Standard Electric Chair

Genus

Translation: standard electric chair

Range & classification

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]

Also known as

Basic Electric Chair^[1]Standard Lockdown Sweep^[2]

Used in

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu MMA

History & Origin

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. ^[1] It demonstrated the potential of the no-gi half guard as an aggressive sweeping position. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

BrazilBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA
JapanBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
USAMMA

Effectiveness

The electric chair sweep is a powerful half guard sweep that uses a lockdown control on the opponent's leg combined with an underhook to stretch the opponent and sweep them. ^[1] It is particularly effective in no-gi grappling where traditional collar grips are unavailable. ^[1]

Lineage

The electric chair was developed and systematised by Eddie Bravo as part of his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system. ^[1] Bravo's lockdown-to-electric chair sequence became one of the signature techniques of the 10th Planet system. ^[1]

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]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

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

De Souza Dojo TV

Electric chair tutorial

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…

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

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 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

Guard Recovery — common follow-up after escaping to create a defensive barrier Bridge — foundational escape mechanic using hip elevation

Counter Techniques

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

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.

standard electric chair sutand do erekutorikku chea escape and reversal sweep guard reversal half guard sweep electric chair sweep brazilian jiu-jitsu mma basic electric chair standard lockdown sweep