Basic De La Riva Sweep for White Belts with Position Details
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Standard De La Riva Sweep·Chewjitsu·Added by Admin
Today's question is from Andrew who requested a De La Riva Sweep. In this video I first talk about some basic ideas of…
Standard De La Riva Sweep
Genusスタンダードデラヒーバスイープ(Sutandādo Dera Hība Suīpu)
TransliterationTranslation: standard De La Riva sweep
Overview
The Standard De La Riva Sweep executes the fundamental DLR guard sweep by using the DLR hook to stretch and off-balance the opponent backward, controlling the ankle of the hooked leg while pulling the opponent forward with the upper body grip, then sweeping them over the hook. [1] The guard player extends the DLR hook to push the opponent's leg away, breaking their base, while simultaneously pulling the upper body forward with a collar or belt grip. [1],[2] The combination of the push on the leg and the pull on the upper body creates a rotational force that tips the opponent over. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Lineage
The standard De La Riva sweep is a fundamental open guard sweep using the DLR hook. [1]
Competition Record
De La Riva sweeps are commonly scored 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 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
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 de la Riva sweep: establish the DLR hook, grip the far ankle, pull the ankle toward you while elevating with the hook, and follow the opponent to top position as they fall backward (Ricardo de la Riva, DLR Guard System)
✓Step 1: from open guard facing a standing opponent, hook the outside of their lead leg with your outside foot (DLR hook)
✓Step 2: grip the opponent's far ankle with your bottom hand
✓Step 3: place the free foot on the opponent's near hip for distance control
✓Step 4: pull the far ankle toward you while lifting with the DLR hook — this removes both base points
✓Step 5: the opponent falls backward — follow them to top position immediately
✓The pull-and-lift coordination is the key: the ankle pull removes forward base, the hook lift removes backward stability
✓The free foot on the hip prevents the opponent from stepping over your guard
✓Drill: partner stands in your DLR guard, execute the sweep — 10 reps per side
Common Mistakes
!Pulling the ankle without lifting with the hook — both actions must be simultaneous
!Not gripping the far ankle — the near ankle doesn't provide the correct sweep angle
!Hooking too low on the shin instead of behind the knee — the hook must be high for maximum leverage
!Not using the free foot on the hip — without hip control, the opponent steps over
!Pulling the ankle too far (past your body) — pull just enough to compromise their balance
!Not following to top position — the sweep must result in you on top
!Keeping the DLR hook after the sweep — release the hook to come to top position
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] Common abbreviation in BJJ community [2] Named after Ricardo De La Riva
2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Renzo Gracie & Royler Gracie, 2001) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo 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] Common abbreviation in BJJ community [2] Named after Ricardo De La Riva
5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Renzo Gracie & Royler Gracie, 2001) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo 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
Frequently Asked Questions
What grip should I use to start the De La Riva sweep as a beginner?
Chewjitsu recommends starting with a cross grip on the sleeve and controlling the same side hip, which helps white belts learn the technique before exploring more advanced grip variations.
How do I control my opponent's leg in the De La Riva sweep?
Control the heel with your foot on their leg while maintaining some pressure—this stops them from turning their knee out and escaping the position, according to Chewjitsu.
What's the timing of the actual sweep motion?
You pop and pull at the same time to create tension, then pull the foot back while using your grip to come up into a passing position, as demonstrated in Chewjitsu's instruction.
How does the Standard De La Riva Sweep work?
The Standard De La Riva Sweep executes the fundamental DLR guard sweep by using the DLR hook to stretch and off-balance the opponent backward, controlling the ankle of the hooked leg while pulling the opponent forward with the upper body grip, then sweeping them over the hook. The guard player extends the DLR hook to push the opponent's leg away, breaking their base, while simultaneously pulling the upper body forward with a collar or belt grip.
Where does the Standard De La Riva Sweep come from?
The standard DLR sweep is the foundational technique of Ricardo De La Riva's guard system, the first sweep developed from the DLR hook position. It remains one of the most commonly used open guard sweeps in gi competition.
Is the Standard De La Riva 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 Standard De La Riva Sweep?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
How do I set up the Standard De La Riva Sweep?
The standard setup chain: Control Grips → Off-Balance → Execute Sweep → Follow to Top.
How do I defend against the Standard De La Riva 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 Standard De La Riva 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 Standard De La Riva Sweep in competition?
De La Riva sweeps are commonly scored in IBJJF competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard De La Riva Sweep?
Top errors to watch for: Pulling the ankle without lifting with the hook — both actions must be simultaneous / Not gripping the far ankle — the near ankle doesn't provide the correct sweep angle / Hooking too low on the shin instead of behind the knee — the hook must be high for maximum leverage / Not using the free foot on the hip — without hip control, the opponent steps over.
What are other names for the Standard De La Riva Sweep?
The Standard De La Riva Sweep is also known as Sutandādo Dera Hība Suīpu, Basic DLR Sweep, Standard De La Riva.