BJJ sweeps are jiu-jitsu moves where you reverse your bottom guard position and get on top of your opponent.

In competition, you are awarded 2 points when you sweep your opponent and maintain top control for 3 seconds.

When I was playing guard as a white and blue belt, I only went for submissions. That made my game predictable.

When I became a purple belt, I started going for more sweeps.

My entire guard game got better. Not only did I get better at sweeps — but my guard retention and guard submissions got better as well.

When you focus on using your guard to sweep instead of merely submit, you become less predictable.

You start to chain your techniques together and build a complete guard game.

In this article, I’ll help you improve your BJJ sweeps so you can build a deadly guard with multiple options to attack the top player.

BJJ Sweeps: Table Of Contents

• 3 Essential BJJ Sweeps For Beginners
• Mastering Your BJJ Sweeps: Key Principles
• All 54 BJJ Sweeps By Position
• Final Thoughts & Discussion

3 Essential BJJ Sweeps For Beginners

Here are the first 3 BJJ sweeps I teach to beginners.

These sweeps are easy to learn and are done from basic guard positions.

You’ll use them from white belt to black belt.

1. Scissor Sweep from Closed Guard

The scissor sweep is a sweep typically done from closed guard.

You load the top player up on your knee, and then kick your legs in a scissoring motion to sweep them and get into top mount.

It’s a great sweep for beginners because it’s easy to do on other beginners.

And it will help you set up combinations from one of the foundational guards: the closed guard.

Even though it’s relatively easy to defend, I still use it to set up other attacks, like the triangle choke and omoplata.

2. Foot Grab Sweep From Half Guard

The foot grab sweep is a sweep done from bottom half guard.

You perform the sweep by getting the underhook, grabbing the top player’s foot, bringing their foot close to their hip, and sweeping them into top side control.

As a beginner, you’re focusing on your escapes from bottom positions. That often means escaping and re-guarding into bottom half guard.

Then, from bottom half guard, the foot grab sweep gives you a reliable method for getting on top.

It teaches you the importance of winning the underhook, controlling your opponent’s hips and legs, and building up to your knees.

These skills aren’t limited to playing bottom half. They’ll translate to all aspects of your overall BJJ game.

3. Elevator Sweep from Butterfly Guard

The elevator sweep is the quintessential sweep from butterfly guard.

If you can get an underhook on one arm, and an overhook on the other, you can lean over to the overhook side, kick your butterfly hook, and sweep the top player.

Butterfly guard is one of the simpler open guard variations to learn as a white belt or blue belt.

And once you learn the elevator sweep, you’ll have one of the most fundamentally sound and versatile sweeps from a killer position.

It also reinforces the importance of winning the right grips (over/under grip) and kuzushi (scooting underneath the top player to load them on top of you and make them light).

I love using the elevator sweep when the top player is pressure passing.

It’s one of the highest-percentage and satisfying sweeps to hit — and you end up in a dominant position like mount.

Mastering Your BJJ Sweeps: Key Principles

1. Win Your Grips

You cannot sweep your opponent unless you first establish your grips.

Take the scissor sweep, for example.

If you don’t have a grip on the top player’s collar and sleeve, you will have a difficult time sweeping them.

Why?

Because without winning your grips, you can’t initiate your offense. Especially in the gi.

If the top player establishes their grips against you first, good luck sweeping them. They’ll have too much control.

So, if you want to sweep your opponent, think about the sequence in which you’ll sweep them. That will always start by establishing your grips.

If you want to hit more sweeps, win the grip fight!

And this ties into my next point…

2. Always Kuzushi Your Opponent

The more you off-balance your opponent before sweeping them, the easier it will be to sweep them.

This is known as kuzushi, which means to off-balance your opponent.

(Of course, you’ll need to win your grips so it’s easier to kuzushi them.)

Trying to sweep a top player with a strong base is extremely difficult.

But sweeping a top player with a light base is extremely easy.

Back to our scissor sweep example.

Trying to sweep a top player who is wide with their stance and sitting upright is next to impossible.

But when you load them onto your leg (the kuzushi), they will feel as light as a feather.

So, if any of your sweeps aren’t working, ask yourself…

“How much did I kuzushi the top player before attempting my sweep?”

Sweeps are always easier when you’ve made it hard for your opponent to balance.

Kuzushi first, sweep second.

3. Specifically Train 1 Sweep At A Time

If you want to get better at the sweeps, practice one sweep at a time.

Here’s a challenge for you: in your next class, make it your focus during each roll to hit a sweep.

Trying to hit specific moves during sparring is called “specific training” — and it’s how Gordon Ryan masters submissions.

For example, let’s say you’re working on your scissor sweep.

After class, you’ll write down in your BJJ journal…

• What worked (example: “During one roll, I got into closed guard and hit a scissor sweep.” )
• What didn’t work (example: “During another roll, I tried to hit the scissor sweep, but the top player’s base was too wide to sweep.”)
• Questions or notes for next class (example: “Ask coach how to scissor sweep when the top player has a wide base — or combinations from the sweep.”)

Ask your training partners if you can start from close guard. This will make attempting scissor sweeps much easier.

Do this for 4 weeks, and I guarantee you’ll get much better at the scissor sweep — and all of the combinations that can come from it.

NOTE: I teach this specific training and journaling process in my BJJ Journal Of Champions Course.

All 54 BJJ Sweeps By Position

Here are all of the BJJ sweeps from their relevant guard positions.

Butterfly Guard Sweeps

• Elevator/Butterfly Sweep

Closed Guard Sweeps

• 100% Sweep
• Armpit/Knee Roll Over
• Balloon Sweep (Helicopter Armbar)
• Double Ankle Sweep
• Flower Sweep
• Hip Bump Sweep (Bump)
• Lumberjack Sweep
• Omoplata Sweep
• Reverse Scissor Sweep
• Scissor Sweep
• Single Ankle Sweep
• Waiter/Muscle Sweep

De La Riva Guard Sweeps

• Forward Sweep
• Tripod Sweep

Deep Half Guard Sweeps

• Double Under Sweep (From Front Leg Hook)
• Technical Stand Up Sweep (From Triangle Legs)
• Waiter Sweep

Half Butterfly Guard Sweeps

• Actor Sweep
• Kimura/Fishing Pole Sweeps

Half Guard Sweeps

• Foot Grab Sweep
• John Wayne Sweep
• Leg Hug Gator Roll
• Old School Sweep
• Pendulum Sweep
• Reverse Old School Sweep

Lasso Guard Sweeps

• Leg Hook Sweep (Both Legs)
• Slicer Sweep

Open Guard Sweeps

• Balloon Sweep
• Butterfly (Hook) Sweep
• De La Riva Sweep
• Heel Grab Sweep
• Tomahawk Sweep
• Tripod Sweep

Reverse De La Riva Guard Sweeps

• Reverse Butterfly Sweep
• Tripod Sweep

Shin on Shin Guard Sweeps

• Sleeve Pass Sweep
• Straight Back Sweep

Single Leg X Guard Sweeps

• Single X Sweep

Spider Guard Sweeps

• Arm Wrap Sweep
• Open Book Sweep
• Sickle Sweep
• Tall Scissor Sweep

Turtle Sweeps

• Peterson Roll (“Anthony” Sweep)
• Straight Leg Sweep

X Guard Sweeps

• Backward Sweep
• Forward Sweep

BJJ Sweeps: Final Thoughts & Discussion

Sweeps put the “art” in martial arts.

A well-executed sweep is a thing of beauty.

And there’s almost nothing more satisfying in BJJ than hitting a smooth sweep and getting on top.

My fellow grappler, what is YOUR favorite BJJ sweep?

Let me know in the comments below.

And if you hit one of my essential sweeps for beginners in class this week, hit me up!

Happy sweeping. 🤙

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Tsavo Neal

Tsavo is the founder of BJJ Equipment, author of BJJ For Beginners, creator of the BJJ Missions app, and a brown belt instructor at InFighting. He launched BJJ Equipment to help grapplers at every belt level train smarter, make faster progress, and find the best gear for their game.