Dan Faggella is a BJJ Academy Owner, No Gi Pan Am Champion at 130 pounds, and recognized expert in the area of Lightweight BJJ. Dan writes or Jiu Jitsu Magazine, Jiu Jitsu Style, MMA Sports Mag, and more – you can find his Free Berimbolo DVD along with other Videos, Articles and more at http://microbjj.com/berimbolo/
The Berimbolo sweep has taken the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community by storm the past few years. Made famous by names such as the Mendes Brothers and Caio Terra, the Berimbolo is a fantastic move to have in the arsenal to help your defensive attacks.
While it calls for great attention to the detail, given the difficult nature of the move, there are many factors that go into this move and why it is such an effective approach to grappling.
Normally seen in Gi based events, it has been questioned if the Berimbolo sweep is an effective tool for No Gi matches. While opinions may vary—as both sides have reasonable arguments—there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer.
The move can be done in No Gi, however, the difficulty level rises tenfold when looking to use it. The factors that come into play may seem obvious, but it is still a valid reason.
Why Would It Be More Difficult?
When competing with a Gi on, your grips become the bread and butter of your attack. They allow you to grab hold of something, and to utilize your opponents body almost like a tool in order to gain the dominant position. If you’re more in to the Gi version of the Berimbolo I write about the dynamics of the Gi Berimbolo but my friend David Booth has a very detailed article on the Berimbolo sweep on his blog the Jiu Jitsu Lab
DYNAMICS OF THE ROLL
Eliminating the Gi means eliminating the grips that virtually allow the Berimbolo to be utilized in the first place. With that being said, you also introduce the slip factor once you and your opponent begin to sweat.
With little-to-no grips available, the few that do present themselves become even more harder to obtain once you find the sweat has become too much to handle.
Going About The Berimbolo In No Gi
The setup is very similar to how it is used in a Gi match. With the noted variations, there are certain aspects that become more impactful, or altered than in the original process.
1) When going to break their posture, never rely on grabbing their wrists.
2) Pull yourself in closer after grabbing their ankle, allowing you to lace your left leg through their legs.
3) Next, your left arm grabs hold of their leg, ending with their shin in the crook of your elbow.
4) Grab their armpit, and swing your leg out.
5) Ending in a modified inverted guard, pull their leg out.
6) With your right leg, push downward on their chest.
7) The right hand reaches over and grabs the hip.
8) Pushing away, your opponent will roll and you should end up grabbing the back.
It’s a very detailed process, clearly, but it’s a very effective process. If this is your first time reading this, it may seem overwhelming but don’t let it get to you. Take a look at the video of an instructor going over the execution of the No Gi Berimbolo.
Dan Faggella
