Berimbolo Entry
Sweep · Open Guard
An inverted entry from De La Riva guard that takes you from bottom to the opponent's back, used when he sits back low. First knock him onto his seat, because a standing opponent just steps away, then take a deep grip on the belt or pants at his far hip. Starting close and already under him, invert onto your shoulders with your head tucked toward his hip, never onto your neck. Spin your hips through toward his back, pulling on the belt so it drags you around behind him rather than away. Come up with your chest to his back and keep the belt until the seatbelt is in, then insert hooks. Releasing the belt early lets him turn to face you. When he turns away from the spin, finish the back take. Drill the inversion alone first: it loads the neck.
How to do it
- From De La Riva, first knock them onto their seat; then grip the belt or pants at their far hip, a deep grip you can pull your whole body with.
- Start close, already under them, then invert: roll onto your shoulders under them with your head tucked toward their hip, never onto your neck.
- Spin the hips through and turn toward their back, pulling on the belt grip so it drags you around behind them rather than away from them.
- Come up behind them, chest toward their back, still holding the belt until the seatbelt is in, ready for hooks.
Key details
- Safe inversions need a mobile neck and a lot of practice: drill them alone before you spin under a resisting partner.
- The belt grip pulls you around to the back: it is the axle you spin on, and without it you just roll away from them.
- Stage one is knocking them onto their seat; the spin starts only from there, because a standing opponent just steps away.
- Spin on your shoulders with your head tucked toward their hip, never on your neck: the shoulders let the hips swing through freely.
- Never let go of the belt until you have the seatbelt: the moment you release it, they turn to face you.
- Before you invert, grip deep around his shin from the outside and drive his knee in with your elbow: the leg rotates inward and he already starts showing you his back.
- Once inverted, pinch your knees, drive your knee down toward his hip and pull your heel up: that lever lifts his hips off the mat so you can swing behind him.
Common mistakes
- Inverting onto the neck. — The neck takes your weight, which is risky, and the spin stalls halfway. — Roll on the shoulders with the head tucked to the side; drill inversions alone first.
- Losing the belt grip. — Nothing connects you to them, so you spin without reaching their back. — Hold the belt through the whole spin; it is what pulls you to their back.
- Starting too far from them. — The inversion takes time, and from a distance they simply step away as you invert. — Get under them before inverting, so the spin starts under their hips.
If they defend
- They sit down to kill the spin. → Their leg is near you: kiss of the dragon or leg drag.
- They stand up tall. → A tall base is open to the tornado sweep.
How to drill it
Solo inversions 3 × 10, then berimbolo on a cooperative partner, 6 each side.
Safety
Inversions load the neck. Build them slowly and avoid them with neck issues.
What comes next
Where it comes from