Old School Bottom Position is a classical half guard bottom position made famous by Eddie Bravo and the 10th Planet system. From half guard bottom with lockdown control, the practitioner secures a deep underhook on one side while controlling the opponent’s head with the opposite arm, creating a powerful sweeping position. This position is characterized by the bottom player’s ability to break the opponent’s posture down while maintaining lockdown control of their trapped leg, setting up the signature Old School sweep to mount or back control.
The position represents a fundamental component of the 10th Planet half guard system, offering both offensive sweeping opportunities and defensive frames against passing attempts. The head and arm control combined with lockdown creates a dilemma for the top player: defending the sweep requires posture, but maintaining posture breaks the lockdown control. This position is particularly effective in no-gi grappling where the lockdown’s leg entanglement provides superior control compared to traditional gi grips.
Old School Bottom is considered a transitional attacking position rather than a static control position. Practitioners typically enter this position with the specific intent of executing the Old School sweep, using the lockdown to prevent the opponent from establishing a strong base while the underhook and head control create the sweeping lever. Success depends on timing the sweep during the opponent’s weight shift and maintaining tight connection throughout the rotation.
Position Definition
- Bottom player on their side with one leg trapped between opponent’s legs in half guard configuration, with lockdown controlling the trapped leg by hooking opponent’s ankle with bottom foot and extending the leg
- Deep underhook established on one side with bottom player’s arm threaded under opponent’s armpit and hand gripping high on their back or shoulder, creating sweeping leverage
- Head control established with opposite arm wrapping around opponent’s head, with hand gripping behind the neck or back of the head, pulling opponent’s posture down and forward
- Opponent in top half guard position with one leg trapped, weight distributed forward onto hands and knees, with head and posture broken down toward bottom player’s chest
- Bottom player’s hips angled toward the underhook side, creating the geometric alignment necessary for the sweeping motion with shoulder positioned under opponent’s center of gravity
Prerequisites
- Established half guard bottom position with one opponent’s leg trapped between both of bottom player’s legs
- Lockdown control secured on trapped leg with bottom foot hooking opponent’s ankle and top knee driving into back of their thigh
- Successful underhook established on one side with arm threaded deep under opponent’s armpit
- Opponent’s posture broken down enough to establish head control with opposite arm
- Bottom player positioned on their side rather than flat on back, creating the angle necessary for sweeping leverage
Key Defensive Principles
- Maintain deep underhook with elbow tight to ribs and hand gripping high on opponent’s back to maximize sweeping leverage
- Control opponent’s head by pulling it down and across toward the underhook side, breaking their posture and preventing defensive posting
- Keep lockdown tight by actively extending the controlling leg while hooking ankle, preventing opponent from extracting their leg or establishing stable base
- Position shoulder under opponent’s center of gravity on the underhook side, creating the fulcrum point for the sweeping rotation
- Time the sweep during opponent’s forward weight shift or when they attempt to clear the lockdown, capitalizing on their compromised base
- Maintain tight connection between body and opponent throughout the sweep, preventing space that would allow them to recover base or posture
- Drive the sweep in a circular motion from side to mount, using the underhook and head control to guide opponent over while hips drive forward and up
Available Escapes
Old School Sweep → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Old School Sweep → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Lockdown Sweeps → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Electric Chair Submission → Electric Chair
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Underhook Sweep from Half → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Half Guard to Back Take → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent maintains low posture and drives weight forward with heavy shoulder pressure:
- Execute Old School Sweep → Mount (Probability: 75%)
- Execute Old School Sweep → Back Control (Probability: 70%)
If opponent extends their trapped leg to clear the lockdown while maintaining forward pressure:
- Execute Electric Chair Submission → Electric Chair (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
If opponent posts hand on mat or brings weight back to defend the sweep:
- Execute Half Guard to Back Take → Back Control (Probability: 65%)
- Execute Underhook Sweep from Half → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
If opponent turns away from underhook or attempts to remove head control:
- Execute Half Guard to Back Take → Back Control (Probability: 70%)
- Execute Lockdown Sweeps → Half Guard (Probability: 50%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Shortest path to submission
Old School Bottom → Electric Chair → Electric Chair Submission
High-percentage sweep to mount submission path
Old School Bottom → Old School Sweep → Mount → Americana from Mount
High-percentage sweep to back submission path
Old School Bottom → Old School Sweep → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Lockdown control to leg attack path
Old School Bottom → Electric Chair → Electric Chair Submission
Underhook to kimura path
Old School Bottom → Underhook Sweep from Half → Side Control → Kimura from Side Control
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 50% | 40% | 15% |
| Intermediate | 65% | 60% | 30% |
| Advanced | 80% | 75% | 45% |
Average Time in Position: 20-45 seconds
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The Old School position represents a sophisticated mechanical system that exploits fundamental principles of leverage and rotational dynamics. The position’s effectiveness derives from the geometric relationship between the underhook’s sweeping lever, the head control’s posture disruption, and the lockdown’s base elimination. When properly configured, these three control points create a mechanical advantage that makes the sweep nearly inevitable during the opponent’s forward weight distribution. The critical technical element most practitioners overlook is the precise shoulder positioning under the opponent’s center of gravity on the underhook side, which establishes the fulcrum point for rotational force application. The sweep should be conceptualized not as a lifting or pushing action, but rather as a controlled rotation around this shoulder fulcrum, with the underhook and head control guiding the opponent’s trajectory while the hips provide the rotational drive. The lockdown’s function extends beyond simple leg control; it eliminates the opponent’s ability to establish a wide base or post the trapped leg, forcing their weight distribution forward onto the hands and the controlled shoulder, which paradoxically facilitates the very sweep they’re trying to prevent.
Gordon Ryan
Old School is one of those positions that looks simple but requires perfect timing and connection to hit at the highest levels. Against good competitors, you get maybe a three-second window when their weight shifts forward or they try to break your lockdown—that’s when you need to execute. The key difference between beginners missing this sweep and advanced guys hitting it consistently is maintaining chest-to-chest contact throughout the entire rotation. Any space and they step over or recover guard. I also see a lot of people trying to muscle the sweep with just the underhook, but the head control is equally important—you need to pull their head down and across to break their sight line and prevent them from seeing where to post. In competition, I prefer this position in no-gi where the lockdown control is superior and there’s less opportunity for them to grip fight their way out. The Electric Chair threat when they defend the sweep makes this even more dangerous because you’re forcing them into a true dilemma: defend the sweep and expose the leg, or defend the leg and get swept. That’s winning BJJ at the highest level—controlling not just their body but their decision-making process.
Eddie Bravo
Old School is the original gangster of the 10th Planet half guard game, man. This is where the whole lockdown system started—I created this position because I was tired of getting smashed and passed in traditional half guard. The beauty of Old School is it turns half guard from a defensive holding position into an offensive launching pad. People don’t realize that the lockdown isn’t just controlling their leg, it’s cooking them, draining their energy while you’re chilling on your side setting up the sweep. The deeper you get that underhook, the easier everything becomes—I want that elbow so far through it’s poking out the other side. And the head control is crucial; you’re not just holding their head, you’re steering the whole sweep with it like a steering wheel. When you hit Old School clean, they’re going over whether they want to or not. The position also opens up the whole Electric Chair game, which is my favorite submission from the system. If they stand up to defend the sweep, boom, you’re already in position to roll under and attack that leg. That’s the 10th Planet philosophy: create positions where every defensive option they choose opens up a different attack. Old School embodies that perfectly—it’s not just a sweep, it’s a strategic trap that keeps them guessing and you attacking.