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The Wonderful World of Foot Sweeps
When it comes to stand up grappling, foot sweeping has become kind of a lost art. Everyone is either trying to hit double leg and single leg takedowns, or big hip throws. Now those are all great takedown techniques, but too many people ignore effective foot sweeps. You don’t see them much in BJJ, and even in Judo competition they have become somewhat of a rarity. But foot sweeps are great techniques. They don’t put you in a bad position if you don’t successfully get one (unlike a double leg) and they don’t take away a huge amount of energy (as how a hip throw does). Keep reading and find out how you can incorporate foot sweeps into your own game.
Seth Daniels, who is an awesome BJJ competitor is the proof in the pudding. He has hit these techniques over and over in competition, showing their effective nature. The first foot sweep he shows is an excellent one. First, you wait to see what leg your opponent is leading with. If he has his right leg forward, then match same side for same side, so get your left leg forward. They have to match to correctly do this sweep. Bait your opponent to reach towards you. When he does, use your same side arm to grab up on the back of his collar. Step to the side with your back leg, and make sure that your foot is turned outward. Now we can begin to finish the foot sweep. Use your front foot to step behind your opponent’s front foot. You’re doing this, just as a check and a set up. Now turn your foot so that your heel is on the ball of his ankle. Pull down on his collar and sweep his foot with yours.
Boom! Your opponent goes down and now you can capitalize by getting a dominant position. You’ve wasted almost no energy and your opponent will be wondering what in the world just happened to him. Seth also goes over how to do it in no gi. Such as grabbing the top of the head or by palming the side of the face. While there are more techniques, this is just your introduction to the wonderful world of foot sweeps.
If you enjoy this type of takedown, look towards Judo. While they are rarer to see in competition, they are still practiced greatly in the art. If you’re looking to add more standing grappling to your game, then check out The Takedown Blueprint DVD set.
Click here to see The Takedown Blueprint by Travis Stevens and Jimmy Pedro.
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