Sweeps

[Hart]

This is really embarassing, but, I can't sweep to save my life. I just don't seem to get it. Whenever I try its like i'm flinging a spaghetti string at my training partner's leg. They don't budge an inch. I'm not trying to chop a leg off, for safety reasons, but I'm not sure that if I encounter someone on the street (God forbid), I'd be able to do it when I have to. Does anyone have any tips? Pictures might help.

[armanox]

Yeah - don't. Anytime anyone tries a sweep against me they fail miserably, because it's too easy to either dodge or counter. A swift kick to the knee achieves the same effect.

[DokterVet]

Footsweeps work best when the person is just about to plant all of their weight on the foot you are sweeping.

If their weight is already planted, you won't be able to sweep the foot.

[Killer Miller]

DokterVet said it exactly right. You have to wait until a person's body weight in commited for the foot to plant. But after the foot contacts the floor, and before the heel actually plants, this is exactly when you sweep. Not a second before or after...

armanox, if the timing is right, anyone will go down and go down hard...

- Killer -

[P.A.L]

as Killer Miller said , you can sweep anybody with good timming, for me , i am not into sweeping someones leg when they attack me, that time i prefer to concentrate on my counters, i sweep when i attack in, to their front leg when there is no weight on it to the left or right the only problem is you have to take a step with sweeping foot in last second, in grappling you can even sweep the front leg toward the back leg, which is a beautifull throw, to avoid injury to big toe it is importany to have a correct contact angel, practicing with a judo-ka is a great help with sweeping.

[Brandon Fisher]

They must be off balance enough for it to work correctly otherwise chances are you might go down instead on a counter from that person.

[Jay]

Try a feint close to their face if your lucky and they are not very well trained they will move their weight to the back leg and will allow you to sweep them.

[ps1]

The most important component to executing a good sweep is the angle on which you attack. Here's some general instructions for a basic front sweep. Assuming a closed stance orientation you will need to line up your front foot outside your opponents front foot (to your opponents front outside angle). This will allow for a 45 degree angle of attack. Then make sure you connect low on the leg of the opponent. The closer to the heel, the better. Of course, timing and distance are everything. But we can't teach you that. Start slow and static with a willing partner. Good footwork is the only thing that will help you in using it in sparring. It's not really that great of a self defense technique though(requires too much setup).

For self defense sweeps you're better off with those taught in Judo/ Jujitsu. Small and Large, inside and outside reaps and such. With these techniques you already have grips on your opponent. Therefore you are able to control the reactions of the opponent better.

[Killer Miller]

Think of Tekki Shodan when sweeping. But the object is not to just sweep alone. You Sweep/Counter at the exact same time. They never know it's coming. When the timing is correct, which requires a lot of timing training to perfect, sweeping requires "no effort" at all...

There are a couple of types of sweeps that are most effective. One is sweeping to the side or a pulling the sweep into you if your foot is far enough inside their foot. The other is sweep their foot into their back foot, causing them to basically trip over themselves when going backwards. Both sweeps are most effective when executing a counter or step in punch at the exact same time. Between the sweep and punch, they go down really hard - and like I said before, with "no effort at all..." And yes, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!

- Killer -

[jaymac]

I never just execute a sweep. I always execute a counter strike to get them off balance, then sweep. Using them almost simultaneously is even more effective.