BJJ Beginners

Lesson 9 – Elevator Sweep

Position:

Guard

Overview:

If you can’t maintain the mount, use the guard to control the bully. While trapped in your guard, a heavier bully is very likely to drive all their weight forward so they can crush you with their body weight. But, because they are inside your legs, their weight is distributed in many different places, which makes it very easy to survive the pressure. In fact, any time a bully is driving all their weight forward from within your guard, there is a good chance that they are actually creating an opportunity for the Elevator Sweep.

Technical Slices:

Standard Variation

• Indicator: Bully posts one leg to drive their weight forward and punch you.
• Essential Detail: Effective body angle.
• Most Common Mistake: Insufficient hook elevation and arm reach to the sky.
• Safety Tip: Hold your weight off the child to avoid crushing their body.
• Transfer Teaching Tip: Make the leg chop easy at first, then get heavier and heavier with time.

Bully Battle

• Practice the Elevator Sweep in combination with all of the previously learned techniques at various intensity levels. Give special emphasis to Punch Block Series (Lesson 7).

Final Thoughts

• When the bully attempts to use their body weight to crush you, don’t panic. Swivel your hips out, insert your leg hook and go for it. If it doesn’t work, go back to Stage 1, block punches, and remain calm until another opportunity presents itself.