Alias · Sweeps
Ankle sweep
Also known as Sickle Sweep — the canonical term used on this site.
Training background: General descriptive term — refers to the ankle being the sweep target
Descriptive — ankle-hook sickle sweep
Ankle sweep is a descriptive name for the sickle sweep — naming the ankle the sweeping leg hooks and reaps.
Etymology. “Ankle” specifies where the sweeping leg catches the opponent; “sweep” names the reversal. The label foregrounds the ankle target, where “sickle” names the reaping arc.
Mechanics. Hooking and reaping the ankle removes the opponent’s base on that side: the sweep cuts the support foot out from under them while the upper body is pushed the other way, so their weight drops over the reaped ankle with no base left to catch it.
Cross-reference. “Sickle sweep” is a sibling alias. Full mechanical coverage on Sickle Sweep.