The Technique Breakdown
  This movement is initiated when your opponent tries to establish a collar tie, or from a static neutral position.​

  The butterfly guard is a powerful position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, providing a foundation for dynamic sweeps and effective attacks. When your opponent attempts to shut down your hooks by driving forward, it creates the perfect opportunity to transition from a sweep to a fight-ending submission. This guide will walk you through a detailed breakdown of how to execute the butterfly sweep and finish with a devastating straight armbar, often referred to as the "Choi Bar."

Step 1: Protect Against the Mount

• When your opponent is in a tight side control, the first step is to protect against them moving to a mounted position. Bring one foot up to squeeze their body with your knee and arm. This allows you to feel their movements and react quickly.

Step 2: Create Space with a Bridge

• To create the space you need to escape, place both feet outside and bridge into your opponent to generate power. This bump will push them away just enough for you to insert your elbow. 

Step 3: Establish Your Frames

• After creating space, you will establish two frames to maintain distance and prevent your opponent from re-establishing control.
  • Frame 1: Bring your elbow in and use your forearm to frame against your opponent's body.
  • Frame 2: Place your feet out again, bump your opponent with your bicep, and get your arm underneath their neck. Grab their shoulder and point your elbow toward the ceiling.

Step 4: Hip Escape

• With your frames in place, you can now begin to hip escape away from your opponent. This will allow you to get your knee in between your bodies. Remember, you only need to get the tip of your knee on their hip bone to be effective.

Step 5: Recover Your Guard

• The final step is to fully recover your guard. Push your opponent with your knee and place the instep of your other foot on their hip. Extend your body to create distance and recover to a closed guard.

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The Escape Technique Explained
  This technique focuses on generating sideways movement and creating space effectively. Here are the key steps:

1. Tracking and Reacting (00:00:15): The first step emphasizes constantly tracking your opponent's body. By pressing a knee and arm against them, you can react quickly to their movements, such as when they attempt to transition to mount or switch their hips. This constant connection allows you to anticipate and respond.
2. Generating Power and Creating Space (00:00:31): To create the necessary space, bring your feet out to generate power for a sideways movement, rather than an upward one. Then, use your bicep to create enough space to get one of your arms to the other side of your opponent's body.
3. Clamping and Bridging (00:00:42): Once your arm is through, clamp down on your opponent's arm and, if possible, grab their armpit to maintain control. Follow this by performing a bump or bridge, which helps create further space, allowing you to scoot underneath your opponent (00:01:01).
4. Scissoring and Standing Up (00:01:15): With the space created, scissor your legs to come up onto your knees, then quickly pop up to your feet. This swift transition is key to gaining a dominant position.
5. Securing the Chin Strap and Tripod Position (00:01:23): As soon as you are standing, immediately secure a chin strap on your opponent's chin and control their tricep. Ensure your ear is on your opponent's shoulder to establish a stable tripod position, which provides a strong base.
6. Breaking Down Posture and Follow-Up Options (00:01:46): From this strong tripod position, yank your opponent back to break their posture down. Once their posture is compromised, you have various follow-up options, including a guillotine, D'Arce choke, or transitioning to side control or taking their back (00:01:52).

Remember to maintain pressure on your opponent's body throughout the escape and be prepared to wiggle out if your hand gets caught in their jacket. Mastering this alternative escape can significantly improve your ability to defend from bottom side control in Jiu Jitsu.

Your Turn, Jiu Jitsu World!

• What are your go-to side control escapes? Do you have any tips or tricks that have helped you, especially when rolling with those super heavy top players?

Comment below and share your insights! Let's build a stronger Jiu Jitsu community right here in Orange County.
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Opponent Stands in Butterfly Guard

• The opponent begins to posture and stand inside your seated butterfly guard. Keep your hooks engaged on their legs or shins and stay upright with active grips. The professor uses an underhook and sleeve control here to manage distance and posture.

Control and Angle

• As the opponent comes to their feet, maintain your grips and start angling your body. The black belt scoots slightly sideways and loads one leg under the opponent, setting the stage for elevation. The opposite leg posts on your opponents hip, giving you more leverage for the sweep.  Your hand on the same side as your posted foot will trap the ankle, prepping for a sweep and later an ankle lock.

Elevate and Redirect

• Using the butterfly hook under the opponent’s leg, move to pinch and trap the opponent's near side leg. The Professor then lifts his hips while pushing the opponents leg and guiding their weight diagonally. The lift breaks the opponent’s base, making it hard for them to resist or sprawl.

Sweep and Come Up

• As the opponent’s weight tips, the professor can choose between an ankle lock or follow through with the sweep, coming up into a dominant top position. The finish lands you either in side control or a strong guard pass setup.

🔑 Key Details for Success
✔️ Grip Control – This grip keeps the opponent’s posture broken and helps steer their direction.
✔️ Angle Your Body – Don’t stay square; shifting creates leverage and makes the hook more effective.
✔️ Butterfly Hook Timing – Lift as the opponent stands—use their movement to help complete the sweep.
✔️ Be Ready to Follow Through – As soon as they go over, come up strong and control the top.
💭 Why This Works

• Most standing passes rely on breaking your hooks and stepping around. But by using your butterfly guard proactively as your opponent stands, you can attack while they’re unbalanced. This sweep uses leverage, not strength—perfect for smaller grapplers or anyone rolling in no-gi or gi.

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The beauty of the butterfly sweep lies in its ability to disrupt your opponent's base and create leverage, even when they're seemingly stable. The "Foot Post" variation adds an extra layer of control and deception, making it an incredibly effective tool in your arsenal.

Let's take a look at the sequence (refer to the images provided):

• Setting the Stage: In the initial position, you'll see a practitioner in a strong butterfly guard, with their hooks actively engaged. Their posture is good, and they are already looking to create angles and off-balance their opponent. Notice how the top player is kneeling, offering a perfect opportunity for this sweep.
• Initiating the Sweep: The key to the foot post butterfly sweep is often in the setup. You need to control your opponent's posture and create the necessary off-balance. As you begin to elevate your hips, your opponent will naturally try to post to maintain their balance. This is where the "foot post" comes into play.  Place your "foot" on their base, your opponent will instinctively reach for the mat, often with their hand or foot to try and re-base.  It's already to late.
• The Finish: As your opponent posts, you capitalize on their reaction by using your foot to kill their base. The foot post butterfly sweep utilizes this natural defensive reaction against them. You will then drive through with your hips, maintaining your hook on one side, and leveraging their posted limb to complete the sweep. The result is a clean sweep, putting you in a dominant top position, ready to transition to further attacks.

This sweep, like many techniques in Jiu Jitsu, is about timing, leverage, and understanding your opponent's reactions. At AP Jiu Jitsu, we focus on drilling these techniques meticulously, ensuring you understand not just the "how" but also the "why." Our instructors provide detailed feedback, helping you refine your movements and develop a deeper understanding of the principles behind each technique.

• Challenge Yourself: The Foot Post Butterfly Sweep is just one example of the countless techniques we teach that will enhance your understanding of leverage and timing. What are some of your favorite ways to set up a butterfly sweep? Do you prefer a different grip or a specific off-balance before you execute? Share your insights in the comments below! We love to hear from our community and encourage the discussion of different approaches.

Ready to add this effective sweep to your game, or perhaps refine your existing butterfly guard? Come and train with us at AP Jiu Jitsu! Our welcoming environment, experienced instructors, and comprehensive curriculum will help you unlock your full potential on the mats. Don't just learn techniques; understand them and make them your own.

Visit our website or stop by our gym to learn more about our classes and schedule your first session. We look forward to seeing you on the mats!

🥋 Step 1: Establish the Seated Butterfly Guard
We begin in the classic butterfly guard: both practitioners are seated, and the bottom player (the sweeper) has their feet hooked inside the opponent’s thighs. The key here is connection and control.

• Underhook one side to control their posture and prevent guard passing.
• Use your other hand to control the sleeve or collar.
• Keep your hips close and your posture upright.

This foundation sets you up to disrupt their balance and initiate the sweep.
🔄 Step 2: Off-Balance and Load Their Weight
Now it's time to break their base.

• Pull your opponent forward and to the side using your grips and upper body.
• Simultaneously, control the posting arm so they can’t stop the sweep.
• Your chest should stay tight to theirs to prevent them from creating distance.

This kuzushi (off-balancing) is critical—it sets up the opportunity to sweep effectively without using excessive force.
⬆️ Step 3: Lift and Sweep
Here’s where your butterfly hook does the work.

• Lift with your hook (the leg under their thigh) as you rotate your torso toward the underhook side.
• Keep pulling the sleeve and driving with your upper body to guide them over.
• Your head and chest should stay high, looking toward the direction of the sweep.

This motion brings your opponent off balance and puts you in a prime position to land in mount or on top in half guard.
🧠 Pro Tips from AP Instructors:

1. Patience matters: Focus on timing the sweep when your opponent shifts their weight forward.
2. Stay connected: Avoid creating space—tight pressure equals control.
3. Mix it up: Combine your butterfly sweep with arm drags, guillotine threats, or submissions to stay unpredictable.
4. Train both sides: Build symmetry and fluidity in your guard game.

Ready to Sharpen Your Sweeps?
The butterfly sweep is a core movement we revisit often at AP Jiu Jitsu because of its efficiency and versatility at all levels—from white to black belt.
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🔄 The Folding Pass: Precision and Control

​The folding pass starts with a tactical entry—either by slipping under a punch, using a feint, or setting it up from a traditional takedown entry. Here’s the step-by-step breakdown:

1. Head Positioning: The passer glues their ear to the center of the opponent’s chest—like they’re listening to their heartbeat. This creates tight body contact and eliminates space.
2. Footwork and Grip:  One leg steps behind (in this example, the left leg).  The left arm wraps behind the opponent's back with the thumb pointed downward.  The right arm secures a grip using a monkey paw grip rather than a C-grip for better structural strength.
3. Grip Placement: The grip should land at or just below the opponent’s tailbone, maximizing control.
4. The Finish:  The passer steps their outside leg past the opponent’s near leg.  Push forward with the hips—not the upper body—to finish in mount without crashing forward or risking injury.

💡 Tip: Lead with your hips to control the descent and ensure top control. This movement can double as both a pass and a takedown.

​🌀 Escaping the Kimura Grip from Gift Wrap

  The gift wrap position can be oppressive, especially when paired with a kimura grip. Here’s how to escape:

1. Break Balance: The bottom player bumps into the opponent’s back leg to off-balance them.
   
2. Hand Control: Push the opponent’s hands up and over your head to flatten their arm.
   
3. Trap and Roll: Your arm will naturally trap their grip.  Use your free arm to trap their leg.  Execute a controlled roll to reverse the position and get on top.
   
4. 💡 Timing is key. Take advantage of that brief moment of imbalance to execute the roll cleanly.​

🛡️ Escaping Technical Mount with Seatbelt Grip

​  When someone has a solid seatbelt grip from technical mount and is applying chest pressure, escape options can feel limited—but here’s a reliable method:

1. Side Bridge and C-Grip: Begin with a side bridge and grab the opponent’s ankle using a C-grip.
2. Optional Butterfly Hook: If you prefer, add a butterfly hook under their leg and use a kick to generate momentum.
3. Transition Options: Use the momentum to get into knee slice position,  Reverse into your own technical mount or full mount, or Simply disengage safely.

🚨 Important: Don’t release the ankle grip until you've established a dominant position. Letting go too early could leave you vulnerable to a triangle choke.

Ready to Level Up Your Game?
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• 💬 Have questions or your own insights to share? Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear how these techniques are working for you!

🥋 Keep training, stay curious, and as always, keep rolling.