Side Scissors Sweep
The side scissors sweep from closed guard: hip-escaping laterally to attack a perpendicular angle and sweep the passer with crossed-leg pressure.
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The side scissors sweep is a closed guard sweep that begins with a lateral hip escape — a shrimp to one side — before the scissors are applied. This distinguishes it from the standard scissor sweep, which is executed from a square-on position. The hip escape creates a perpendicular angle between the bottom player and the passer, and that angle change is the entire point: it removes the passer’s ability to base directly against the sweep direction.
From the perpendicular angle, the bottom player places one leg across the passer’s thigh and the other around the back of the knee — the classic scissor position — and the legs cut in opposite directions to topple the passer to the side. In no-gi, where there is no collar or sleeve to assist with breaking posture and controlling the upper body, the hip escape is especially critical. Without the angle, the standard scissors are relatively easy to base against by stepping and widening. With the angle, the passer’s base is compromised before the scissor cut even begins.
Ruleset context This technique is legal in all major competitive formats.
INV-G04Invariant "Destabilising the top player to their hands removes their ability to pass and creates submission opportunities. Forcing a hand post is the transition from defensive guard to offensive guard."
Why it works hereThe bottom player's hand post on the mat during the hip escape is the anchor that lets the hips travel away from the passer to create the perpendicular angle. That post is also a load-shifter: with weight off the passer during the escape, the passer has no body to push against and reacts late. The post is structural, not balance — it keeps the angle alive long enough for the legs to set the scissor.
See full invariant page → The setup for the side scissors requires the bottom player to post a hand on the mat during the hip escape. This hand post is not merely a balance aid — it is the anchor that enables the hip to travel away from the passer. Without a solid post, the hip escape produces insufficient angle and the sweep collapses into the squared-up version that the passer can base against. The post also keeps weight off the passer during the escape, which delays their response and preserves the angle.
INV-G05Invariant "The bottom player's hips must remain mobile. A flattened bottom player cannot generate the movement needed to recover guard, sweep, or attack."