Easy Rollover Half Guard Sweep

By Fanatics Authors, March 28, 2018

Half guard is an extremely versatile variation of closed guard which can allow the bottom person who is maintaining the half guard to not only stop the guard pass with the use of their hook, but also help them withstand incredible weight and force from the top opponent trying to pass, utilizing things like the knee shield and the arms as frames.

Half guard was once seen as a last ditch effort to stop an inevitable guard pass, but was later popularized by Roberto "Gordo" Correa who was drawn to the position because of a knee injury that made it difficult for him to work closed guard. Today half guard has become a highly regarding and dynamic position due to the efforts of people like Lucas Leite, Tom DeBlass and Bernardo Faria. Half guard offers a great starting point for submissions and sweeps as well which makes passing it all the more difficult.

Before we get to the Easy Rollover Half Guard Sweep from Bernardo Faria, let's take a look at the sweep which serves to set up the Easy Rollover Half Guard Sweep. In this video, world champion Lucas Leite shows a half guard sweep from the dogfight position. Check it out below.

In an attempt to advance the bottom half guard game, Leite reaches through for the underhook and uses his legs to manipulate the near side leg of the opponent. This forces the opponent into a position where he need to utilize the whizzer to take over control of the under hook in an attempt to prevent being controlled and potentially swept. But in reality this attaches him to Lucas Leite and allows him to drive into the opponent sweeping him over with his Coyote Sweep.

In the next video, Bernardo Faria, 5 time world champion and considered by many to be the "Michael Jordan of Half Guard" shows an alternative from the dogfight position when the opponent hides the far knee and prevents Bernardo from collapsing it and passing.

In the set up to this sweep, Bernardo is working to secure the Coyote Sweep in a manner similar to Lucas Leite's set up above. A key takeaway that Bernardo shares that can benefit your game plan and help you get the under hook as deeply as you need, is when the opponent blocks the under hook and leaves you with a shallow under hook, instead of fighting Bernardo actually rolls back and controls the far arm which opens up space under the nearside arm and allows you to adjust your under hook to control the opponent's hip.

Once Bernardo uses his legs to manipulate their nearside knee and leg, he begins to come to his knees forcing the whizzer. Where normally, he would take the opponent over with the classic Coyote Sweep like Leite shows above, but in this case the opponent hides the far knee. Cue the rollover sweep.

In this case, Bernardo will drive as much weight and pressure into the opponent, which will elicit the return of pressure and weight from the opponent as he does not want to be unbalanced. When Bernardo feels that return of energy, he will roll back reaching under the far thigh and rolling the opponent over sweeping them to a dominant position.

By creating the necessary reaction, the opponent essentially sweeps themselves into a worse position. The sleight of hand of jiu jitsu is never more apparent then during sweeps like this.

To learn more of the secrets of No Gi Half Guard from one of the most well known half guard players to have ever stepped on the competitive stages, Bernardo Faria. In his newest, 4 volume No Gi Half Guard instructional, he will give you all of his secrets just like his previous instructionals from BJJ Fanatics. Check it out before it's too late.