There is always one position that every grappler in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu universe has some difficulty with. There are no exemptions; from white belts to black belts, from novice to absolute level talents, everybody has a flaw that they would like to hone and focus on.
Many young grapplers find difficulty in working from their spider guard. Maybe it’s the angle, but it can be tough for some people to execute any offensive attack while seated on the mat as their opponent plans their next move.
Luckily for those people, I’m here to discuss a remedy to that problem! The berimbolo is a wonderful transition that acts as a sweep in which the grappler begins in a seated position, but is able to float over and take back mount. When done properly, you should be able to sink both hooks in and go for the finish rather easily!
Strong, Fluid Movements
As any good grappling technique, the berimbolo is one that calls for many skills to work in cohesion with one another in order for it to work properly.
It’s an awkward position, so being able to execute rather basic body movements may seem like a tall task for some. After a couple of walkthroughs, however, this should start to feel familiar and there should be no worries about the basic movements!
The main focal point of this move is generating enough force after rolling through to make your opponent fall backwards. Again, doing this from a seated position may seem difficult, but it is possible!
Also, treat the transition as one big movement. Turning this into a “stop-and-go” type of move will make it close to impossible to execute, and will be fruitless in your efforts. Treat it like a basic boxing combination; one step leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to another. Just let it flow like water in a river! Once it all blends together, you’ll see how effective this can truly be. If you’re interesed in learning more on how to do the berimbolo check out this article by scienceofskill.com! This in depth article can teach any grappler of any skill to hit the berimbolo as if it were your money move.
Rafael Mendes-Putting The Berimbolo On The Map
Like any good move, it’s nothing unless it has an elite level grappler to put it on display. Luckily for the berimbolo sweep, there is Rafael Mendes to do just that! If you don’t know who Rafael Mendes is by now, I strongly suggest that you do some research; this guy is the real deal!
A slick, fluid grappler, this multi-time world champion has come to master the berimbolo, which has allowed him to take control of any match in the blink of an eye. Mendes can have you thinking that you have him in the palm of your hand, then BOOM! He executes a picture perfect berimbolo and has your back.
This move is as effective as they come. I can’t preach this move enough; in fact I can sit here and write more-and-more about it, but I’ll just let you hit the mat and practice it yourself!
Dan Faggella
