Technique · Sweeps
Tripod Sweep
Sweep • Open guard — shin-on-shin / DLR • Foundations
What This Is
The tripod sweep is one of the most mechanically direct sweeps available from open guard. Against a standing opponent, the bottom player creates a tripod shape using three points of contact: the foot on the opponent’s hip, the hand gripping the near ankle, and the extended body providing the opposing force. These three points define a plane of collapse.
The sweep works because the top player’s weight is committed over their near leg. By simultaneously pushing the hip away and pulling the ankle up, the bottom player removes the support base. The opponent has no direction left to base — their near leg is lifted, their far hip is pushed, and they fall forward.
It is primarily used from shin-on-shin or DLR against a standing passer but applies wherever the opponent is standing with weight loaded over one leg and the ankle is accessible.
The Invariable in Action
The tripod sweep does not sweep a stable opponent — it sweeps a destabilised one. The push-pull combination must first disturb the top player’s base before the trip can complete. Attempting to pull the ankle up without pushing the hip creates resistance, not rotation. The order matters: push and pull simultaneously, creating the destabilisation before the ankle has to travel.
The near leg is the support point. The top player may be large, but if their weight is over that leg and the ankle is cleared, size is irrelevant — the leg cannot bear load it cannot reach. The sweep does not require strength; it requires correct identification of the loaded leg and precise removal of it.
When the tripod sweep completes, the top player falls forward onto their hands. This is INV-G04 in action — the fall creates a hand post, and the bottom player follows to top position by posting their own foot and standing through. When the sweep is partially defended and the opponent posts before falling fully, the bottom player can still advance because the posting arm is exposed.
Setup and Entry
From Shin-on-Shin (primary)
The bottom player is seated with one shin against the opponent’s lead shin. As the opponent stands or steps forward, the bottom player kicks the inside foot to the opponent’s far hip (pushing) while reaching the inside hand to grip the near ankle (pulling). The outside leg extends behind to create base and drive the hips into the motion. Both forces activate simultaneously.
The grip on the ankle should be above the ankle bone — on the lower shin or at the heel — to allow the pull to clear the foot from the floor. A grip directly on the ankle bone slides off under load.
From De la Riva
The DLR hook is already on the opponent’s near leg. From here, the bottom player inserts the pushing foot to the opponent’s far hip and reaches the hand to the near ankle, converting the hook position to the tripod configuration. The DLR hook can remain active during the transition to add rotational force, or it can be released as the hands and pushing foot take over.
See: De la Riva Guard
Weight-Loading the Near Leg
The sweep requires the opponent’s weight to be on the near leg. If the opponent is balanced on both legs, they can simply step back and reset. Before initiating, use the shin grip or DLR hook to pull the near leg forward and load it — forcing the weight commitment before sweeping.
Common Errors
Error 1: Pulling the ankle without pushing the hip
Why it fails: The ankle pull alone creates compression in the knee but not the base disruption needed to trip. The opponent simply hops or steps to base.
Correction: Both forces must activate simultaneously. Push the hip at the same moment the ankle comes up. Think of them as one motion with two hands, not two separate actions.
Error 2: Pushing foot on the wrong hip
Why it fails: The pushing foot must go to the far hip (the side away from the gripped ankle). Pushing the near hip — the same side as the ankle grip — compresses the opponent rather than rotating them. They step into a more stable position.
Correction: Far hip push, near ankle pull. The two forces create a rotation across the opponent’s base line. Check the geometry before applying force.
Error 3: Sweeping a balanced opponent
Why it fails: When the opponent’s weight is distributed across both legs, they post with the free leg before the sweep completes.
Correction: Use the shin grip or DLR hook to pull the near leg forward before sweeping, forcing weight commitment onto that leg. Sweep when the weight is loaded, not before.
Error 4: Lying flat during the sweep
Why it fails: A flat bottom player cannot generate the hip drive needed to complete the sweep. The pushing foot loses power when the hips are on the mat.
Correction: Stay on the side of the hip, not on the back. Keep the hips elevated and active. The sweep is a hip-driven motion, not just an arm pull.
Defence
The tripod sweep has reliable counters that practitioners should understand from both sides.
- Step back: Moving the near leg back before the ankle is gripped removes the support point from reach. This is the first and simplest defence — make the ankle inaccessible.
- Crossface / pressure forward: If the bottom player is on their back for the push, driving forward into the pushing foot can compress them flat and neutralise the hip drive.
- Hand post and pass: When the sweep is partially completed, the top player posts on the hand and steps around to pass — accepting the stumble but recovering position.
- Ankle grip strip: Clearing the ankle grip before both forces connect stops the sweep before it starts. Strip the grip, then disengage or pass.
Drilling Notes
Systematic Drilling
Drill the finish in isolation first: partner stands, bottom player establishes correct contact points (foot on far hip, hand on near ankle) and drives both forces together. Partner gives feedback on which force arrived first. Once the simultaneous application is consistent, add the entry from shin-on-shin.
Ecological Drilling
Flow roll from shin-on-shin with the constraint that the only available sweep is the tripod. Top player is allowed to post and pass when the sweep fails — bottom player must chase or reset. This builds the recognition of when the near leg is loaded versus when it isn’t.
Key Drill
Weight-loading drill: from shin-on-shin, practice pulling the near leg forward with the shin grip before sweeping. Partner actively tries to stay balanced. The bottom player sweeps only when they feel the weight commit. This is the highest-value isolated drill for this technique.
Ability Level Guidance
Foundations
The tripod sweep is the first open-guard sweep to learn. Focus on simultaneous forces and correct geometry (far hip, near ankle). Do not attempt live variations until the push-pull motion is automatic from a static setup. Understanding this sweep unlocks the logic for all subsequent tripod variants.
Developing
Connect the tripod to guard recovery sequences — use it as the response when the opponent stands to pass. Practise identifying the loaded leg in motion. Explore the DLR entry as an alternative setup. Understand what the opponent’s defence looks like and what it opens.
Proficient and Above
The tripod becomes a threat used to create reactions. A credible tripod threat pulls the opponent’s weight back, opening passes to the back or leg entries. At this level, the tripod is rarely the primary objective — it is one pressure in a broader system of guard threats.
Also Known As
- Ankle grab sweep
- Foot lift sweep
- Tripod sweep