Deep Half Sweep
Sweep · Half Guard
Half guard bottom to top through deep half, used when the opponent drives his weight down on you. Slide under his hips staying on your side, free hand framing his hip, then hug the trapped leg with both arms, head on the inside of his hip and elbows glued to your body. Lift the leg with your legs rather than your arms and walk your shoulders out until you are directly under his center of gravity: his own weight is what you tip. Tip him forward over you onto his face and come up behind the leg, still hugging until he is down. If he is posted wide you only push him away, and a head outside the hip gets crushed. If he sits back, wrestle up to the single leg; if he whizzers, switch to the waiter sweep.
How to do it
- When their weight is on you, slide your body under their hips from half guard, staying on your side with your free hand framing their hip.
- Hug the trapped leg with both arms, your head by their hip on the inside, elbows glued to your body.
- Lift the leg with your legs, not your arms, and walk your shoulders to the side while staying under them, so their center of gravity stays right over you.
- Tip them forward over you onto their face and come up behind the leg, still hugging it until they are down.
Key details
- You must be under their center of gravity, and the sweep needs their weight on you: if they are posted wide, you only push them back.
- Keep the head on the inside of the hip, where their weight cannot crush your neck.
- Lift with your legs as you walk the shoulders out; the legs are far stronger than the arms.
- Hug the trapped leg and keep the elbows glued to your body: it is the anchor of the position.
- Stay on your side with a free hand framing their hip, or they crossface and flatten you.
- Read his reaction: weight forward, he goes over his face; if he sits back, take the ankle and come up on the leg instead. Chain the two rather than forcing one.
Common mistakes
- Staying half out. — Half under, their weight is not on you, so they sprawl and flatten you. — Commit and go all the way under their hips.
- Letting go of the leg. — Once the leg is free there is nothing to lift, so they step out and pass. — Hug it with both arms until they fall.
- Lifting with the arms. — They are too heavy for the arms and stay on top. — Lift with your legs from under their hips; the legs are far stronger than the arms.
How to drill it
Deep half entry and sweep, 8 each side; then the partner resists by sitting back.
What comes next
Where it comes from