The Scissor Sweep is one of the most fundamental and high-percentage sweeps in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, executed from closed guard. This classical technique exploits an opponent’s weight distribution and posture by using a scissoring leg motion combined with upper body control to reverse positions. The sweep derives its power from the biomechanical advantage created when one leg pushes while the other pulls, creating a lever system that off-balances even larger, stronger opponents.
What makes the Scissor Sweep particularly effective is its reliance on timing and leverage rather than raw strength. When executed properly, the technique uses the opponent’s own weight and forward pressure against them, making it accessible to practitioners of all sizes. The sweep creates a direct path to mount position, one of the most dominant positions in BJJ, making it both a fundamental technique for beginners and a reliable option for advanced competitors.
The Scissor Sweep integrates seamlessly into the closed guard attack system, working in combination with other sweeps like the Hip Bump and Pendulum Sweep. When opponents defend one sweep, they often create the opening for another, establishing a systematic approach to attacking from guard. Mastering this technique provides practitioners with a cornerstone skill that remains effective throughout their BJJ journey.
Starting Position: Closed Guard Ending Position: Mount Success Rates: Beginner 55%, Intermediate 75%, Advanced 90%
Key Principles
- Break opponent’s posture and establish sleeve and collar control before initiating the sweep
- Create a strong angle by positioning your body perpendicular to your opponent
- Use the scissoring motion with legs pushing and pulling simultaneously for maximum leverage
- Control opponent’s weight distribution by pulling them forward and breaking their base
- Time the sweep when opponent commits their weight forward or attempts to pass
- Maintain tight connection throughout the movement to prevent opponent from posting
- Follow through to mount by immediately establishing superior position after the sweep
Prerequisites
- Closed guard established with secure ankle lock behind opponent’s back
- Strong grip on opponent’s same-side sleeve at the wrist or elbow
- Collar grip on opposite side to control upper body and break posture
- Opponent’s posture broken forward, bringing their weight over their knees
- Hip mobility and flexibility to create the necessary angle for the scissor motion
- Adequate space and mat control to execute the sweep safely
Execution Steps
- Establish grips and break posture: From closed guard, secure a strong grip on opponent’s same-side sleeve with your same-side hand. With your opposite hand, grip deep into their collar. Use both grips simultaneously to break their posture forward, pulling them down and disrupting their base. Their head should be pulled down toward your chest, preventing them from establishing strong posture. (Timing: Initial setup - take time to establish solid grips before proceeding)
- Open guard and create angle: Release your closed guard by uncrossing your ankles. Simultaneously, use your grips to angle your body approximately 45-90 degrees to your opponent. Your shoulders should rotate toward the side where you have the collar grip. This angle is critical for creating the leverage needed for the scissor motion. (Timing: Execute smoothly as one continuous motion with step 3)
- Position scissor legs: Place your bottom leg (the leg on the collar grip side) across opponent’s lower abdomen or belt line with your shin making contact. Your top leg (sleeve grip side) bends at the knee and places the back of your knee/calf behind opponent’s same-side shoulder or across their back. Your feet should be flexed, creating tension in both legs. (Timing: Legs must be positioned before opponent can react and establish base)
- Pull opponent forward with grips: Using your collar and sleeve grips, pull the opponent’s upper body strongly toward the mat on your collar grip side. This breaks their base by shifting their center of gravity forward and to the side. The sleeve grip prevents them from posting with that arm, while the collar grip controls their upper body rotation. (Timing: Pull as you initiate the scissor motion - coordination is essential)
- Execute scissor motion: Simultaneously extend your bottom leg straight, pushing into opponent’s abdomen to drive them backward, while pulling your top leg sharply toward your chest. This scissoring motion creates opposing forces that sweep the opponent backward and to the side. Your hips should come off the mat slightly to generate maximum power. (Timing: Explosive motion - complete the scissor in one smooth, powerful action)
- Follow through to mount: As opponent falls backward, immediately come up on your knees while maintaining your grips. Follow their falling motion by posting your inside knee next to their ribs and bringing your outside leg over their body. Establish mount position by settling your hips down and controlling their upper body with your grips. (Timing: Immediate follow-up - don’t pause between sweep and mount transition)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent posts with their free hand to prevent being swept (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Switch to attacking the posted arm with a kimura or armbar, or transition to a different sweep like the Hip Bump if they commit weight to the post
- Opponent establishes strong posture and pulls back, preventing forward weight commitment (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Transition to a Pendulum Sweep on the opposite side, or use their backward weight shift to attempt a Hip Bump Sweep
- Opponent steps over your bottom leg to prevent the scissor motion (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Convert to a Hook Sweep using the top leg as a hook, or transition to Flower Sweep by switching your leg positioning
- Opponent grips your pants at the knees to control your legs (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Use your grips to break their posture more aggressively, or kick your legs free while pulling them forward to disrupt their grip
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the optimal angle to create with your body relative to your opponent when setting up the Scissor Sweep? A: Your body should be positioned approximately 45-90 degrees perpendicular to your opponent. This angle is critical because it creates the leverage necessary for the scissoring leg motion to be effective. Being too square to the opponent reduces leverage and makes the sweep much weaker.
Q2: Why is breaking your opponent’s posture essential before attempting the Scissor Sweep? A: Breaking posture accomplishes several critical objectives: it brings the opponent’s weight forward over their knees, disrupting their base; it prevents them from posting effectively with their hands; it positions their center of gravity where the sweep can be most effective; and it makes it difficult for them to generate counter-pressure or maintain their balance during the sweep.
Q3: What should you do if your opponent posts their free hand when you attempt the Scissor Sweep? A: Rather than forcing the original sweep, you should capitalize on their reaction by attacking the posted arm. Options include switching to a kimura on the posted arm, attempting an armbar, or recognizing that their weight has shifted and transitioning to an alternative sweep like the Hip Bump Sweep that exploits their new positioning.
Q4: Where should your bottom leg (the pushing leg) be positioned for maximum effectiveness in the Scissor Sweep? A: The bottom leg should be positioned across the opponent’s lower abdomen or belt line, with your shin making firm contact. This placement provides optimal leverage - too high (near the chest) loses sweeping power and allows the opponent to step over easily, while too low (near the hips) reduces the mechanical advantage of the scissor motion.
Q5: How does the Scissor Sweep integrate into a systematic closed guard attack strategy? A: The Scissor Sweep works as part of a complementary system with other closed guard attacks. When opponents defend the Scissor Sweep by pulling their weight back, you can transition to the Hip Bump Sweep. If they defend by posting on one side, you can attack that arm or switch to a Pendulum Sweep on the opposite side. This creates a dilemma-based system where defending one attack opens opportunities for others, forcing the opponent to make difficult choices.
Q6: What is the most common timing error when executing the Scissor Sweep? A: The most common timing error is failing to coordinate the upper body pull with the lower body scissor motion. Many practitioners either pull with their grips too early or execute the leg scissor before pulling the opponent forward. The movements must be synchronized - you pull the opponent’s upper body forward with your grips at the exact moment you execute the scissor motion with your legs. This coordination creates maximum off-balancing force.
Safety Considerations
The Scissor Sweep is generally one of the safer techniques in BJJ when practiced properly, but several precautions should be observed. Execute the sweep with controlled power, especially when training with beginners or lighter partners - the goal is technical proficiency, not sending your partner flying across the mat. Ensure adequate mat space behind your opponent before initiating the sweep to prevent them from landing awkwardly on hard floor or wall. When being swept, tap if you feel yourself falling in an uncontrolled manner or if your arm becomes trapped. Partners should practice breakfalls and know how to safely receive the sweep. Start slowly and progressively build speed and power as both practitioners become comfortable with the mechanics. Be mindful of your top leg placement to avoid accidentally striking your partner’s face or head during the scissor motion.
Position Integration
The Scissor Sweep serves as a cornerstone technique within the closed guard attack system and represents a fundamental building block of guard play in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It integrates seamlessly with other primary closed guard attacks, creating a systematic approach where defending one technique opens opportunities for others. When opponents defend the Scissor Sweep by posting or pulling back, practitioners can flow to Hip Bump Sweeps, Pendulum Sweeps, or submission attacks like the Kimura or Triangle. This interconnected system forces opponents into a constant state of dilemma, where every defensive action creates a new vulnerability. The sweep also serves as an entry point for teaching beginners about fundamental BJJ concepts including leverage, timing, weight distribution, and the importance of combining upper and lower body actions. Advanced practitioners use the Scissor Sweep as a high-percentage option in competition, particularly when opponents are focused on preventing other attacks or when quick, reliable sweeps are needed for point scoring. The direct path from closed guard to mount position makes this sweep particularly valuable for building dominant position and creating submission opportunities.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Scissor Sweep exemplifies the fundamental principle of using opposing directional forces to create mechanical advantage in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What makes this technique so effective is not strength, but rather the biomechanical leverage created through the scissoring action - one leg pushes while the other pulls, creating rotational force that an opponent cannot effectively resist regardless of their size or strength. The critical element most practitioners miss is the importance of angle creation before executing the sweep. When you position your body perpendicular to your opponent, you create a lever system where your entire body weight and leg strength work in concert to off-balance them. The upper body grips serve not merely as controls, but as the critical component that prevents your opponent from using their arms to post and maintain base. Without proper grip control and posture breaking, the strongest scissor motion will fail. Understanding that the sweep succeeds through coordinated timing of all these elements - angle, grips, posture control, and leg action - transforms it from a simple technique into a systematic approach to reversing position from guard.
- Gordon Ryan: The Scissor Sweep is one of those techniques that works at the highest levels of competition because it’s timing-based rather than strength-based, which means even smaller competitors can use it effectively against larger opponents. In my competition experience, the key to making this sweep work against high-level opponents is disguising it within a larger guard attack system. If you just go for the Scissor Sweep in isolation, good competitors will recognize it and defend easily. Instead, you need to threaten submissions first - maybe attack a Triangle or Kimura - and when they react to those threats, that’s when the Scissor Sweep becomes available. The other critical competition detail is the follow-up: you can’t just sweep someone and celebrate. The moment they hit the mat, you need to be moving into mount aggressively. In competition, those two or three seconds where you’re transitioning from the sweep to mount are when opponents escape if you’re not immediate and decisive. I also use a variation where instead of going to standard mount, I trap their near arm and go straight to technical mount or even S-mount, which sets up immediate submissions and prevents them from recovering guard.
- Eddie Bravo: The Scissor Sweep is a fundamental technique that even 10th Planet practitioners need to master, despite our focus on more innovative guards. What I teach differently is how to use this sweep in no-gi contexts and as part of a transition game rather than as an isolated technique. Without the gi, you need to adapt your grips - I like using an underhook and control behind the head, or sometimes an overhook combined with a tricep grip. The mechanics stay the same but the grip variations open up different follow-up options. Where it gets really interesting is using the Scissor Sweep as a transition tool in combination with modern guards. For example, you can threaten the Scissor Sweep from closed guard, and when opponents defend by posting or adjusting their base, that’s when you can transition to Rubber Guard, Lockdown, or even invert and attack with more creative options. The sweep also works beautifully from various open guard positions if you understand the fundamental principle of creating that perpendicular angle and using the scissor motion. Don’t just think of it as a closed guard technique - the concept can be applied from numerous positions once you understand the underlying mechanics of leverage and angle creation.