Open Guard Sweeps!
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Open Guard Sweep·The Grappling Academy
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Open Guard Sweep
Familyオープンガードスイープ(Ōpun Gādo Suīpu)
TransliterationTranslation: open guard sweep
Overview
The Open Guard Sweep family covers all sweeps from open guard positions — guard variations where the guard player's legs are not closed around the opponent and instead use feet on hips, hooks, or sleeve/collar controls to maintain the guard. [1] Open guard sweeps are among the most diverse and technically sophisticated sweeps in grappling, as the open guard category includes numerous distinct positions (De La Riva, spider, collar-sleeve, lasso, etc.), each with its own sweeping mechanics. [1],[2] Open guard sweeps require excellent distance management and grip fighting because the guard player does not have the closed guard's locked-leg connection. [2],[3]
Distance Guard Sweep[1]
History & Origin
Open guard sweeps evolved as grappling competition demanded more dynamic and varied guard play than the closed guard alone could provide. [1] Key innovators include Ricardo De La Riva (DLR guard), the Mendes brothers (inverted and modern open guards), and Leandro Lo (collar-sleeve and spider guard sweeps). [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Open guard sweeps were developed in competitive BJJ as guard systems evolved. [1]
Competition Record
Open guard sweeps are fundamental scoring techniques in IBJJF 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 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
Videos
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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 technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal — escapes and sweeps are fundamental to BJJ...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— 4 from mount/back
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Open guard sweeps use various open guard configurations (de la Riva, spider, collar-sleeve, lasso) to sweep the opponent from a non-closed-guard position (Cobrinha, Jiu-Jitsu Lifestyle, 2013)
✓Open guard is the broadest category of guard — it encompasses all guard positions where the legs are not closed around the opponent
✓The common thread in all open guard sweeps: hooks control the opponent's legs, grips control the arms — remove the base, then sweep
✓Open guard requires more active management than closed guard — the opponent can pass if you don't maintain hooks and grips
✓The four major open guard systems: de la Riva, spider guard, collar-sleeve, and lasso — each has its own sweep library
✓Open guard sweeps often transition into leg locks and back takes — they're not just sweeping positions
✓Grip fighting is the beginning of all open guard play: without grips, there's no guard
✓In modern competition, open guard is the most commonly played guard — study the specialists in each system
Common Mistakes
!Playing open guard without grips — the guard has no function without grip control
!Being flat on the back — maintain active hips, hooks, and angled body position
!Not using the feet actively — the feet are your primary tools in open guard; keep them engaged on the opponent's body
!Allowing the opponent to establish grips without response — grip fighting is bidirectional
!Playing only one open guard system — develop at least two for versatility
!Not training guard retention alongside open guard sweeps — retention is the defensive counterpart to sweeping
!Attempting sweeps without off-balancing first — the opponent must be off-balanced before any sweep works
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
The Guard (Joe Moreira & Ed Beneville, 2008)
1BookThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
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] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
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
Collar-Sleeve Sweep
SubFamilyThe Collar-Sleeve Sweep subfamily covers sweeps from the collar-sleeve guard, where the guard player controls one collar and one sleeve while using the feet to manage distance and off-balance the opponent. [1] The collar-sleeve guard is one of the most versatile gi guard positions because the combination of collar and sleeve control gives the guard player both push-pull capability and prevents the opponent from posting. [1,2] Collar-sleeve sweeps typically use foot placement on the hip or bicep combined with the grip controls to off-balance and sweep the opponent. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
De La Riva Sweep
SubFamilyThe De La Riva Sweep subfamily covers sweeps from the De La Riva guard, where the guard player hooks one leg around the opponent's lead leg from the outside while controlling the ankle of that leg. [1] The DLR guard provides powerful off-balancing capability because the hook and ankle control can stretch the opponent's base and manipulate their posture. [1,2] DLR sweeps include direct sweeps (pulling the opponent over the hook), baby bolo variations (mini-inversion sweeps), and transitions to berimbolo back takes. [2,3]
2 genera·2 techniquesExplore
Spider Guard Sweep
SubFamilyThe Spider Guard Sweep subfamily covers sweeps from the spider guard, where the guard player controls both of the opponent's sleeves and places the feet on the biceps, using the extended legs and sleeve grips as a web of control. [1] Spider guard sweeps use the unique leverage of feet-on-biceps to push, pull, and twist the opponent's upper body while controlling their ability to base with the hands. [1,2] The spider guard is particularly effective in gi grappling because the sleeve grips are essential to maintaining the feet-on-biceps connection. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Tripod Sweep
SubFamilyThe Tripod Sweep is an open guard sweep where the bottom player places one foot on the opponent's hip and hooks behind one of their ankles with the other foot, then pushes and pulls simultaneously to topple the standing opponent — named because the opponent is balanced on three points (two feet and one being pushed) that are systematically collapsed. [1] The tripod sweep is one of the most effective sweeps against a standing guard passer. [1,2]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I just memorize one open guard sweep technique and use it every time?
According to The Grappling Academy, you need to stay active and continuously move your feet and hands in open guard rather than following a static formula, because a stationary approach presents an easy problem for your opponent to solve and they'll pass your guard.
What are the main types of open guard sweeps I should learn?
The Grappling Academy teaches two fundamental sweeps: the leg hook sweep and the leg reap sweep, and emphasizes that you'll need to master both to be effective when your opponent stands up to break your guard.
How does the Open Guard Sweep work?
The Open Guard Sweep family covers all sweeps from open guard positions — guard variations where the guard player's legs are not closed around the opponent and instead use feet on hips, hooks, or sleeve/collar controls to maintain the guard. Open guard sweeps are among the most diverse and technically sophisticated sweeps in grappling, as the open guard category includes numerous distinct positions (De La Riva, spider, collar-sleeve, lasso, etc.
Where does the Open Guard Sweep come from?
Open guard sweeps evolved as grappling competition demanded more dynamic and varied guard play than the closed guard alone could provide. Key innovators include Ricardo De La Riva (DLR guard), the Mendes brothers (inverted and modern open guards), and Leandro Lo (collar-sleeve and spider guard sweeps).
Is the Open Guard Sweep legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal — escapes and sweeps are fundamental to BJJ, sweep from bottom scores 2…; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal, sweep scores 2 points (4 from mount/back); FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Open Guard Sweep?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
How do I set up the Open Guard Sweep?
The standard setup chain: Control Grips → Off-Balance → Execute Sweep → Follow to Top.
How do I defend against the Open Guard 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 Open Guard 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 Open Guard Sweep in competition?
Open guard sweeps are fundamental scoring techniques in IBJJF competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Open Guard Sweep?
Top errors to watch for: Playing open guard without grips — the guard has no function without grip control / Being flat on the back — maintain active hips, hooks, and angled body position / Not using the feet actively — the feet are your primary tools in open guard; keep them engaged on the opponent's body / Allowing the opponent to establish grips without response — grip fighting is bidirectional.
What are other names for the Open Guard Sweep?
The Open Guard Sweep is also known as Ōpun Gādo Suīpu, Distance Guard Sweep.