As the defender against the counter sweep, you are the leg lock attacker whose opponent is attempting to use the entanglement to reverse your position. Your challenge is maintaining effective leg attack positioning while preserving enough base to prevent being swept. The fundamental tension you face is that effective leg lock finishing requires committing your upper body and weight in directions that compromise your base. Understanding how to maintain submission threat while keeping sweep-resistant positioning is essential for any serious leg lock practitioner. The key defensive skill is recognizing sweep initiation early—before the opponent generates full hip drive—and responding with base adjustments, entanglement deepening, or strategic disengagement that preserves your attacking position without exposing you to the reversal.
Opponent’s Starting Position: Leg Entanglement (Bottom)
How to Recognize This Attack
- Opponent begins sitting up or generating forward hip drive from the bottom of the entanglement, shifting their weight toward you rather than remaining flat
- Opponent frees one or both arms from your upper body control and begins posting on the mat or reaching for your far shoulder
- Opponent’s hips elevate or rotate toward you while their entangled leg begins to act as a fixed anchor rather than a defensive extraction point
- You feel a sudden forward pressure through the entanglement as the opponent’s hip drive loads force through the connected leg structure
- Opponent stops defending the leg attack and begins actively driving forward, indicating they have shifted from defensive to offensive intent
Key Defensive Principles
- Maintain upper body connection to the opponent’s torso throughout your leg attack to prevent the sweep trigger—never fully release torso control to grab the foot
- Keep your base low and wide with active posting readiness so you can respond instantly to any forward drive from the opponent
- Recognize sweep initiation through hip movement and posture changes early enough to respond before the opponent generates full momentum
- Deepen the entanglement when you feel sweep attempts rather than releasing and resetting, converting their movement into a better attacking position
- Control the opponent’s free arm to remove their posting ability, which eliminates the mechanical prerequisite for most sweep variations
- If the sweep is inevitable, transition to guard recovery rather than fighting a lost battle for top position from a compromised base
Defensive Options
1. Post with free hand and sprawl hips back to re-establish base against the sweep force
- When to use: Early in the sweep attempt when you feel the initial forward pressure but the opponent has not yet generated full hip drive
- Targets: Leg Entanglement
- If successful: Opponent is driven back to flat position and you maintain your entanglement with the option to continue your leg attack
- Risk: If the post is too slow or too high, the opponent may attack the posting arm with a kimura, converting your defensive action into their offensive opportunity
2. Deepen entanglement by stepping over to saddle configuration during the sweep initiation
- When to use: When the opponent commits to the sweep and begins driving forward, using their momentum to facilitate your transition to a more dominant entanglement
- Targets: Saddle
- If successful: You convert a defensive situation into an offensive advancement, reaching the most dominant leg entanglement position from which multiple submissions are available
- Risk: If the step-over is mistimed, the opponent’s forward drive may carry them over your leg before you can complete the saddle entry
3. Release the entanglement entirely and recover to a neutral standing or guard passing position
- When to use: When the sweep is well-timed and your base is irrecoverably compromised, making continued entanglement defense more dangerous than resetting
- Targets: Leg Entanglement
- If successful: You avoid the sweep and reset to a neutral position from which you can re-engage on your terms, though you lose your leg attack opportunity
- Risk: If you release too late, the opponent has already generated enough momentum to complete the sweep regardless of entanglement release
4. Control opponent’s free arm to remove their posting ability before they can initiate the sweep
- When to use: Proactively when you sense the opponent is beginning to set up sweep conditions by freeing their arms and positioning to sit up
- Targets: Leg Entanglement
- If successful: The opponent cannot generate the posting base necessary for the sweep and is forced to find alternative escapes from bottom position
- Risk: Controlling the opponent’s arm with your hands may compromise your grip on their foot, potentially losing the submission position
Best-Case Outcomes for Defender
→ Leg Entanglement
Maintain base integrity through active posting and upper body control of the opponent. When you feel sweep initiation, immediately sprawl your hips back and post your free hand wide while keeping your entanglement hooks engaged. The opponent remains in bottom position and you can continue your leg attack sequence.
→ Saddle
Use the opponent’s forward sweep momentum against them by stepping over with your far leg into the saddle configuration. As they drive forward, their hip movement actually facilitates your leg transition over their hip, landing you in the most dominant entanglement position. This converts their offensive sweep attempt into your positional advancement.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What specific grip transition during your leg attack creates the greatest vulnerability to the counter sweep? A: The most vulnerable moment is when you release upper body control of the opponent’s torso to secure both hands on their foot for a finishing grip. This transition removes the primary barrier preventing the opponent from sitting up and driving forward. During this grip transition, the opponent’s torso is uncontrolled and their posting arm is free, creating the ideal conditions for the counter sweep. To mitigate this, maintain at least one point of upper body contact until the absolute final moment of the finishing sequence.
Q2: How can you use the opponent’s sweep momentum to advance to a more dominant entanglement position? A: When the opponent drives forward for the counter sweep, step your far leg over their hip into a saddle configuration. Their forward hip drive actually facilitates this transition because it creates the hip elevation and angle you need to thread your leg through. The result is that their offensive sweep attempt delivers them into the most dangerous entanglement position, the saddle, from which you have access to inside heel hooks and multiple submission pathways. This requires recognizing the sweep early enough to execute the step-over before their momentum carries them past the transition point.
Q3: What is the earliest recognition cue that indicates your opponent is preparing a counter sweep from bottom leg entanglement? A: The earliest cue is a change in the opponent’s arm activity—specifically when they shift from defending the leg attack with their hands near their captured leg to freeing their arms and reaching toward the mat for a posting position. This arm repositioning precedes the hip drive by several seconds and indicates the opponent has mentally transitioned from defense to counter-offense. Recognizing this arm shift gives you the maximum response window to re-establish upper body control or adjust your base before the sweep is initiated.