Details for No-Gi Over/Under Butterfly Guard Sweep

[Jack Rusher]

I was playing around with another Bully at the NYC TD yesterday when the subject turned to to the basic butterfly guard sweep. We went through it, but I didn't want to try to explain all the details because I'm only a blue belt. Later, after I got home, it occurred to me that -- given the popularity of this technique -- it might be worthwhile to start a thread to house the collected wisdom of the better grapplers on this forum concerning setups, hooks, and so on.

I usually do it like this, going to modified scarf:

YouTube - Simple Butterfly Sweep

Thanks in advance. As always, apologies if this is not the right kind of question for this sub-forum.

[dokomoy]

I do basically the same thing, but I push off with my bottom leg too. I got it from a Stephen Kesting DVD but Rodrigo Gracie shows what I'm talking about at around 3 minutes of this clip:

YouTube - Rodrigo Gracie Butterfly Guard Sweep

edit: He does it with the gi, but it's the only clip I found on youtube that clearly showed the leg click.

[265lbsfist]

Hmmm...I've always done it more as a throw with the leg instead of a simple sweep. I've been told many times that it's technically unsound but I hit it much more often than the less spazzy version. As long as I control one arm I always manage to scramble for top. Much easier to hit on big guys in my experience.

[Libertad]

Nice video man, this is definately one of my favourite sweeps.
I like the transition to side control, I usually go for mount, Ill try it next time I roll.

[theotherserge]

*place holder post* I should have something soon... ;-)

[theotherserge]

huh, no edit button, oh well

Jack me boy, not exactly a butterfly but I love this one and I don't have to be so "man-huggy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eef-7FU5gdM

The hook isn't as crucial if your hold on your opponent is good, for no-gi take the over-the-back hold and grab the far-armpit and over-hook the near arm above the elbow. You'll be closer to your oppnent than with jacket grips. I find it serves nicely.

:qfrog:

[UpaLumpa]

Jack,
The problem in my opinion with what you showed is that doing it that way isn't going to work with resistance.

The key to every sweep is taking away your opponent's base. For the sweep you showed, you first are going to have to rock/roll back (typically at about a 45 degree angle or a little less relative to your spine), moving your opponent's base onto yourself (as opposed to the ground).Then you kick them over.


edit: what I just said is shown in the instructional vid too. shows that it isn't a huge roll back, just enough to take your opponent off their base.

[GoldenJonas]

Hmmm.

Whether you are going for this sweep in gi or no gi you should NEVER be positioned directly in front of your opponent. Under resistance you are getting in your own way and as Upa pointed out, your opponent's base (torso and hips) ends up directly on you. When this happens you are forced to muscle the last half of the sweep and it will usually end up in a scramble; a good guy will simply hip float in and use your hook and sweep motion to hip in/down and ride past your open guard.

Most people screw this sweep up when they fall straight back rather than fall to a 45 on their shoulder or where they fail to properly secure the posting arm. If you are sitting square in front of your opponent you are making it harder to fall to your shoulder and making it easier for a resisting opponent to control the position and create a scramble.

By angling off slightly prior to starting the sweep you 1) move your own body out of the way of the direction of the sweep, 2) make a slight mistake in the fall back angle less important, and 3) you create a perceived opening for a pass which will bring your opponent's base slightly off and actually moving the way you want him to move.

Other than angling slightly off to my right, my set-up and grips for this sweep in gi is exactly like Rodrigo's. For no-gi I either get wrist control (which can be difficult) or time my overhook with the guys movement to that side and cut the arm inward at the elbow, like a low whizzer of sorts.

[JohnnyS]

Good advice from ErikW and UpaLumpa.

Jack, you don't have a good connection with your opponent. Your opponent simply needs to drop more weight on your right arm and he's killed that underhook. Get a better connection with your right shoulder attached to his left shoulder. Also, the points above about angling first are very important.