The Heel Grab Sweep is a fundamental off-balancing technique from Single Leg X Guard that exploits your opponent’s compromised base by controlling their trapped leg and manipulating their heel. This sweep creates a powerful lever system where you use your legs to elevate and extend the opponent’s trapped leg while simultaneously pulling their heel backward, disrupting their balance and forcing them to the mat. The technique is particularly effective against standing opponents who attempt to maintain a squared stance or those who fail to properly address the Single Leg X position. The Heel Grab Sweep serves as a primary attacking option from Single Leg X Guard, working in concert with other sweeps and leg entanglements to create a comprehensive guard system. Its effectiveness stems from the biomechanical advantage created by controlling both the opponent’s heel and knee simultaneously, making it extremely difficult for them to maintain balance or counter effectively. This sweep is applicable in both gi and no-gi contexts, though the grip variations differ slightly between the two formats.
Starting Position: Single Leg X-Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
Key Principles
- Maintain tight connection between your legs and opponent’s trapped leg throughout the sweep
- Control the heel with both hands to prevent opponent from stepping back or posting
- Extend your legs explosively to elevate opponent’s leg while pulling heel backward
- Keep your hips mobile and ready to follow the sweep to top position
- Time the sweep when opponent’s weight is forward or when they attempt to pull their leg free
- Combine leg extension with heel pull in one coordinated motion for maximum effect
- Be prepared to transition to leg entanglements if opponent sits or counters
Prerequisites
- Established Single Leg X Guard position with opponent’s leg trapped between your legs
- X-hook (inside leg) positioned behind opponent’s knee with foot across their hip
- Outside leg positioned in front of opponent’s trapped leg, controlling their shin or ankle
- Both hands controlling opponent’s heel, with grips secured
- Opponent is standing or attempting to stand with weight on trapped leg
- Your hips positioned underneath opponent’s trapped leg for optimal leverage
- Good angle created with your body positioned slightly to the side rather than directly underneath
Execution Steps
- Secure heel control: From Single Leg X Guard, grip the opponent’s heel with both hands, palms facing each other. Your top hand should grip over the top of the heel while your bottom hand cups underneath. Ensure your grips are tight and positioned on the actual heel bone, not the ankle or Achilles tendon. This dual grip creates a strong control point that prevents the opponent from stepping back or posting their foot. (Timing: Establish grips as soon as Single Leg X Guard is secured)
- Adjust leg positioning: Verify that your X-hook (inside leg) is deep behind the opponent’s knee with your foot firmly across their opposite hip. Your outside leg should be positioned with your shin or foot controlling the front of their trapped shin. This creates a frame that prevents them from stepping forward while your X-hook prevents them from stepping back. Ensure your legs create a scissoring pressure that keeps their leg extended and controlled. (Timing: Simultaneous with heel grip, before initiating sweep)
- Create the angle: Shift your hips slightly to the side opposite your X-hook, creating an angle rather than staying directly underneath the opponent. This angle is crucial as it allows you to pull the heel in a diagonal direction that maximizes off-balancing. Your shoulders should rotate slightly in the same direction as your hip movement, setting up the sweeping trajectory. (Timing: Immediately before executing the sweep)
- Extend legs explosively: Simultaneously extend both legs powerfully, driving your X-hook backward and downward while your outside leg pushes forward and upward against their shin. This scissoring action elevates their trapped leg off the mat while extending it away from their body. The extension should be explosive but controlled, creating a sudden change in their leg position that compromises their balance. (Timing: Execute when opponent’s weight shifts forward or as they attempt to pull free)
- Pull heel and rotate: As you extend your legs, pull the opponent’s heel forcefully backward and slightly toward you, rotating it in the direction opposite their stance. This heel manipulation combined with the leg extension creates an irresistible off-balancing effect. The pulling motion should arc the heel backward and down, forcing their body to follow and preventing any possibility of posting or maintaining balance. (Timing: Coordinated precisely with leg extension for maximum effect)
- Follow to top position: As the opponent falls backward, release the heel control and immediately begin tracking their body. Use your hands to push off the mat or grab their gi/body as you rotate your hips and follow through. Come up on top into a dominant position, typically landing in a modified knee slice, headquarters, or directly in their guard. Maintain pressure and connection throughout the follow-through to prevent them from recovering guard or escaping. (Timing: Immediately as opponent begins falling, before they can post or recover)
- Consolidate top position: Once on top, immediately establish control by securing grips, controlling their hips, and establishing a strong base. If you landed in their guard, begin your guard passing sequence immediately. If you achieved a more advanced position like knee slice or headquarters, work to consolidate and advance. Be aware that the opponent may attempt to recover guard or create a scramble, so maintain constant forward pressure and connection. (Timing: Continuous action immediately after achieving top position)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent steps their free leg back into a wide base, creating stability (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Transition to X-Guard Sweep by switching your focus to their standing leg, or attack with a Kneebar on the trapped leg if they commit too much weight backward
- Opponent sits to the mat quickly, nullifying the sweep (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately transition to Ashi Garami or Outside Ashi-Garami position, maintaining control of their leg and attacking with leg locks or alternative sweeps from the entanglement
- Opponent grabs your belt or gi pants to prevent being swept backward (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Use their grip as an anchor point and transition to alternative sweeps like the Tripod Sweep or Sickle Sweep, or attack their now-exposed arm with an armbar entry
- Opponent circles their trapped leg and extracts it from your X-hook (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Follow their leg movement and transition to De La Riva Guard or Reverse De La Riva Guard, maintaining connection and attacking with sweeps from the new position
- Opponent posts their hand on the mat to prevent falling backward (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Attack the posted arm with a Kimura or Armbar from Guard, or redirect the sweep to the opposite side, using their post as a pivot point to sweep them in the direction of their posted hand
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the most critical component that makes the Heel Grab Sweep effective? A: The simultaneous coordination of leg extension and heel pull creates the most effective sweep. The leg extension elevates and extends the opponent’s trapped leg while the heel pull rotates and pulls it backward, creating an irresistible off-balancing effect. Doing these movements separately significantly reduces the sweep’s effectiveness because the opponent can counter or post when only one force is applied.
Q2: Why is creating an angle with your hips important for this sweep? A: Creating an angle by shifting your hips to the side allows you to sweep the opponent diagonally rather than straight backward. This diagonal sweeping motion makes it much more difficult for the opponent to post with their free leg or hands because they must defend in multiple directions simultaneously. A straight backward sweep is easier to counter because the opponent can simply step back or post directly behind themselves.
Q3: What should you do if your opponent sits to the mat to counter your Heel Grab Sweep? A: Immediately transition to a leg entanglement position such as Ashi Garami or Outside Ashi-Garami, maintaining control of their trapped leg throughout. When the opponent sits, they eliminate the sweeping opportunity but expose themselves to leg lock attacks and alternative sweeping mechanics from the seated entanglement position. This transition should be smooth and immediate, keeping constant pressure on their leg.
Q4: How does proper heel control differ from ankle control in executing this sweep? A: Heel control targets the actual heel bone with both hands, creating a short lever arm that allows you to rotate and manipulate the opponent’s entire leg position. Ankle control provides less rotational control because the ankle joint allows more movement, and gripping the soft tissue of the Achilles area provides less structural control than gripping the heel bone. Proper heel grips use both hands with thumbs on top and fingers cupping underneath the heel bone specifically.
Q5: What is the optimal timing for executing the Heel Grab Sweep? A: The optimal timing is when the opponent’s weight shifts forward onto the trapped leg or when they attempt to pull their leg free from your control. In both scenarios, their base is compromised and they are already in motion, making it much harder to recover balance when you execute the sweep. Attempting the sweep when their weight is back or when they have established a wide base significantly reduces success rates.
Q6: Why must you follow through to top position immediately after sweeping? A: Immediately following through to top position prevents the opponent from recovering guard, initiating a scramble, or using the momentum to create their own offensive opportunity. The sweep creates a temporary advantage, but without following through, the opponent has time to post, turn toward you, or reestablish their base. Maintaining connection and tracking their body as you come up ensures you capitalize on the sweep by achieving a dominant top position.
Q7: How should the X-hook function during the sweep execution? A: The X-hook must maintain constant pressure throughout the entire sweep, preventing the opponent from extracting their leg or stepping back. The foot should stay firmly across the opponent’s opposite hip with the knee bent, creating a scissoring pressure against your outside leg. If the X-hook pressure is lost during the sweep, the opponent can simply extract their leg or step back, completely negating the sweeping motion regardless of how well you execute the heel pull.
Safety Considerations
When practicing the Heel Grab Sweep, execute the technique with controlled speed to avoid injuring your training partner’s knee or ankle joints. The sudden rotational and pulling forces on the heel can stress these joints if applied too explosively in drilling situations. Always communicate with your partner and gradually increase intensity as both practitioners become comfortable with the mechanics. In competition or live rolling, ensure you maintain control throughout the sweep to avoid having your partner land awkwardly or with excessive force. Be particularly cautious when transitioning to leg entanglements if the sweep is countered, as this can create dangerous rotational forces on the knee if done carelessly. Use proper mats and training environment to ensure safe practice. Partners should tap early if they feel excessive pressure on their joints during the learning phase.
Position Integration
The Heel Grab Sweep serves as a cornerstone technique within the Single Leg X Guard system and broader open guard framework. It functions as one of the primary attacking options from Single Leg X, working in concert with Kneebar attacks, transitions to other leg entanglements, and alternative sweeps like the Tripod Sweep and Sickle Sweep. Within the larger BJJ positional hierarchy, Single Leg X Guard represents an intermediate guard position that bridges the gap between traditional open guards and modern leg entanglement systems. The Heel Grab Sweep specifically exemplifies the principle of off-balancing through controlled manipulation of the opponent’s base, a concept that applies across numerous guard positions. This technique integrates seamlessly with entries from De La Riva Guard, Reverse De La Riva Guard, and transitions from other X-Guard variations. It also serves as a gateway to leg lock sequences when countered, making it a versatile tool that connects multiple aspects of modern guard play. Understanding this sweep’s position within the overall system helps practitioners develop a comprehensive guard game that can adapt to various opponent reactions and defensive strategies.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Heel Grab Sweep demonstrates fundamental principles of leverage and off-balancing that apply throughout grappling. The key to understanding this technique lies in recognizing how controlling the heel creates a short lever arm that allows you to manipulate the entire leg structure with minimal effort. When you secure the heel with both hands and extend your legs simultaneously, you create opposing forces that make it biomechanically impossible for the opponent to maintain balance. The heel acts as a control point from which you can rotate the entire leg, and because the foot is off the ground, the opponent has no way to generate reactive force against your sweep. This is a perfect example of using skeletal alignment against the opponent - you’re essentially pulling their foundation out from under them in a direction they cannot defend. The timing element is crucial: you must execute the sweep when their weight is committed to the trapped leg, as this maximizes the off-balancing effect and minimizes their ability to counter with their free leg. The integration of this sweep with leg entanglements creates a powerful systematic approach where defending one attack opens others, forcing the opponent into impossible defensive dilemmas.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the Heel Grab Sweep is one of my highest percentage techniques from Single Leg X because it requires minimal setup and works against almost any standing opponent. The beauty of this sweep is its simplicity and explosiveness - there’s no complex timing or positioning required beyond establishing basic Single Leg X Guard. I use this sweep constantly to transition from bottom to top position, particularly against opponents who try to disengage by standing up. The key in high-level competition is combining this sweep with leg lock threats to create real dilemmas. When I grip the heel, my opponent knows I can sweep them backward or transition to Outside Ashi-Garami for heel hooks. This forces them to make a choice under pressure, and either option works in my favor. I’ve swept world champions with this technique because it’s so mechanically sound - if you have their heel and your legs are positioned correctly, the sweep is almost guaranteed. The follow-through is where many competitors fail; you must immediately transition to a dominant position and not allow any space for recovery. I treat this sweep as a position advancement tool rather than just a reversal, always thinking two steps ahead to where I want to end up after the sweep completes.
- Eddie Bravo: The Heel Grab Sweep is fundamental to our 10th Planet system because it bridges traditional guard concepts with modern leg entanglement attacks. What I love about this technique is how it sets up our entire leg lock game - when you threaten the sweep, opponents react in predictable ways that open up submissions. We teach this sweep early but emphasize the transition to positions like Outside Ashi-Garami or the Saddle Position when opponents defend. The no-gi variation requires really focusing on that heel control since you don’t have gi grips to rely on. I tell my students to think of the heel as a steering wheel - you’re literally steering the opponent’s entire body by controlling that one point. The innovation comes in how you combine this sweep with rubber guard entries, Electric Chair setups, and other 10th Planet positions. We drill this as part of our open guard flow, transitioning between Single Leg X, standard X-Guard, and leg locks depending on how the opponent reacts. The key is staying aggressive and creative - don’t just execute the basic sweep, use it as a launching point for combinations and attacks that keep your opponent guessing. When you add the Heel Grab Sweep to techniques like the Vaporizer and our leg lock system, you create a complete guard game that works at the highest levels of no-gi competition.