tips on setting up sweeps

[McNerny]

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering if any of you have any combos that work well for setting up sweeps. I like to catch my opponents foot with my lead leg as he moves foward and then hit him as he is falling foward. I have also used other combinations to a lesser degree of success such as ending a hand combination with a gyaku zuki and then pulling back my front foot into their lead leg. Any tips anyone has would be helpful. Thanks!

McNerny

[gojoinstructor]

One technique I usually use on opponents who are less than willing to come in on you is I come around with my rear leg like I am going to throw a round house to mid section or head. I lead it out alittle wide so they can see it coming and raise their guard. Then I kick in a downward motion at mid calf to ankle height so that it drives their foot into the ground. This allows me to follow the momentum and immediately spin into a hook or side thrust kick. It works very well

[Killer Miller]

You don't set up for a sweep, it naturally happens with good reaction, timing, and practise. You have to catch your oponent in a relaxed state between point A and point B when they are executing a technique. When they have comitted their weight forward, or backwards, to where they are just touching the ground, this is when you have to sweep. This is where a lot of practise on "Breathing Timing" comes in where you pick up your oponent's breathing timing and naturally anticipate when they are going to be in this comitted relaxed state for sweeping - without thought. It just happens naturally. If you plan for it, they will know it's coming and just lift their foot before committing their weight on the foot - then they catch you with a round house or reverse punch on your effort.

Sweeping is an art to be effective at it. When done with the rear foot, it's dangerous if you are not good at it because of the long action. If done with the front foot, it's much easier to be deceptive in your approach for a sweep. Almost natural as your oponent comes in to attack to sweep with your front foot as they just barely touch the gound with their foot. They then GO DOWN quickly and you nail them with a reverse punch. This is the most common use of sweeping and the most effective as well.

Work of the Tekki Katas which will prepare you nicely for this technique.

Fuel for training...

- Killer -

[unknownstyle]

i agree with killer miller, you have to sweep when it least expected, if you shoot in and catch them off guard and attack the top half if your are fighting a less experienced fighter they will tend to worry more about the attack to the top and when they do that you sweep the leg, or if someone comes in with a sweep and over commits and misses you can come in reall quick and sweep their base leg

[IronWarrior]

Timing is very important when setting up sweeps, when they step and there foot is off the ground about a inch for that split second, make your move 9 times out of 10 if you time it right there going down!

[gojoinstructor]

Hmm , interesting thought KM. I guess we need to define what is being asked by "sweep". I never intend to use a sweep as a way of bringing an opponent down. I usually use it to throw their balance off so that I am able to use that time for my actual attack.

I do agree that a sweep with the front leg is much more effective than a rear. Be cautious though and know your opponent. Trying to sweep a guy that has legs like a tree trunk and a low center of gravity might put you in a bad position, using the front or rear leg. These types of people I usually try to shoot in on and bring them down another way.

It all depends what you are trying to do. As always keep the opinions coming, I love hearing different peoples views on things! Gives me insight into my own fighting methods.

[Killer Miller]

Sweeping a guy with tree trunks, big or tall is even easier with the front leg/foot if your timing is good. They have a tendancy to commit more weight to their front foot and it is actually easier to sweep them as long as their foot has not rooted to the ground when sweeping.

- Killer -

I do agree that a sweep with the front leg is much more effective than a rear. Be cautious though and know your opponent. Trying to sweep a guy that has legs like a tree trunk and a low center of gravity might put you in a bad position, using the front or rear leg. These types of people I usually try to shoot in on and bring them down another way.

[IronWarrior]

You may want to check out the methods of 'Enshin Karate' they focus alot on the 'Sabaki Method' sweeping,setting up sweeps, and getting your opponent of balance for a sweep e.t.c.. e.t.c.. I've used alot of the methods in my training over the years and its worked well for me..good luck

[gojoinstructor]

All I'm saying, IMO, is that if I wanted to bring someone down to the ground, a leg sweep would not be my first choice. You have to ask yourself, do you want this to be a ground game or a stand up game? If my sweep does work and I am still standing, what next? Usually if I am going to drop someone, it is to engage them on the ground fully. At that point I want to be as close as possible to them to control their movement. If I am staying upright, a sweep is just a way to knock someone off balance to set them up for something else.

[NidaninNJ]

There are lots of kinds of sweeps. You could come from the front or the side or the back or somewhere between. What is the goal? Do you want to draw his attention away from the punch to follow? Do you want to put him off balance? Do you want him to fall the floor, and if so to which direction?

One of the best ways to set up most of these is to get him to lean back and straighten his front leg. This make it harder for him to resist it when you sweep his foot to the side and if you are sweeping his foot forward from the back he could go into a split and down. Sweeping directly from the front is dangerous for both of you.