Issue 076
June 2011
Fighting off your back has never been so easy with these simple but effective sweep moves
Pete Irving
Professional fighter
Pete Irving is a professional welterweight fighter and Fighters Only’s resident fight expert.
3 MINUTE CLINIC
The definition of what constitutes an open guard is often misunderstood. Whether or not the legs are open or closed is not the defining characteristic of an open or closed guard. In the closed guard, the feet may be crossed or uncrossed at will and, in fact, must be unlocked to execute the majority of closed guard attacks. It is when both knees are past the shoulders of the top man that the guard is considered open. At this point all of the bottom man’s options to sweep or set up submissions changes, as do all the safety positions for the hands of the top man.
Without the gi the open guard offers limited control over the top man and with the added danger of strikes you must act quickly and decisively to prevent yourself from taking damage.
1/ Pete is on his back with Jason standing above. Pete’s hooks are both on Jason’s hips and Jason has his chin tucked and hands covering Pete’s feet to prevent the up-kick.
2/ Pete switches one hook behind Jason’s knee, maintaining a tight guard in case Jason throws down a big punch.
3/ Pete grabs Jason’s far-side ankle and reaches out with a long guard.
4/ Pete pushes with the hook on the hip and pulls with the hook behind the hip. With the ankle anchored by Pete’s hand, Jason is swept backward.
5/ Pete continues the momentum and sits up, bringing his knee up the center to prevent Jason from closing his guard.
Sickle sweep
1/ Pete is on his back with an open guard, hooks on Jason’s hips. Jason is standing with good posture.
2/ Pete turns to his side and places his left foot on to Jason’s right hip.
3/ Pete shields his face from strikes with his near-side elbow as he grabs Jason’s left ankle. Pete kicks his leg through behind Jason’s right ankle.
4/ Pete grips the left leg as he kicks away on the hip, simultaneously sweeping the right ankle.
5/ Pete continues to rotate, taking his ankles away from where Jason can grab them.
6/ Pete finishes by isolating one leg, ready to pass the guard.
Ankle-pick sweep
1/ Pete has Jason in his closed guard with a double wrist-control.
2/ Jason posts on Pete’s hips and starts to stand up.
3/ Pete keeps his guard closed until Jason is stood up.
4/ Now Pete transitions to an open guard, dropping his hips to the mat and squeezing his knees together.
5/ Pete reaches for a double ankle-pick.
6/ With both ankles anchored, Pete lifts his hips again, pressing Jason back with his knees.
7/ Jason lands on his back with Pete’s feet past his guard.
8/ Pete doesn’t come straight up over Jason’s legs, but chooses a side and rotates over.
9/ Pete finishes on the mount.
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