Reverse Tripod Sweep
Reverse tripod sweep — push-pull base disruption from the reverse DLR hook. Same mechanics as the standard tripod.
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The reverse tripod sweep is the RDLR (reverse De la Riva) equivalent of the standard tripod. The underlying mechanics — pushing one point while pulling another to remove the opponent’s base — are identical. What changes is the angle: the RDLR hook is on the inside of the opponent’s near leg, and this inside position redirects the sweep to the outside of the opponent’s stance rather than the inside.
Understanding this sweep requires first understanding what RDLR does differently from DLR. In standard DLR, the hook wraps the outside of the opponent’s lead leg and the sweep falls the opponent inward across their body. In RDLR, the hook is threaded to the inside of the lead leg, and the sweep direction is reversed — the opponent falls away to their outside. The same forces, a different plane.
This makes the reverse tripod a complement to the standard tripod rather than a replacement. When an opponent defends the standard tripod by stepping the lead leg inside, they may inadvertently set up the reverse tripod angle.
INV-13Invariant "Destabilisation precedes control. An opponent who retains structural balance can generate defensive force regardless of the position they are in."
Why it works hereThe push-pull combination from RDLR destabilises across the outside line of the opponent's stance — the hook drives the inside of the knee outward while the hand pulls the ankle from the outside. Both forces must arrive together to break the structure; either one alone leaves the opponent enough balance to step or post. The destabilisation has to land before the rotation reaches the hands.
See full invariant page → As with all tripod variants, the push-pull combination must destabilise the opponent before the trip can complete. From the RDLR position, the destabilisation happens across a different axis — the outside line of the opponent’s stance — but the principle is unchanged. Apply both forces before expecting the opponent to fall.
INV-06Invariant "Base is a function of weight distribution over a support point. Disrupting the support point disrupts the base regardless of the size of what sits on it."