Best Deep Half Guard Sweep

In this blog post, I will introduce you to what I believe is the best deep half guard sweep available. 

I had the opportunity to learn this technique from Felipe "Pe De Pao" Bueno, a highly respected 3rd degree black belt from Alliance Jiu Jitsu, during a seminar last year. 

With Prof. Felipe "Pe De Pao" Bueno after his seminar in Jakarta last year.

The reason why I consider this sweep to be the best is because it requires minimal strength, flexibility, or athleticism to execute.

It is a highly technical move that can be utilized by practitioners of all sizes, ages, and physical abilities.

One of the standout features of the Pe De Pao sweep is its deceptive nature, which allows you to trap your opponent and gain the upper hand.

I have provided a video instructional below for you to watch and learn the Pe De Pao sweep.

By adding this technique to your arsenal, you can expand your options from the half guard position and increase your chances of success on the mat.

To execute the Pe De Pao sweep, you need to start from a deep half guard position, which looks like this:

The deep half guard position.

Your body should be directly beneath your opponent's hip, while one of your arms underhooks beneath their legs, grabbing onto any material available on their back.

Your other arm should remain on the mat, with your elbow kept tight to prevent your opponent from attacking it.

Tightly wrap your legs around one of your opponent's legs while pressing your head firmly against their other leg. 

To create leverage, it's essential to keep your body at an angle, rather than flat. 

This positioning allows you to execute the best deep half guard sweep, the Pe De Pao sweep, with maximum efficiency.

While there are numerous entries into the deep half guard, I will not delve into that topic today. 

However, if you're interested in learning effective entries, I recommend watching this video for some great tips.

Once you've successfully established the deep half guard position, you can start setting up the Pe De Pao sweep.

Win the grip fight first.

Grip fighting is a fundamental aspect of jiu-jitsu, regardless of the position or situation you find yourself in. 

When you're in the deep half guard, your opponent on top will likely attempt to attack your bottom arm to pass your guard or initiate an arm lock submission. 

To prevent this, you need to win the grip fight.

For the Pe De Pao sweep, your primary objective is to grab and control your opponent's far arm, which is the arm located on the opposite side of your head.

For this grip, I like grabbing on my opponent's palm to prevent him from re-gripping my sleeve.

To better understand this, refer to the animated image provided above.

Passing opponent's arm to your other hand.

After gaining control of your opponent's far arm, the next step is to pass it to your other hand, which should be underhooking their legs. 

This hand should grip their sleeve tightly for better control and leverage.

It's crucial not to lose this grip throughout the sweep's execution. 

Regardless of what happens, maintain a tight grip on their sleeve until the sweep is completed.

You will find out why later.  

Refer to the animated image provided above to better understand the positioning and hand placement required to execute the Pe De Pao sweep effectively.

Bringing the shoulder out.

When in the deep half guard position, it's crucial to position your top shoulder entirely underneath your opponent's hip. 

However, to execute the Pe De Pao sweep successfully, you'll need to bring your top shoulder out slightly by bridging.

Bringing your top shoulder out is a crucial step in the sweep, as it enables you to create the necessary space and leverage to execute the technique effectively. 

Refer to the animated image provided above to better understand the proper technique for bridging and positioning your top shoulder.

Exposing your back to deceive your opponent.

Now, I will show you why this sweep is so deceptive.

By bringing your top shoulder out, you create leverage to begin sitting up and using your bottom elbow as a base. 

However, this can also expose your back to your opponent, as shown in the animated image above. 

You might be wondering why the fuck you would want to expose your back to your opponent.

The reason is simple. 

By maintaining the grip on your opponent's sleeve, as explained in step #2, you can prevent your opponent from taking your back, even if you completely expose it to them.

Now, it's time to finish the sweep.

Finishing the sweep.

Jiu jitsu practitioners typically try to chase after their opponent's back when it is exposed. 

However, in the Pe De Pao sweep, the more your opponent goes after your back, the easier it is for you to sweep him. 

When your opponent tries to get to your back, all you need to do is follow his body movement, bow your head down and sweep him onto the mat. 

The animated image above shows how to finish the sweep. 

It is important to remember that this technique only works if you maintain the grip on your opponent's sleeve. If the grip is lost, your opponent can take your back.

After completing the sweep, you can let go of the grip to consolidate top position.

In a competition setting, you can even ask your coach or teammates to act panicked and yell about the potential back take from your opponent. 

This can distract your opponent and cause him to lose focus, allowing you to sweep him without resistance.

The deceptive nature and effortlessness of this sweep is what makes it the best deep half guard sweep, in my opinion.

Alternate Pe De Pao sweep finish.

Alternatively, if your opponent doesn't chase your back, you can simply push off your bottom elbow and roll to the opposite side to complete the sweep.

In both finishes, it's crucial to maintain your grip on your opponent's sleeve until you complete the sweep. I cannot stress this enough.

Refer to the animated image above to see how to execute the alternative finish of the Pe De Pao Sweep.

This finish also requires very little physical effort.

When I think about it, the Pe De Pao sweep is stupidly simple, and that's precisely what makes it the best deep half guard sweep, in my opinion.

In conclusion, the Pe De Pao sweep is a highly effective technique in the deep half guard that can be executed with little physical effort. 

The key to success is maintaining a strong grip on the opponent's far arm and leveraging the position of the top shoulder to create a deceptive opportunity for the sweep. 

The sweep can be finished in different ways depending on the opponent's response, but it is crucial to maintain the grip until the sweep is completed. 

With its simplicity and effectiveness, the Pe De Pao sweep is widely considered to be the best deep half guard sweep in jiu jitsu.

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