Butterfly Sweep to X Guard (Marcelo Garcia)

Marcelo had a video on his page of this set up for the X guard from the butterfly guard and I like it a lot, its simple yet effective!

1. Start with butterfly guard (as you sit into your opp, or sits into you....do not get your feet inside UNTIL you have an underhook!! If you do not have the underhook wait back, or keep him from trapping your feet until you can get an underhook)

**Assuming you now have an underhook with your left hand

2. You should be leaning on your right (opposite) ass cheek and thigh

3. You want to grab his elbow and push it into his body (obviously so he can not post when you go for the sweep)

Now to get the sweep.....

4. Lean back onto the your right SHOULDER do not lean straight back onto your back....ALWAYS onto your side!! Kick your left leg up and finish the sweep. If you can pass directly to side mount thats ideal, if not half guard is ok too.

To set up the X guard if your opp stands up to avoid the sweep.....

**Many times your opp will simply step up the leg that you do have the butterfly on and stand up to avoid being swept on to his back. If he does this......

4. Let go of his elbow and reach underneath the leg that he stepped up and pull it on to your shoulder as you scoot your hips deep underneath him.

5. You now want to finish securing the X guard by getting your right foot in place. Your right foot was just pushing off the ground during the sweep (while your left was hooked inside of leg, so the left leg is already in position) so your right foot now goes on TOP of the left foot.

**The bottom foot is always BEHIND the knee and the TOP foot is always across his thigh!! Remember BOTTOM & BEHIND!!

Now once you have the X guard set up....the sweep is very easy!

1. Strecth out your opp and just push him back on to his ass

**Once he falls and you follow him up immediately grab his foot (or his gi pants) and get up on top. DO NOT try to get up faster than him or you will just end up in a scramble! If you grab his foot or gi pants he can not stand up bc you are holding his feet off the ground. So rememeber IMMEDIATELY reach for his legs!!


If your opp has good base and leans forward onto his hands for balance you have two options.

Option #1. Grab his near side wrist (or sleeve) and push it across his body towards his other hand. He now has no base close to you so you are going to lift him up using your legs and roll backwards over your shoulder. You will end up on top in half guard.

Option #2. Reach for his far wrist (or sleeve) and pull it towards you. He now has no base on the opposite side so simply stretch him out and roll him over using the underhook on half on his other leg.

Working these 3 sweeps back and fourth makes it near impossible to defend. DRILL THESE OPTIONS and you will have a nasty X guard!!