# Improving Judo/Jujitsu Foot Sweeps



## stonewall1350 (Mar 24, 2016)

So I am looking to improve my foot sweep game. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to practice for this? Anything from certain exercises to simple tricks and so on. Anything would be appreciated.

My current feeling is that I am too slow on the attack, and I still feel very rigid trying the takedowns on either larger/taller/stronger/more experience opponents. Obviously I need to loosen up and watch videos of myself, but beyond that I'm thinking I need to ramp up some additional training if I want these to be any kind of threat at all. 


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## stonewall1350 (Mar 24, 2016)

And just to add...for giggles...I'm looking into some sumo moves for a totally unrelated reason:







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## Langenschwert (Mar 27, 2016)

When you pull the opponent forward, if you step too far back, you won't be able to bring your sweeping foot into play fast enough. Don't forget to turn the opponent's torso like a steering wheel. If your supporting leg is not bent, you will sweep too high as well.

You can just practice sweeping by yourself, making sure your foot is brushing the floor/mat. See keeping the supporting leg bent, above.

Not that I can do any of this well, it's just what my Judo sensei tells me. One day I'll nail it.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 28, 2016)

If you want to 

- pull your opponent's upper body and sweep him, you can push his upper body first. 
- twist your opponent's body and sweep him in the clockwise direction, you can twist his body into the counter-clockwise direction first. 

This way your opponent's resistance force can help your foot sweep.


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## JowGaWolf (Mar 28, 2016)

I don't do Judo or Jujitsu, but I'm good at sweeps.  Based on what I do in class, I would have to say that your "slowness" is probably due to your lack of awareness of your legs in relation to your opponents legs and your opponents movement.  Sweeps don't necessarily have to be fast, but they always work well when they are unexpected.  Instead of thinking of a sweep as a sweep.  Think of it as an interference of your opponents footing/root.  
There are 3 golden opportunities of a sweep

Before your opponent plants their foot
When your opponent is moving (in transition of) their foot
When your opponent off balance
These are the 3 times you want to try execute a sweep because it doesn't take incredible speed in order to make it happen.  However, it does take timing.  With sweeps, you have to be able to feel what is coming next and act based on something that hasn't happened yet (Which is why I say think of it as interference).  If I know that you'll move your foot to a certain location, then my goal is to anticipate that and make sure that my foot or legs gets there before your foot or leg does.

If I try to sweep you before you plant then, I want my foot to get to that location before your foot so that I can stop (interfere with) your foot from planting.
If I see that you are moving then I want my foot or leg to interfere with your ability to move the other foot in transition
If I see (mainly feel) that you are off balance then my foot or leg will take advantage of that and interfere with your ability to regain balance.

In order to build on this, you'll need to become more aware of your leg positioning as well as your opponent's leg positioning. Over all you'll have to become more aware of movement so that you can distinguish between movement that is off balanced and movement that is rooted.


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## GiYu - Todd (Mar 28, 2016)

The two biggest mistakes I see:
1) Not adequately disbalancing your opponent - If you take their balance they have trouble resisting the leg sweep.  Similarly, if they still have their balance, it's almost impossible (unless they're playing along) to take them down as they can simply step out of it.
2) Having your own leg in a dangerous position.  Make sure your toes are pointed directly away from your hips, rather than aiming at an angle which could risk your MCL getting torn. 
No advice for the sumo move.


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## GiYu - Todd (Mar 28, 2016)

Just reread your question.  Was thinking leg sweeps, not foot sweeps.  That'll teach me to post on here while "participating" in a telecon for work. 
For foot sweeps, it's primarily timing (as JowGaWolf said).  You have to anticipate your opponent's step and catch it before they get it planted.  Most of this just takes practice moving different sized people.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 28, 2016)

Deashi-Barai, great little foot sweep. We use to use it all the time in Japanese Jiujutsu


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 28, 2016)

The foot sweep should be trained along with

1. shin bite - use your shin bone to press against the inside of your opponent's low leg,
2. scoop kick - put your instep behind your opponent's ankle, pull his leg toward you along the ground.
3. sticky lift - put your instep behind your opponent's ankle, bend your knee and lift his leg as high as you can.

It should be shin bite, scoop kick, sticky lift, and foot sweep, 1 for all and all for 1.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 28, 2016)

JowGaWolf said:


> There are 3 golden opportunities of a sweep
> 
> Before your opponent plants their foot
> When your opponent is moving (in transition of) their foot
> When your opponent off balance.



Instead of to wait for your opponent's to step forward, it may be better to force him to step backward. This way, you can set up your own timing. Here is a example.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 28, 2016)

Deashi-Barai


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## JowGaWolf (Mar 28, 2016)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> Instead of to wait for your opponent's to step forward, it may be better to force him to step backward. This way, you can set up your own timing. Here is a example.


Stepping forward or stepping backwards is the same in my book. I can either draw someone in by faking a retreat or make them step back by driving an attack.  I can control my opponent's movement or I can react to theirs. Both ways have easy and difficult sweeps in each scenario.  

I can only assume that Judo and Jujitsu have sweeps limited to being close to fighter.  I don't recall seeing any long ranged sweeps.


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## JowGaWolf (Mar 28, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> Deashi-Barai


Perfect example of the importance of kung fu stances.  I do a lateral movement drill that develops the agility required to work against sweeps like that.  Ironically, just a few ours ago, the drill saved me from falling down the steps.  Somehow my right foot got caught on my pants (baggy kung fu pants) while I was walking down the steps at home.  I was able to calmly free that foot without panic and I almost kept the same original pace of going down the steps.  I'm so glad I do those drills, I just didn't think it would save me from falling down the stairs.

Not sure why stuff like that always has to happen at the top of the stairs.


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## JowGaWolf (Mar 28, 2016)

Here's a video that shows some of the things that I'm talking about. In terms of sweeps.  They actually talk about it, in the video. You'll also see an example of timing the movement of the opponent's weight shift.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 29, 2016)

JowGaWolf said:


> Perfect example of the importance of kung fu stances.  I do a lateral movement drill that develops the agility required to work against sweeps like that.  Ironically, just a few ours ago, the drill saved me from falling down the steps.  Somehow my right foot got caught on my pants (baggy kung fu pants) while I was walking down the steps at home.  I was able to calmly free that foot without panic and I almost kept the same original pace of going down the steps.  I'm so glad I do those drills, I just didn't think it would save me from falling down the stairs.
> 
> Not sure why stuff like that always has to happen at the top of the stairs.



I missed as step going down the stairs, carrying some boxes, which lead to me header toward a concrete floor. Ended up doing a diving shoulder roll. it just automatically happened. Ended up fairly unscathed. And I have no idea why this stuff happens on stairs.


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## stonewall1350 (Mar 29, 2016)

Thanks guys. I am working on these. One thing I am working on is making sure that I catch the foot correctly on time


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## Langenschwert (Mar 30, 2016)

Xue Sheng said:


> And I have no idea why this stuff happens on stairs.



Stairs are like mini Bermuda Triangles. That's _science_. And Ancient Aliens and stuff.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Mar 30, 2016)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> Instead of to wait for your opponent's to step forward, it may be better to force him to step backward. This way, you can set up your own timing. Here is a example.


Agree and disagree. It's good to get them to step backward on your terms, but not necessarily force them backwards-then they might know somethings up. I prefer to trick them into stepping in a direction based on my reaction, and thinking it's their own idea


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## JowGaWolf (Mar 30, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> Agree and disagree. It's good to get them to step backward on your terms, but not necessarily force them backwards-then they might know somethings up. I prefer to trick them into stepping in a direction based on my reaction, and thinking it's their own idea


Pressure left, sweep right type stuff? Or misdirection?


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Mar 30, 2016)

JowGaWolf said:


> Pressure left, sweep right type stuff? Or misdirection?


Pressure left sweep right kinda stuff. I like misdirection as well, I'm just not as good at it.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 30, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> I prefer to trick them into stepping in a direction based on my reaction, and thinking it's their own idea


When you try to apply "ankle pick" on your opponent's leading leg, he may steps back. He may think you try to get his leading leg. He may not know you try to take advantage on his backward stepping and sweep his other leg.



JowGaWolf said:


> Pressure left, sweep right type stuff? Or misdirection?


Here are some examples. In no-jacket environment you will need strong grip to "pull".


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