Standard Berimbolo

SubFamily

Translation: standard berimbolo

Range & classification

Overview

The Standard Berimbolo subfamily covers the core berimbolo technique — the foundational inversion from De La Riva guard that spins underneath the opponent to take the back. ^[1] This is the original berimbolo mechanic from which all variations derive, involving an inversion from DLR guard, an under-the-back spin, and the emergence behind the opponent with back control. ^[1],[2] The standard berimbolo is initiated by off-balancing the opponent with the DLR hook, then inverting and spinning underneath while maintaining the hooking connection. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

BoloBoxing^[1]Spinning Inversion Sweep^[2]

Used in

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

History & Origin

The standard berimbolo was the original technique that spawned the entire berimbolo movement in BJJ, developed by Samuel Braga and taken to its highest expression by the Mendes and Miyao brothers in IBJJF competition. ^[1] It remains the foundation upon which all berimbolo variations are built. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

BrazilBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
JapanBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Effectiveness

The berimbolo is an inverted sweep that uses De La Riva guard to invert under the opponent and take the back. ^[1]

Lineage

The berimbolo was developed and popularised by the Mendes brothers (Rafael and Guilherme) in IBJJF competition during the 2010s. ^[1]

Competition Record

The berimbolo became a dominant technique in lightweight IBJJF competition, used by the Mendes brothers, Paulo Miyao, and others. ^[1]

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Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Breaking the opponent's leg control to advance to a more dominant position

Joints Involved — Hips (posture and pressure), knees (opening the guard with knee-in or standing), hands (grip fighting)

Force Vector — Forward pressure (stack/smash) or backward posture (stand-up break) to open the closed guard

Passing Mechanic — Once the guard is opened, speed passing, pressure passing, or toreando passing advances the position

Position & Entry

From bottom (opponent has back control) — Fight the hands to prevent the choke, slide hips to the mat on the choking side, escape the hooks and turn into the opponent

From standing (opponent has back clinch) — Drop the hips, peel the hands, turn and face the opponent

From body triangle — Address the body triangle first by positioning the trapped leg to pry it open, then escape the hooks

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Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Moderate3/10

Sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

— Unified MMA — Legal defensive/transitional technique

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— IBJJF — Legal

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— IJF — Legal

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— ADCC — Legal

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

— UWW — Legal

UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF

— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓Standard berimbolo execution: from de la Riva guard, grip the far ankle, invert underneath the opponent, spin to take the back (Mendes Brothers, Art of Jiu-Jitsu, 2010s)

✓Step 1: establish de la Riva guard — hook the outside of the opponent's lead leg with your outside hook

✓Step 2: grip the opponent's far ankle or belt with your bottom hand

✓Step 3: initiate the inversion — roll over the shoulder on the DLR hook side, going upside down

✓Step 4: as you invert, use the DLR hook and ankle grip to rotate the opponent over you

✓Step 5: complete the spin to emerge behind the opponent

✓Step 6: establish back control with seatbelt grip and hooks

✓The inversion is the key movement — you must be comfortable going upside down

✓The ankle grip prevents the opponent from stepping out during your inversion

✓Drill the inversion movement 50 times before adding resistance

Common Mistakes

!Inverting without the DLR hook — the hook provides the rotational control

!Not gripping the far ankle — the ankle grip is essential for controlling the opponent's base

!Inverting to the wrong side — invert over the shoulder on the DLR hook side

!Pausing during the inversion — the spin must be continuous

!Not completing to back control — the berimbolo isn't finished until you have seatbelt and hooks

!Attempting the berimbolo from too far away — you must be close with the DLR hook deep

!Over-inverting and ending past the opponent — control the rotation to end behind them

Related Techniques

Guard Recovery — common follow-up after escaping to create a defensive barrier

Counter Techniques

Maintain Pressure — keep consistent weight distribution to limit escape space Anticipate Direction — read escape attempt direction and block early Transition — flow to a new position when the current one is threatened

Setup Chain

1Create Space — use frames, hip movement, or leverage to generate room to move

2Disrupt Control — break or weaken the opponent's grips and weight placement

3Execute Escape — apply the specific escape mechanic with timing and commitment

4Recover Position — establish a safe position (guard, standing, or top)

Sources & References

Primary Source

Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Techniques (Marcelo Garcia, 2011)

1BookThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)

Alias sources — [1] Popularised by the Mendes Brothers (Gui & Rafa Mendes) [2] Modern competition BJJ terminology

2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Effectiveness sources — [1] IBJJF competition analysis

3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention

Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities

4CitationThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)

Alias sources — [1] Popularised by the Mendes Brothers (Gui & Rafa Mendes) [2] Modern competition BJJ terminology

5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Effectiveness sources — [1] IBJJF competition analysis

Community

Athletics

Requires

grip fighting ability, hip mobility for sliding to the mat, chin defence

Favours

strong hands for grip fighting, flexible hips

Key muscles

forearms (grip fighting), core, hip flexors, neck

Sub-techniques

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Standard Berimbolo Technique

Genus

The Standard Berimbolo Technique executes the full berimbolo from De La Riva guard by hooking the DLR leg deep, gripping the opponent's belt or pants, inverting by pulling the hips overhead, and spinning underneath the opponent to take the back. [1] The guard player first off-balances the opponent by elevating the DLR hook, then inverts by curling the spine and pulling the hips over, using the momentum to spin underneath the opponent. [1,2] As the rotation completes, the player emerges behind the opponent and immediately secures back control with seat-belt grip and hooks. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prevent my opponent from counter-attacking when setting up the berimbolo?

Keep your shin in front of your opponent's belly to secure the space and prevent counter-attacks. According to YOSHI JIU-JITSU TECH, maintaining this shin position is crucial—if you expose your hips during the setup, your opponent can counter-attack with a hip escape and take your back.

What's the difference between using my sole and using my shin in the berimbolo?

Use your sole or shin to frame in open guard, but YOSHI JIU-JITSU TECH emphasizes that shin control is more important when you're in close distance during the belly ball position, where you cannot always rely on sole pressure.

How do I set up the leg lock position after getting into the berimbolo?

From the berimbolo position, perform a reverse hip escape by scooping your hips to connect with your opponent's hips, then lock your legs in a triangle lock configuration. YOSHI JIU-JITSU TECH notes to keep your knees pinned together during the hip escape to maintain control and dig under the opponent's leg to regain position.

What happens if my opponent changes their hip angle during the berimbolo entry?

If your opponent adjusts their hip angle, maintain your shin control and continue to secure the space so they cannot take your back. YOSHI JIU-JITSU TECH demonstrates that even when an opponent controls your hips from this position, proper shin placement prevents them from successfully executing a back take.

How does the Standard Berimbolo work?

The Standard Berimbolo subfamily covers the core berimbolo technique — the foundational inversion from De La Riva guard that spins underneath the opponent to take the back. This is the original berimbolo mechanic from which all variations derive, involving an inversion from DLR guard, an under-the-back spin, and the emergence behind the opponent with back control.

Where does the Standard Berimbolo come from?

The standard berimbolo was the original technique that spawned the entire berimbolo movement in BJJ, developed by Samuel Braga and taken to its highest expression by the Mendes and Miyao brothers in IBJJF competition. It remains the foundation upon which all berimbolo variations are built.

Is the Standard Berimbolo legal in competition?

Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive/transitional technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal

How dangerous is the Standard Berimbolo?

Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player

How do I set up the Standard Berimbolo?

The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.

How do I defend against the Standard Berimbolo?

Standard counters include: Maintain Pressure — keep consistent weight distribution to limit escape space / Anticipate Direction — read escape attempt direction and block early / Transition — flow to a new position when the current one is threatened.

What are the variants of the Standard Berimbolo?

Common variants: Slide to side (choking-arm side) (fighting hands and sliding hips to the mat on the choking…); Peel-and-turn (stripping the seatbelt grip and turning into the opponent); Trap-arm escape (trapping one arm and rolling to pin the opponent's back); Body triangle escape (addressing the body triangle lock before escaping the hooks).

How effective is the Standard Berimbolo in competition?

The berimbolo became a dominant technique in lightweight IBJJF competition, used by the Mendes brothers, Paulo Miyao, and others.

What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Berimbolo?

Top errors to watch for: Inverting without the DLR hook — the hook provides the rotational control / Not gripping the far ankle — the ankle grip is essential for controlling the opponent's base / Inverting to the wrong side — invert over the shoulder on the DLR hook side / Pausing during the inversion — the spin must be continuous.

What are other names for the Standard Berimbolo?

The Standard Berimbolo is also known as Sutandādo Berinboro, Bolo, Spinning Inversion Sweep.

standard berimbolo sutand do berinboro escape and reversal sweep guard reversal berimbolo brazilian jiu-jitsu bolo spinning inversion sweep