YR Sports Lab
Among the closed-guard sweeps there is one powered by a swing rather than a sit-up: the pendulum sweep. You hook one of the opponent's legs, swing your other leg wide like a pendulum, and use the momentum to roll them over into mount. The details that matter are where you hook the leg and how big the swing is. This guide covers the steps, entry timing, common counters and the armbar follow-up, and is honest about the origin: no instructional source we checked names an inventor.
1. Origin: No Verifiable Inventor, but Plenty of Champions Used It
To be clear up front: we checked Evolve MMA, BJJEE and Digitsu (accessed 2026/11), and none of them records who invented the pendulum sweep or when it first appeared, so we are not going to invent a story. Evolve MMA leaves only one remark: many champions of yesterday and today have leveraged the power of this sweep.
The name describes the motion itself: one leg swings through a big arc like a pendulum, and Evolve MMA advises bringing that leg up near the opponent's chest. The sources disagree somewhat on what the hands grip, which the next section lays out side by side.
2023: The Pendulum Sweep as Half of an Omoplata "Dual Threat"
In a 2023/11/08 article, BJJEE calls the omoplata pendulum sweep a fundamental closed-guard move, demonstrated in video by Thomas Lisboa. The core idea: sweep them when they defend the submission, and submit them when they defend the sweep.
The article text gives no steps, so we do not speculate about details; watch the video for the actual mechanics. That dual-threat mindset is where the pendulum sweep fits in a full closed-guard game.
2. Breakdown: Control, Open the Guard, Swing and Roll to Mount
Evolve MMA and Digitsu differ slightly on the grips, so they are listed separately. What they share: start from closed guard, open the legs, swing one leg through a large arc and finish in mount.
| Stage | Evolve MMA version | Digitsu version |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Start and grips | Start in closed guard; keep grips loose so your intent stays hidden; one sleeve grip is enough to start | Same-side sleeve or wrist, plus a cross-grip on the collar or an overhook that pins the arm to your chest |
| 2. Hook or angle | Hook one of the opponent's legs (the sweep goes toward the opposite side; hook the right leg and they go to your left) and crunch sideways while underhooking that leg | Open the guard, plant the foot on the sleeve-grip side and hip escape at an angle to make room for the swing |
| 3. Open and swing | Open the guard and swing the leg up near their chest | Shoot the free leg high across their back, clamp behind the shoulder with your hamstring, then swing the bottom leg out in a large arc |
| 4. Finish | Keep the underhook, base with your free arm and take mount | Drive the swinging leg back while pulling the trapped arm across your body, and follow the momentum up into mount |
On direction, Evolve MMA's example is: hook their right leg and they are swept to your left, so remove their base on the side you are sweeping toward. Keeping the hook also pays off: Evolve MMA notes that holding the underhooked leg makes it very difficult for them to bridge up or create scrambles.
As for starting positions, Digitsu lists three guard-bottom positions the sweep can start from: closed guard, double sleeve guard and feet-on-hips guard. Gi and no-gi mechanics are almost identical: Evolve MMA says you grip the sleeve and pants in the gi, and the wrist and leg in no-gi.
3. Entry Timing and Setup Chains
The following is our synthesis of the sources; none of them states a timing list outright:
First, once you own the same-side sleeve or wrist. Digitsu's standard sequence starts here: control the arm first, then open the guard. Evolve MMA likewise says one sleeve grip is enough to attack from.
Second, from other guard-bottom positions. Digitsu lists double sleeve guard and feet-on-hips guard as valid starts, so you do not have to stay in closed guard as long as you have the sleeve and the angle.
Third, while they are defending the omoplata. BJJEE's dual-threat idea: when the opponent is busy defending the submission, turn to the sweep; when the sweep is blocked, go back to the submission. See our omoplata guide.
Setup chain. If the sweep fails, Evolve MMA gives two exits: return to closed guard, or use the sweep to set up another attack. Chaining to an armbar when the opponent posts is the combination demonstrated by Fabio Da Mata of the EVOLVE Fight Team in that article.
4. Strengths and Limits
| Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|
| Digitsu calls it a high-percentage closed-guard sweep, and success lands you in mount | If the opponent turtles and fights the swing, one swing may not be enough |
| Holding one leg makes it hard for them to bridge or scramble (Evolve MMA) | If the arm is not controlled, a posted hand can block the sweep (Digitsu) |
| Mechanics are similar in gi and no-gi: sleeve and pants, or wrist and leg | If they post wide with the free leg, switch to a triangle or armbar instead of forcing the swing |
| A failed sweep can return to closed guard or chain to an armbar or triangle, so it is not all-or-nothing | Evolve MMA advises bringing the swinging leg up near their chest, since the swing is the source of the momentum |
5. Common Counters
The sources mention three main defenses:
First, turtling and fighting the swing's momentum. Evolve MMA says the opponent may turtle up and fight the swing's momentum. The recommended answer is to swing the leg several times to break the base with repeated momentum.
Second, posting a hand. Digitsu notes that a hand posted on the mat can block the sweep, and the fix is to keep the arm tightly secured from the start. Evolve MMA treats a posted arm as the cue to switch to an armbar; see the tactical box below.
Third, posting wide with the free leg. Digitsu says to switch to a triangle or an armbar on the controlled arm. See our triangle guide and armbar guide.
After It Gets Blocked: What to Chain (Evolve MMA's Armbar Follow-Up)
If they post a hand on the mat: transition immediately. Lift your hips, hook the back of their head and loop your arm around the posting arm; keep the arm grip and turn, and gripping the pants near the bottom of the leg adds control.
Finish: pinch the knees, raise the hips and pull the arm back. This is the version Fabio Da Mata demonstrates in the Evolve MMA article; refer to the original video for detail.
6. How Often It Shows Up in Competition
We found no IBJJF, ADCC or third-party media statistics on how often the pendulum sweep is attempted or how often it succeeds (checked 2026/11); event organizers mostly publish placings and brackets, so we give no percentages. Qualitatively, all we can cite is Evolve MMA's remark that many champions of yesterday and today have used it, which cannot be turned into a frequency.
What can be confirmed is the scoring: per FloGrappling's 2025/01/17 summary of the 2025 IBJJF point system, a sweep scores 2 points and mount scores 4, and each scoring position must be held for three seconds. The article does not state a rulebook version, so check the official IBJJF rulebook for details.
7. Safety Notes
The pendulum sweep is a reversal, not a joint lock, so the main risks are the landing as both people roll and the posting wrist of the person being swept. The armbar follow-up is an elbow lock, so finish slowly and release the moment they tap. For armbar mechanics and injury data see our armbar injury guide, and for closed-guard posture and joint load see the Closed Guard feature. Other sweeps from closed guard for comparison: hip bump sweep, scissor sweep and flower sweep.
・If you are being swept, land in the direction of the roll instead of bracing on one hand
・Start the armbar follow-up slowly and release the moment your partner taps
・Begin at low intensity and confirm both partners are comfortable with the roll and landing before adding resistance
FAQ
Can white belts drill the pendulum sweep?
Yes. The pendulum sweep is a common closed-guard sweep and involves no joint lock; Digitsu calls it a high-percentage sweep from closed guard. What takes practice is hooking one leg and timing the swing, and if the sweep stalls you can chain to an armbar or return to closed guard.
Do I need a gi for the pendulum sweep?
No. The mechanics are almost the same with or without a gi. Evolve MMA says you grip the sleeve and pants in the gi and the wrist and leg in no-gi, and that one sleeve (or wrist) grip is enough to start attacking from.
What if my opponent turtles up to stop the pendulum sweep?
Swing the leg several times to break their base with repeated momentum. Evolve MMA says the opponent may turtle up and fight the swing's momentum, and recommends exactly that response. If it still will not go over, return to closed guard or switch to an armbar or triangle.
How many points is a pendulum sweep worth?
A sweep scores 2 points and reaching mount adds 4, with each position held for three seconds. That is the 2025 IBJJF point system as summarized by FloGrappling on 2025/01/17. Rules change between editions, so check the current IBJJF rulebook before competing.
References
1. Evolve MMA. Here's How To Utilize The Pendulum Sweep In BJJ. evolve-mma.com (accessed 2026/11; supports the hook direction, swing height, the benefit of keeping the hook, the turtle defense and response, and gi and no-gi grips; the article says nothing about origin)
2. BJJEE. Here's How To Use The Pendulum Sweep In BJJ (2022/09/22, Evolve MMA guest post). bjjee.com (accessed 2026/11; supports the steps, returning to closed guard on failure, and the armbar follow-up demonstrated by Fabio Da Mata)
3. Digitsu. Pendulum Sweep. digitsu.com (accessed 2026/11; supports the starting positions, grips, swing steps, and the posted-hand and wide-leg counters; the page records nothing about origin)
4. BJJEE. The 'Omoplata Pendulum Sweep' Is A Fundamental Move From Closed Guard (2023/11/08). bjjee.com (accessed 2026/11; supports Thomas Lisboa's video demonstration and the sweep-and-submit dual-threat idea; the text lists no steps)
5. FloGrappling. How Does The 2025 IBJJF Point System Work? (2025/01/17). flograppling.com (third-party summary of 2025 IBJJF scoring, accessed 2026/11; supports sweep = 2 points, mount = 4 points and the three-second rule)