Fighting off your back is a significant thing that makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu unique among grappling martial arts. But even if you can be dangerous from the guard, getting on top is usually better, not to mention it earns points in the competition. One of the most common ways to do both simultaneously is with BJJ sweeps. But what exactly are they?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A sweep in jiu-jitsu is a technique executed by the guard that inverts positions, and the person on the bottom ends up on top. A sweep is worth 2 points in the competition. Reversals of position from the bottom mount or bottom side control are not considered sweeps- they are reversals, while sweeps are only reversals from guard.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sweeps are fundamental in BJJ, and everyone must have at least a few reliable ones from the guards he commonly uses. We will review the fundamental principles of sweeps and examine a few popular ones used at all levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The word sweep in martial arts has two meanings. From standing, a sweep is a form of takedown where you reap one or both legs under an opponent, forcing them to the ground. Judo, for example, has many such standing foot sweeps united in a category called Kari-ashi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But sweeps in Brazilian jiu-jitsu are what we are interested in in this article, and they are quite different than standing sweeps. In BJJ, a sweep is used from bottom guard to reverse the positions and end up on top. The key word here is guard. A sweep in jiu-jitsu is only possible from the bottom guard when you transition to a top position and manage to hold it for 3 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are in mount or side control and manage to escape and move to a top position, this is great, but it is not considered a sweep; it’s called a reversal and is not awarded points by itself. Sweeps are reversals from any bottom guard. This technical distinction is important for competitions because sweeps are worth 2 points, while reversals are not scored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>What Are Sweeps In BJJ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n