Review of "Foot Sweep Flo" by Justin Flores

[skribs101]

This instructional was incredibly cheap, but it's the best one I've watched yet.

For those who have read some of my other reviews, you may notice that I nitpick a lot, even though I generally rate instructionals S-tier. Let's look at some previous complaints I've had:

• Instructor uses a lot of Japanese terms without clearly defining them.
  Justin either uses an English translation immediately after, or he uses the term while demonstrating the technique so it's clear what he's talking about.
• Advertised as "gi and no-gi applications" and then only shows one and briefly mentions that the other is "different" in some way.
  Justin does this instructional entirely in no-gi attire, but they do grip the rashguard on a few occasions to show a gi application. I do wish this was done more often, and/or there was a section specific to gi grips and setups, but I can't fault him for this.
• Scoping issues, where it feels like there's a lot left on the table in terms of what techniques and variations are covered.
  This is advertised as teaching the basics of foot sweeps and it covers a wide range of ways to set up the basic foot sweep, which is described in the beginning of the video series as the objective of the instructional.

During this instructional, he demonstrates basic footwork and timing drills that you can do by yourself and with a partner to learn the feel for a foot sweep, and then several entries from various wrestling setups to enter into a foot sweep. He also has anecdotes of his training in wrestling, Judo, and BJJ to combine together for a well-rounded skillset in explaining how these techniques work.

With no real criticism to offer, except for the wish there was more gi-focused technique, I will give an overall score for this instructional an SS-tier.
Tiers are F, D, C, B, A, S, and SS.

 

[wab251]

When you say "Foot Sweep" do you mean:

Or is this some type of BJJ guard sweep that is called "Foot Sweep?"

 

[skribs101]

Judo-style foot sweeps.

 

[wab251]

Is this the guy?

 

[Tony Dismukes102]

Or is this some type of BJJ guard sweep that is called "Foot Sweep?"

To the best of my knowledge, there is no BJJ guard sweep called "foot sweep". When we say "foot sweep", we mean a judo or wrestling style foot sweep like de ashi harai or ko uchi gari.

 

[skribs101]

Is this the guy?

Yup

 

[isshinryuronin]

Is this the guy?

I was just watching the last day of the May Grand Sumo Tournament, and a match was won with the move seen at 3:30 in the clip, except the sweep was applied to the lower thigh. First time I've seen that move in sumo! Normally, due to the lesser leverage this wouldn't work as well, but sumo guys are not normal people.

 

[Tony Dismukes102]

I was just watching the last day of the May Grand Sumo Tournament, and a match was won with the move seen at 3:30 in the clip, except the sweep was applied to the lower thigh. First time I've seen that move in sumo! Normally, due to the lesser leverage this wouldn't work as well, but sumo guys are not normal people.

My favorite throw from the May basho was Kirishima vs Kotoeiho on day 13. I'm not sure if NHK will allow embedding of their videos, but let me give a try to post the video at the correct spot. If this doesn't work, the time stamp is 24:59.

Edit - looks like NHK doesn't allow embedding, but you can click the "Watch on YouTube"link and check out the video starting at 24:59.

 

[skribs101]

I was just watching the last day of the May Grand Sumo Tournament, and a match was won with the move seen at 3:30 in the clip, except the sweep was applied to the lower thigh. First time I've seen that move in sumo! Normally, due to the lesser leverage this wouldn't work as well, but sumo guys are not normal people.

Sometimes "bad" technique works if your opponent is just in the wrong spot. I joke that this is the world's worst scissor sweep, but out of 4 IBJJF competitions I've participated in, this was my first time scoring a point.

 

[wab251]

Sometimes "bad" technique works if your opponent is just in the wrong spot. I joke that this is the world's worst scissor sweep, but out of 4 IBJJF competitions I've participated in, this was my first time scoring a point.

If I saw that right.... you won the match too. Congrats!

 

[wab251]

I like to combine foot sweeps, sasae ashi and hip throws. You can lead with a foot sweep, which you get or they defend. Their defense of the foot sweep opens a hip throw (usually its your choice which hip throw you want to take). If they defend the hip throw, they are open for a foot sweep or sasae ashi, depending on how they defend. That is why you need both, so that you can counter their hip throw defense.... if the foot sweep is not there, the sasae ashi will be and vice versa. You can also start with the sasae ashi to hip to foot sweep / sasae ashi.

I liked the way he was doing his sasae ashi. The way we do it, off balances the other guy, up on his toes and forward.... and we provide no help or support on the fall. The other guy either sutemis over or shoulder plants. So, I have not been using it on folks that do not know how to take the sutemi really well. But, in the video, he was controlling the body really well, giving a twist before the foot prop, which makes the fall much easier and safer for the other guy.

 

[skribs101]

If I saw that right.... you won the match too. Congrats!

Thanks! It was only my 3rd match win, my first in IBJJF. It was a weird one, too. IBJJF is normally single elimination. But this was a 3-person bracket. I lost the first round (tapped to a choke), which in a 3-man bracket sends me to the other semi-final bracket. That guy ended up being a no-show, so I got a walkover win and went to the finals, which I then won.

It's the only way it's possible to lose a match in IBJJF and still get 1st place, is in a 3-man bracket if you go L-W-W. Any other loss, and you stop there.

The next day, someone complained to my Professor that he doesn't like the way IBJJF handles 3-man brackets. I said, "I do!"

 

[marvin8]

I do wish this was done more often, and/or there was a section specific to gi grips and setups, but I can't fault him for this...

With no real criticism to offer, except for the wish there was more gi-focused technique,

Some gi footsweeps by Justin...

Full Masterclass For Gi Ashi Waza - Jflo Foot Sweeps

Justin Flores teaching UFC's Song Yadong.

 

[Kung Fu Wang102]

Judo-style foot sweeps.

The CMA foot sweep training path is:

shin bite (45 degree downward) -> sticky lift (90 degree up) -> scoop (horizontal) -> scoop kick (45 degree up) -> foot sweep (45 degree up with knee straight)

Before you get into "foot sweep", your knee is always bend. Only when you use "foot sweep", you start to straight your knee.

IMO, the better that you can use "shin bite" to lock your foot behind your opponent's ankle, the better that you can do "foot sweep" (because you can listen to your opponent's leg better). So, the "shin bite" should be the 1st training for "foot sweep".

In this video at 0.36, he starts "foot sweep" with "shin bite".