Double Ankle Sweep

Sweep

The Double Ankle Sweep is performed from an open guard or seated position by gripping both of the opponent's ankles and driving forward to topple them backward. It is most effective when the opponent is standing in your guard with their weight distributed over their heels or when they are postured upright with poor base.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Timing the sweep when the opponent's weight shifts backward or they stand tall with feet parallel.
  • · Driving forward with your shoulder into their hips or midsection while pulling both ankles toward you to break their base.
  • · Elevating with your feet on their hips or thighs creates the off-balancing force needed to topple them.
  • · If they resist by stepping back, immediately transition to single leg, technical standup, or leg entries to chain attacks.
  • · Controlling both ankles prevents them from stepping to recover balance, ensuring the sweep completes.

Execution

  1. 1 From open guard with feet on hips, grip both of the opponent's ankles firmly at the Achilles level while they stand.
  2. 2 Push with both feet against their hips to off-balance them rearward while simultaneously pulling their ankles toward your chest.
  3. 3 As they fall backward, immediately come up on top by driving your hips forward and following them to the ground.
  4. 4 Once on top, pass to the side controlling their legs, then advance to back control by circling to their turtle, or isolate an arm to attack the armbar.
  5. 5 If they post a hand behind them to resist, accelerate forward and look to secure back control as they turn to recover.

Common mistakes

  • × Pulling the ankles without simultaneously pushing the hips, resulting in no off-balance and allowing the opponent to simply step backward to recover.
  • × Sitting too far away from the opponent before attempting the sweep, making it impossible to generate sufficient forward drive to complete the topple.
  • × Failing to immediately follow up after the sweep lands, giving the opponent time to turtle or reguard instead of securing back control or the armbar.

Chains into

Where to go next when the Double Ankle Sweep lands, or gets defended.

Armbar submission

Where it lands

The position you end up in.

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