The Flower Sweep, also known as the Pendulum Sweep, is a traditional technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) within the category of Throws/Sweeps. It is commonly used from the closed guard position against an opponent who is in your guard. It's named for its pendulum-like motion and the sweeping action of your legs.
Start by pulling your opponent forward using your legs and grip on their sleeve. This sets you up in the ideal position for executing the flower sweep.
Keeping your grip, swing your free leg out and back in like a pendulum. As you swing back in, use your grip and the momentum of the swing to flip your opponent over, sweeping them off their position and onto their back.
To defend against the flower sweep, keeping your balance and posture upright while in someone's guard is crucial. If you feel them start to pull you forward, resist by basing out and maintaining your balance.
To counter this move, the moment your opponent starts to set up the sweep by pulling you forward, you can base out with your free hand and shift your weight back to prevent them from swinging you over.
The Flower Sweep is an effective technique to use in competition when you're on your back and need to reverse the position. It catches people off guard because it uses an unexpected pendulum motion instead of the more traditional straight up or off to the side sweeps.
The key to a successful Flower Sweep is surprise and timing. If your opponent anticipates the sweep, they can easily prevent it. But with good timing and an element of surprise, you can effectively use this sweep to take your opponent down.
The Flower Sweep is a versatile and effective maneuver in BJJ that can be a game changer when used correctly. It requires practice, careful timing, and a solid grip to execute properly.