Overhead Sweep
Tomoe Nage
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About This Technique
Overhead Sweep
The Overhead Sweep, also known colloquially as "Tomoe Nage" in Judo, is a dynamic and effective sweep performed primarily from the Closed Guard position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Position
- Closed Guard
Japanese Name
- Tomoe Nage
Top/Bottom Position
- Bottom Position
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Establish Closed Guard
- Start by lying on your back with your opponent between your legs.
- Engage your legs around your opponent’s waist, closing your guard.
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Break Your Opponent’s Posture
- Pull your opponent towards you using the grips on their gi collars or sleeves.
- Use your legs to bring their upper body close to you, breaking their posture.
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Grip Establishment
- Secure a strong grip on both of your opponent’s sleeves or collar for control.
- Alternatively, you can grip one sleeve and use your opposite hand to grip the belt or near the hips.
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Foot Positioning
- Keep one of your feet securely on the opponent’s hip to maintain control of distance.
- Place your other foot on your opponent's hips or slightly higher near the belt line, becoming the pivotal foot.
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Create Momentum and Balance Disruption
- Use your legs to elevate your hips off the mat, creating pressure against your opponent.
- Push against your opponent’s hips while pulling them forward and upward to off-balance them.
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Execute the Sweep
- As your opponent tilts forward, exploit their momentum by extending your legs upwards, generating lift and flipping them overhead.
- Guide their path by maintaining tension on the sleeve grips, directing them over your head.
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Completing the Sweep
- Let go of the guard and maintain control of their sleeves as your opponent falls.
- Follow through by moving into a dominant position like mount or side control as your opponent lands on their back.
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Secure the Position
- Ensure you establish control by maintaining pressure and securing your new top position.
- Stabilize your position by controlling the arms and hips to prevent any counters or escapes.
Tips for Success
- Timing is crucial; execute the sweep just as your opponent's weight shifts forward.
- Use a quick, explosive motion with your hips to lift them effectively.
- Keep a firm grip on the sleeves or collar to ensure control during the sweep.
- Be prepared to follow up with submissions or maintain positional control after completing the sweep.
The Overhead Sweep is highly effective for practitioners at various skill levels, offering not only a positional advancement but also potential setups for submissions once the top position is gained. Practice and precision are key to mastering the mechanics of this classic sweeping technique.
How to Execute
Sure, here's how to perform the Overhead Sweep from Closed Guard position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:
Overhead Sweep from Closed Guard
Step 1: Establish Your Guard
- •Start by lying on your back and having your opponent between your legs. This is the Closed Guard position.
- •Your legs should be wrapped around your opponent's waist, with your ankles crossed behind their back.
Step 2: Grip Control
- •Grip your opponent's sleeves at the wrist, keeping your elbows close to your body to control their arms.
- •This will prevent them from posting their hands on the mat to maintain balance.
Step 3: Break Their Posture
- •Pull your knees towards your chest and simultaneously pull down on your opponent's arms. This will make your opponent lean forward, breaking their posture.
Step 4: Shift Your Hips
- •Shift your hips to one side (preferably the side of the arm you're controlling). This will allow you to have a better angle for the sweep.
Step 5: Foot on the Hip
- •Place the foot on the same side you've shifted your hips to, on your opponent's hip. Keep your other leg's knee close to your opponent's shoulder.
Step 6: The Sweep
- •Using your foot on your opponent's hip, lift your hips and roll them overhead. The leg that was on your opponent's shoulder should now be leveraged to help push them over.
- •Remember to keep control of their arm as you roll them over.
Step 7: Move to Mount
- •As your opponent falls and you roll over, you should end up in the Mount Position.
- •Release their arm and establish your position by placing your hands on their chest or biceps and keeping your knees close to their body.
Remember, practice makes perfect. While reading the steps is a good start, you need to practice this technique to become proficient in it. This is a powerful sweep that takes advantage of your opponent's momentum and can be used in various situations during a BJJ match.