on the side of your sleeve grip, knee bent; the other foot goes on the mat or their other hip.
- Pull them forward over you with the grips until their weight comes onto your foot.
- Extend the leg up and over your head while you keep pulling the grips, taking away the post on one side so the throw goes over that shoulder.
- They land behind your head; hold the grips, roll back over your shoulder after them and come up in mount.
Key details
- Their forward lean is the whole sweep: never lift a person who stands back.
- Foot on the hip, not the belly: the hip bone lifts, the belly folds over your leg.
- Put the foot on the hip on the side of your sleeve grip: that hip is the fulcrum.
- Take away the post on one side; the throw goes over that shoulder.
- Keep pulling the grips until they are over you, then roll with them.
- Slide your hips right underneath their hips as you open the guard: only from under them can you lift; stretched out far from their hips you cannot get them over.
- Take the double sleeve grip before they stand and open the guard yourself; then push their hands down to their sides, bring your knees to your chest and throw.
Common mistakes
- Kicking before they lean. — They step back and you are on your back without grips. — Pull them onto the foot first.
- Letting go of the grips in the air. — They fly past and land free, far from you. — Hold on and roll back after them.
- Both feet on the belly. — They fold over your legs and fall on your face. — Feet on the hip bones, knees bent.
How to drill it
Back-roll alone 10 times; then the sweep with a partner falling over you onto a crash mat, 5 each side.
Safety
The partner flies over your head: use crash mats and a partner who can roll forward. Do not throw them onto their head.
What comes next