Electric chair tutorial
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Standard Electric Chair·De Souza Dojo TV·Added by Admin
The Electric Chair: From Competition to Classroom The Electric Chair is more than just a flashy sub—it’s a system. This…
Standard Electric Chair
Genusスタンダードエレクトリックチェア(Sutandādo Erekutorikku Chea)
TransliterationTranslation: standard electric chair
Overview
The Standard Electric Chair executes the sweep by securing the lockdown on the opponent's trapped leg, obtaining an underhook, then driving upward and outward with the underhook while extending the lockdown to stretch the opponent's legs apart and roll them over. [1] The guard player first locks the lockdown (figure-four on the opponent's leg with both legs), then works for the underhook, and finally executes the sweep by bridging and extending simultaneously. [1],[2] The combined upward bridge, underhook drive, and lockdown stretch creates three simultaneous forces that make the sweep extremely difficult to defend. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Lineage
Competition Record
Eddie Bravo used the electric chair and lockdown system in his competition career, most notably in his rematch victory over Royler Gracie at Metamoris 3 in 2014. [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 guard (bottom) — Off-balance the opponent using grips and hip movement, execute the sweep to reverse position to top
From half guard — Secure an underhook, drive into the opponent and execute the sweep
From butterfly guard — Use the butterfly hooks to elevate the opponent, then direct them to the side to complete the sweep
Variants
Standard sweep — primary off-balancing and reversal technique from the guard
Combination sweep — chaining two sweep directions to catch the opponent's adjustment
Counter sweep — sweeping as the opponent initiates a guard pass attempt
Competition sweep — optimised for point-scoring in tournament settings
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
✓Standard electric chair execution: from half guard with lockdown, establish the underhook, stretch the lockdown by extending the hips, and sweep the opponent over the stretched leg (Eddie Bravo, Mastering the Rubber Guard, 2006)
✓Step 1: from half guard, establish the lockdown — double-overhook the trapped leg with figure-four
✓Step 2: swim the near arm for the underhook — get to the dogfight-adjacent position
✓Step 3: begin extending the lockdown by driving your hips away, stretching the opponent's trapped leg
✓Step 4: the stretch forces the opponent's weight to shift — use this shift to drive forward with the underhook
✓Step 5: sweep the opponent over the stretched leg — they have no base because the leg is extended
✓Step 6: come to top position and establish control
✓The lockdown extension is the key mechanic — it removes the opponent's ability to base with the trapped leg
✓The underhook drives the forward sweep force while the lockdown removes the base
✓Drill: establish lockdown → underhook → stretch → sweep, 5 reps per side (the stretch requires warm-up)
Common Mistakes
!Extending the lockdown without the underhook — the stretch creates space but doesn't create the sweep without the underhook drive
!Not warming up the hips before practicing — the lockdown stretch requires hip flexibility; warm up thoroughly
!Stretching too aggressively without control — gradual, controlled stretching prevents injury
!Not driving forward with the underhook during the sweep — the underhook provides the forward force
!Releasing the lockdown during the sweep — maintain the lockdown until you've achieved top position
!Not following to top position after the sweep — the electric chair sweep must end with dominance
!Only training the electric chair without backup sweeps — develop multiple half guard options
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
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
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Mastering the Rubber Guard (Eddie Bravo, 2006) [2] 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu terminology
2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Mastering the Rubber Guard (Eddie Bravo, 2006)
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] Mastering the Rubber Guard (Eddie Bravo, 2006) [2] 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu terminology
5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Mastering the Rubber Guard (Eddie Bravo, 2006)
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my opponent from pinning their shoulder to my face in the electric chair?
Hide your head on your opponent's hip and use a knee shield to control their shoulder and biceps. De Souza Dojo TV emphasizes that keeping your head off their chest while maintaining this shield is fundamental to executing the technique effectively.
What's the proper leg lock setup for the electric chair?
Underhook the opponent's far leg, then cross your outside leg to the inside with your outside leg's shoelace going under your heel and your inside leg's shoelace going under their foot. This lockdown controls the opponent's movement and allows you to manipulate their leg up and down.
What should I do if my opponent is too flexible or much taller to submit from the electric chair?
Use the position to sweep instead. Place your hand on their belly, circle around their body, climb higher than your opponent, and interlink your hands to achieve chest-to-chest position before opening the lock and passing to the side for points.
Where should my opponent's hamstring be positioned when stretching for the submission?
The hamstring must be on your shoulder when executing the stretch. If it's on your biceps instead, the submission won't work as effectively.
How does the Standard Electric Chair work?
The Standard Electric Chair executes the sweep by securing the lockdown on the opponent's trapped leg, obtaining an underhook, then driving upward and outward with the underhook while extending the lockdown to stretch the opponent's legs apart and roll them over. The guard player first locks the lockdown (figure-four on the opponent's leg with both legs), then works for the underhook, and finally executes the sweep by bridging and extending simultaneously.
Where does the Standard Electric Chair come from?
The standard electric chair is the signature technique of Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet system, developed as the primary sweep from the lockdown half guard position. It demonstrated the potential of the no-gi half guard as an aggressive sweeping position.
Is the Standard Electric Chair 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 Electric Chair?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
How do I set up the Standard Electric Chair?
The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.
How do I defend against the Standard Electric Chair?
Standard counters include: Heavy Hips — maintain low hip pressure and wide base to absorb the bridge / Grapevine — hook legs inside opponent's thighs to neutralize hip movement / Post Hand — post arm on the mat in the direction of the bridge to maintain balance.
What are the variants of the Standard Electric Chair?
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 Standard Electric Chair in competition?
Eddie Bravo used the electric chair and lockdown system in his competition career, most notably in his rematch victory over Royler Gracie at Metamoris 3 in 2014.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Electric Chair?
Top errors to watch for: Extending the lockdown without the underhook — the stretch creates space but doesn't create the sweep without the und… / Not warming up the hips before practicing — the lockdown stretch requires hip flexibility; warm up thoroughly / Stretching too aggressively without control — gradual, controlled stretching prevents injury / Not driving forward with the underhook during the sweep — the underhook provides the forward force.
What are other names for the Standard Electric Chair?
The Standard Electric Chair is also known as Sutandādo Erekutorikku Chea, Basic Electric Chair, Standard Lockdown Sweep.