Waiter Sweep from Deep Half Guard
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Deep Half Sweep·Tarik BJJ
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Deep Half Sweep
SubFamilyディープハーフスイープ(Dīpu Hāfu Suīpu)
TransliterationTranslation: deep half sweep
Overview
The Deep Half Sweep subfamily covers sweeps from the deep half guard, an advanced half guard variation where the guard player dives deep underneath the opponent, positioning their body entirely beneath the opponent's hips. [1] Deep half guard provides extraordinary sweeping leverage because the guard player is directly under the opponent's centre of gravity, making it possible to off-balance and sweep with relatively little effort. [1],[2] Deep half sweeps include the waiter sweep (hooking the far leg with the foot), the Homer Simpson sweep (walking under to the other side), and direct elevations. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The deep half guard was developed by Jeff Glover and further systematised by Ryan Hall, Bernardo Faria, and other competitors who turned the ultra-deep under-the-body position into a complete sweeping system. [1] Bernardo Faria, a five-time world champion, made deep half guard his signature position and one of the most effective guard systems in competition history. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Deep half sweeps use the deep half guard position to off-balance the opponent by undermining their base. [1]
Lineage
Deep half sweeps were developed in competitive BJJ. [1]
Competition Record
Used in BJJ competition. [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 side control — Create frames with the forearms against the opponent's neck and hip, hip escape (shrimp) to create space, insert the knee to recover guard
From underhook escape — Swim the near arm to an underhook, bridge into the opponent and come to knees or reverse
From opponent's transition — When the opponent moves to mount or north-south, use the movement to create space and escape
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
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 RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The deep half sweep uses the deep half guard position (your body underneath the opponent with the trapped leg high on your shoulder) to sweep the opponent by elevating and off-balancing them (Bernardo Faria, The Battle Tested Half Guard, 2015)
✓Deep half guard is entered by diving underneath the opponent in regular half guard — your body slides under their centre of gravity
✓From deep half, the opponent's weight is on top of you — but your positioning gives you tremendous sweeping leverage
✓The basic deep half sweep: grip the far leg, extend your body to elevate the opponent, and roll them over
✓Bernardo Faria is the king of deep half guard — he won multiple world championships using this position
✓Deep half is particularly effective against larger, heavier opponents — your body is the lever under their weight
✓The deep half position offers sweeps in multiple directions: forward roll, Homer Simpson, and waiter sweep
✓The entry to deep half is as important as the sweep — drill entries from standard half guard, and when being passed
Common Mistakes
!Entering deep half without securing the leg on the shoulder — the leg must be high on your shoulder for the sweep to work
!Not controlling the far leg — the far-leg grip prevents the opponent from stepping over
!Going flat under the opponent — maintain an angle in deep half for sweeping leverage
!Not using the body extension to elevate — the sweep comes from extending your body to off-balance the opponent
!Staying in deep half too long without sweeping — the position is transitional; sweep before the opponent adjusts
!Not training entries to deep half — the entry is half the technique; drill the dive from regular half guard
!Attempting deep half against a standing opponent — deep half works against a kneeling opponent with weight committed
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Control Grips — establish the controlling grips needed to load the sweep
2Off-Balance — shift the opponent's weight to the target direction
3Execute Sweep — apply the sweeping mechanic to topple the opponent
4Follow to Top — ride the sweep momentum to establish top position
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Half Guard (Jeff Glover & Ed Beneville, 2010) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
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] Half Guard (Jeff Glover & Ed Beneville, 2010) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Community
Athletics
Requires
timing, hip power, off-balancing skill
Favours
strong hips and active legs for sweeping leverage
Key muscles
hip flexors, glutes, quadriceps, core rotators
Sub-techniques
Backdoor Sweep
GenusThe backdoor sweep is a deep half guard sweep where, when the initial forward sweep is blocked, the guard player exits out the back by riding the opponent's resistance to rotate behind them and establish a single leg or top position. [1] Popularized by Jeff Glover (No-Gi World Champion, Paragon Academy), the technique uses the action-reaction principle — threaten a forward sweep, then use the opponent's defensive pull to rotate out the back. [2] The backdoor involves a karate-chop motion behind the opponent's knee with the forearm while using a lapel grip to prevent them from turning back.
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Homer Simpson Sweep
GenusThe Homer Simpson sweep is a deep half guard sweep where the guard player hugs the opponent's knee tightly, pinches their own knees together to prevent leg extraction, and rolls backward toward the opponent to complete the sweep. [1] The rolling motion on the side resembles Homer Simpson running in circles on his side from The Simpsons — hence the name. Described as 'the most simple sweep from deep half.' [2] Without a proper knee pinch, the opponent can pull their leg free.
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Waiter Sweep
GenusThe Waiter Sweep is a deep half guard sweep where the guard player hooks the opponent's far leg with the foot (holding it like a waiter holding a tray), then elevates and sweeps the opponent over by extending the hooking leg. [1] The guard player, deep under the opponent, reaches the free leg up and hooks behind the opponent's far knee or thigh, then extends the leg to lift and sweep the opponent over. [1,2] The waiter sweep is one of the highest-percentage deep half guard finishes because the leg hook provides powerful leverage and the opponent's weight is already destabilised by the deep half position. [2,3]
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my opponent from flattening me out or grabbing my arm in deep half guard?
According to Tarik BJJ, you need to actively fight to unbalance your opponent and force them to post their hand on the floor, which gives you the freedom to work with your legs and go for their foot.
What's the correct foot positioning when setting up the deep half sweep?
Your foot should hook the back of your opponent's heel or right under their Achilles tendon, then bring the leg up toward you while crunching and bringing your knees toward your chest, according to Tarik BJJ.
Why shouldn't I position my leg on top of my opponent's knee?
Tarik BJJ explains that being on top of the knee makes it easier for your opponent to defend, so instead you want to square up and point your leg over their thigh to maintain control.
How should I grip with my arm to prevent my opponent from stretching their leg free?
Tarik BJJ emphasizes keeping your arm punched in tight using your bicep for strength rather than stretching your arm out, which makes it easy for your opponent to escape the grip.
Which direction should I sweep if my opponent has base on one leg?
According to Tarik BJJ, don't sweep directly toward the leg they have base on; instead sweep behind their butt cheek toward the opposite side where they lack base.
How does the Deep Half Sweep work?
The Deep Half Sweep subfamily covers sweeps from the deep half guard, an advanced half guard variation where the guard player dives deep underneath the opponent, positioning their body entirely beneath the opponent's hips. Deep half guard provides extraordinary sweeping leverage because the guard player is directly under the opponent's centre of gravity, making it possible to off-balance and sweep with relatively little effort.
Where does the Deep Half Sweep come from?
The deep half guard was developed by Jeff Glover and further systematised by Ryan Hall, Bernardo Faria, and other competitors who turned the ultra-deep under-the-body position into a complete sweeping system. Bernardo Faria, a five-time world champion, made deep half guard his signature position and one of the most effective guard systems in competition history.
Is the Deep Half Sweep 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 Deep Half Sweep?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
How do I set up the Deep Half Sweep?
The standard setup chain: Control Grips → Off-Balance → Execute Sweep → Follow to Top.
How do I defend against the Deep Half Sweep?
Standard counters include: Base and Posture — maintain wide base and upright posture to resist the sweep / Grip Strip — break controlling grips before the sweep can be loaded / Back Step — retreat the leg being attacked to remove the sweep fulcrum.
What are the variants of the Deep Half Sweep?
Common variants: Standard sweep (primary off-balancing and reversal technique from the guard); Combination sweep (chaining two sweep directions to catch the opponent's adj…); Counter sweep (sweeping as the opponent initiates a guard pass attempt); Competition sweep (optimised for point-scoring in tournament settings).
How effective is the Deep Half Sweep in competition?
Used in BJJ competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Deep Half Sweep?
Top errors to watch for: Entering deep half without securing the leg on the shoulder — the leg must be high on your shoulder for the sweep to … / Not controlling the far leg — the far-leg grip prevents the opponent from stepping over / Going flat under the opponent — maintain an angle in deep half for sweeping leverage / Not using the body extension to elevate — the sweep comes from extending your body to off-balance the opponent.
What are other names for the Deep Half Sweep?
The Deep Half Sweep is also known as Dīpu Hāfu Suīpu, Deep Half Guard Sweep, Deep Underhook Half.