Tripod Sweep

The Tripod Sweep is a fundamental sweep in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, primarily executed from Open Guard, often in conjunction with grips on your opponent’s legs or collar. This technique disrupts your opponent’s base by creating a "tripod effect," where their stability is compromised by a combination of leg hooks and pushing and pulling motions. It is highly effective against a standing opponent and allows you to transition into dominant positions like Mount, Side Control, or Single-Leg X Guard.

Key Principles

Breaking Base

  • The sweep works by attacking two points of your opponent’s base—their legs—while using grips to control their upper body or posture.

Grip Fighting and Control

  • Securing grips on your opponent’s ankles, pants, or collar ensures they cannot recover balance or stabilize.

Leverage

  • Using your legs and arms together to push and pull effectively maximizes the power of the sweep.

Timing

  • The sweep is most effective when your opponent’s weight shifts forward or backward, creating opportunities to exploit their instability.

Steps to Perform the Tripod Sweep

Set-Up in Open Guard

  • Start in Open Guard against a standing opponent. Control one of their legs using your hand to grip their ankle or pant leg.
  • Use your other hand to grip their collar, sleeve, or the fabric of their pants near the knee.

Position Your Feet

  • Place one foot on your opponent’s hip or thigh to push, creating distance and controlling their center of gravity.
  • Position your other foot behind the ankle of their free leg to act as a hook.

Create Tension

  • Push with the foot on their hip while pulling their ankle or Pant Grip toward you.
  • Simultaneously, use your hooking foot to pull their leg out from under them, breaking their base.

Execute the Sweep

  • Combine the push and pull motion to destabilize your opponent. The push on their hip and the hook behind their ankle should create a trip-and-fall effect.
  • Guide their fall to ensure they land flat on their back or side.

Follow Through to a Dominant Position

Variations of the Tripod Sweep

Spider Guard Variation

  • Use a Spider Guard setup, with one foot on their bicep and the other foot behind their ankle, to execute the same sweeping mechanics.

De La Riva Variation

  • Incorporate a De La Riva hook to control one leg while sweeping the other.

No-Gi Tripod Sweep

  • Without gi grips, secure their ankle with your hand and use wrist or elbow control instead of a collar grip.

Reverse Tripod Sweep

  • Sweep in the opposite direction if your opponent shifts their weight to defend the initial attack.

Common Applications

Against Standing Opponents

  • The sweep is highly effective when your opponent stands to pass your guard.

Counter to Guard Passing

Chain with Other Sweeps

Submission and Transition Opportunities

Submission Setups

Transition to Single-Leg X Guard

  • If your opponent reacts to the sweep by stepping back, transition to Single-Leg X Guard for continued attacks.

To Mount or Side Control

  • Use the sweep to land directly in a dominant position, controlling your opponent after the sweep.
Tip

The Tripod Sweep is most effective when your grip fighting is secure, your feet are well-positioned, and your push-pull motion is synchronized. Focus on disrupting their base before committing to the sweep.

Positioning

The Tripod Sweep is versatile and can be executed from various guard positions, particularly those where you can control your opponent’s legs and posture while using your feet for leverage. Below is a breakdown of positions where the Tripod Sweep is most effective:

Primary Guard Positions

Open Guard

  • The Tripod Sweep is most commonly executed from Open Guard against a standing opponent. Use grips on their ankles, pants, or collar, and position your feet on their hips and behind their ankle to destabilize them.

De La Riva

  • From De La Riva, use the De La Riva hook on one leg to control their base while setting up the Tripod Sweep with grips and foot placement.

Guard Variations

Spider Guard

  • Place one foot on your opponent’s bicep or hip for added control, while the other foot hooks behind their ankle to execute the sweeping motion.

Reverse De La Riva

  • Transition from Reverse De La Riva into the sweep by positioning your free foot behind their ankle and using grips to break their base.

Single-Leg X Guard

  • If your opponent adjusts their weight while you are in Single-Leg X Guard, transition to a Tripod Sweep by hooking their free leg and sweeping them.

X Guard

  • Incorporate the Tripod Sweep mechanics by controlling one leg and using your hooks to off-balance them.

Dynamic Transitions

From Closed Guard to Open Guard

  • When your opponent stands to break your guard, transition to Open Guard or De La Riva and set up the sweep.

During Guard Retention

  • Use the Tripod Sweep to counter your opponent’s forward movement or passing attempts, such as the Toreando Pass.

Countering Combat Base

  • If your opponent kneels in Combat Base (one knee up, one knee down), use your foot behind their posted leg to execute the sweep.

Counter and Defensive Positions

Against Standing Opponents

  • The Tripod Sweep is highly effective when your opponent stands to pass your guard or break grips.

Countering Guard Passes

Against Backward Weight Shifts

  • If your opponent leans backward to maintain posture, exploit their weight distribution with the Tripod Sweep.

Submission and Transition Opportunities

Leg Lock Entries

To Mount or Side Control

  • Sweep your opponent and follow through into a dominant top position.

Transition to Single-Leg X Guard

  • If your opponent counters by stepping back, transition into Single-Leg X Guard for continued attacks.

Other Situations

During a Scramble

  • Use the Tripod Sweep in dynamic exchanges where you can control their legs and redirect their center of gravity.

Gi and No-Gi

  • The Tripod Sweep works in both gi and no-gi scenarios, with adjustments to grips (e.g., switching from pant grips to ankle or wrist grips).
Tip

The Tripod Sweep thrives in positions where your opponent’s base is compromised or their weight shifts. Proper grip fighting, hip movement, and coordinated push-pull mechanics are critical for its success.

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