Lasso Guard sweeps represent a sophisticated set of techniques that leverage the unique control offered by threading your leg over the opponent’s arm. By isolating one arm and controlling the corresponding leg, you create powerful leverage points for off-balancing attacks. The lasso configuration naturally disrupts your opponent’s base while maintaining distance control, making it an ideal platform for technical sweeps. The key to successful lasso sweeps lies in understanding how to manipulate your opponent’s weight distribution while maintaining the integrity of the lasso control. These sweeps work best when combined with active grip fighting and the ability to transition between different lasso variations based on your opponent’s reactions.
Starting Position: Lasso Guard Ending Position: Mount Success Rates: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
Key Principles
- Maintain deep lasso control with shin pressure across opponent’s tricep
- Control opposite leg to prevent posting and base recovery
- Create angles by rotating hips away from lasso side
- Use opponent’s defensive reactions to chain sweep attempts
- Coordinate upper and lower body movements for maximum leverage
- Keep constant pressure to prevent opponent from extracting arm
- Time sweeps when opponent commits weight forward or attempts to pass
Prerequisites
- Deep lasso established with shin across opponent’s tricep
- Strong grip on opponent’s sleeve on lasso side
- Control of opponent’s opposite leg (pant grip or hook)
- Opponent’s posture broken or weight committed forward
- Hip angle created away from lasso side
- Active management of distance to prevent smash passing
Execution Steps
- Establish deep lasso control: Thread your leg deeply over opponent’s arm, ensuring your shin is positioned across their tricep with your foot emerging behind their back. Pull their sleeve to deepen the lasso while keeping your knee tight to their shoulder. (Timing: Before initiating sweep sequence)
- Secure opposite leg control: Grip opponent’s opposite pant leg at the knee or establish a butterfly hook. This control is critical for preventing them from posting and maintaining base during the sweep. Your free leg should be active and mobile. (Timing: Simultaneously with lasso establishment)
- Create angular pressure: Rotate your hips away from the lasso side while pulling the lasso arm across your body. This creates a diagonal line of force that compromises their base. Your shoulders should move toward the mat on the non-lasso side. (Timing: As opponent’s weight shifts forward)
- Extend lasso leg explosively: Drive your lasso leg straight while maintaining shin pressure on their arm. Simultaneously pull their sleeve toward your hip and use your opposite leg to lift or sweep their posting leg. The extension should be powerful and directed toward their weak corner. (Timing: When opponent is maximally off-balance)
- Drive through with hip pressure: As opponent begins to fall, release the lasso and drive your hips forward and upward. Use your grips to control their upper body while transitioning your legs to establish top position. Keep pressure constant to prevent recovery. (Timing: During the sweep motion)
- Establish dominant position: Follow through completely by coming up to mount, side control, or maintaining back exposure depending on how they fall. Immediately consolidate control with proper weight distribution and control points before they can recover guard. (Timing: Immediately after completing sweep)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent posts far leg wide to establish base (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Switch to opposite side sweep by releasing lasso temporarily, transitioning to X-guard or single leg X to attack the posted leg
- Opponent stacks and applies heavy pressure to flatten lasso (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Transition to inverted lasso or omoplata as they commit forward, or frame and re-establish distance with technical stand-up
- Opponent extracts arm by standing tall and pulling elbow back (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Maintain sleeve grip and transition to spider guard or De La Riva as they create distance, following their movement
- Opponent grips your lasso leg and attempts knee slice pass (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Immediately switch hips to inside position, establish reverse De La Riva or transition to triangle setup as they commit to the pass
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: Why is controlling the opponent’s opposite leg critical for lasso sweep success? A: Controlling the opposite leg prevents the opponent from posting and establishing a wide base, which is their primary defense against the off-balancing action of the lasso sweep. Without this control, even a perfectly executed lasso extension will fail because the opponent can simply step their free leg out to recover base. The opposite leg control creates a closed system where all their base points are compromised simultaneously.
Q2: What is the proper shin placement for deep lasso control and why does depth matter? A: The shin should be positioned across the opponent’s tricep muscle with your foot threading behind their back. Depth matters because a shallow lasso on the forearm allows easy extraction through simple arm retraction, while a deep lasso on the tricep creates mechanical disadvantage where the opponent must lift their entire arm against the leverage of your extended leg. The deeper the lasso, the more control you have and the more energy they must expend to escape.
Q3: How should you create angular pressure to maximize sweep effectiveness? A: Rotate your hips away from the lasso side while pulling the lasso arm across your body, creating a diagonal line of force that targets the opponent’s weak corner (between their base points). This angular approach is superior to pulling straight toward yourself because it eliminates their ability to post on both knees simultaneously. The angle should be approximately 45 degrees from your centerline, directing force toward their far hip.
Q4: What is the appropriate response when an opponent successfully stacks your lasso guard? A: When stacked, immediately transition to inverted lasso or rotate to omoplata position as the opponent commits their weight forward. Alternatively, create frames with your arms and use technical stand-up to re-establish distance and start over. Fighting the stack position directly while remaining on your back is ineffective because their weight advantage is maximized. The key is to use their forward pressure against them by transitioning to attacks that capitalize on their committed position.
Q5: How does lasso guard sweeping integrate into a comprehensive open guard system? A: Lasso guard functions as a transitional position within the broader spider guard family and connects directly to De La Riva, X-guard, and triangle attacks. When opponents defend the lasso by creating distance, you transition to spider or De La Riva. When they pressure forward, you transition to triangle or omoplata. The lasso should never be viewed as an isolated position but rather as one tool in a connected system where each guard position flows into others based on opponent reactions. Elite players use lasso sweeps to set up submission attacks or to force opponents into positions where other guards become more effective.
Q6: What timing indicators signal the optimal moment to execute a lasso sweep? A: Execute the sweep when the opponent commits their weight forward (attempting to pass or establish grips), when they attempt to extract the lassoed arm (creating pulling tension), or when they post one hand on the mat to maintain balance. These moments represent compromised base states where their ability to defend the sweep is minimized. Advanced players also recognize opponent breathing patterns and grip adjustments as timing cues. The worst time to attempt a sweep is when the opponent has established wide base and upright posture with no forward commitment.
Safety Considerations
Practice lasso sweeps with controlled speed and clear communication with training partners. The lasso position places significant rotational pressure on the shoulder joint, so partners should tap immediately if they feel strain when the arm is controlled. Avoid spiking opponents on their head during explosive sweeps by controlling their descent. When drilling, ensure adequate mat space to prevent sweeps from driving partners into walls or other grapplers. Beginners should master the basic lasso position before attempting dynamic sweeps to prevent awkward falls. Always release lasso control if your partner taps or signals discomfort.
Position Integration
Lasso Guard sweeps form a critical component of modern open guard systems, particularly in gi-based Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The position integrates seamlessly with spider guard, De La Riva guard, and X-guard variations, creating a web of interconnected guards that respond to opponent movement. When lasso sweeps are successful, they typically lead to mount or side control positions, establishing dominant top control. When defended, the lasso naturally transitions to submission attacks like triangle chokes, omoplatas, or armbars, making it a dangerous platform regardless of opponent response. The lasso sweep system teaches fundamental principles of leverage, angle creation, and grip fighting that apply across all aspects of guard play. Mastery of lasso sweeps significantly improves overall guard retention and attacking ability.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The lasso guard sweep represents a perfect illustration of leverage mechanics in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. By isolating one arm and controlling the diagonal opposite leg, you create what I call a ‘control diamond’ that encompasses all of the opponent’s primary base points. The lasso configuration forces the opponent into a mechanically disadvantaged position where their strength becomes largely irrelevant. The key technical element that most practitioners miss is the necessity of creating angular force rather than linear pulling. When you pull directly toward yourself, the opponent can resist with their core strength and posting ability. However, when you create a 45-degree angle by rotating your hips away from the lasso side, you target what I call the ‘geometric weak point’ between their base supports. This transforms a strength-based struggle into a technical problem they cannot solve with athleticism alone. The integration of the lasso sweep into a broader guard retention system exemplifies the systematic approach to jiu-jitsu, where each position connects to multiple others through logical transitions based on opponent reactions.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, lasso sweeps are high-percentage techniques when you understand the timing and can chain them together rapidly. I use the lasso primarily as a setup for other attacks rather than relying solely on the sweep itself. When opponents defend the sweep by establishing wide base, I’m already transitioning to triangle, omoplata, or inverting to attack their legs. The reality of modern competition is that elite opponents will defend your primary lasso sweep, so you need to have two or three backup options that flow naturally from the same grip configuration. I’ve had tremendous success using the lasso to create sweep-submission dilemmas where the opponent must choose between being swept or defending a submission attack. My preference is the lasso to triangle combination because it keeps constant offensive pressure regardless of their defense. Against leg lock players, be cautious with inverted lasso variations as they can expose your legs to counters. In ADCC-style no-gi competition, the lasso obviously doesn’t exist, which is why my guard system emphasizes positions that work in both gi and no-gi contexts.
- Eddie Bravo: The lasso guard is sick for creating chaos and off-balancing opponents, but you’ve got to make it dynamic and unpredictable. In the 10th Planet system, we look at the lasso as one tool in the rubber guard family where arm control is paramount. What I teach my guys is to never stay static in the lasso—you should constantly be threatening different attacks to keep opponents guessing. We combine traditional lasso sweeps with our lockdown system when we get to half guard, creating this hybrid control that’s really difficult to deal with. One variation I love is what we call the ‘electric lasso’ where you establish lasso control and immediately start working toward the opponent’s back instead of just going for the sweep. The inverted lasso is absolutely crucial in modern jiu-jitsu because it lets you attack the legs while maintaining upper body control. I’ve also developed sequences where you use the lasso to set up the truck position, which opens up the whole twister game. The key innovation is seeing the lasso not as a position to hold, but as a transitional control point that leads to more dangerous attacks. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different lasso grips and leg configurations—some of the sickest sweeps come from unconventional lasso variations.