Alright so yesterday I looked at standing grip fighting, but you need some tools that operate not totally independent of grips, but don't fully rely on grip dominance to work.

Footsweeps fit that nicely, they are a timing technique, fairly low risk, and look fucking cool

So really I'm going to be talking about a variety of foot techniques that aren't all "sweeps" per say. But lets talks some basics:

First "outside" techniques denote when you contact the out side of their leg

And inside techinque denotes when you attack be sending your foot between the opponent's legs to contact the inside or back of their foot

Then there is the question of what you are using your foot for.

You could be moving a foot that is already in the air stepping, and using whatever grips you have to pull and it is like your opponent slipped on ice

You can also contact a weighted foot and push your opponent's weight off the foot and then move it

Or you can contact a weight foot and freeze it in place, and then pull the opponent over it, stopping the opponent from taking the step they need to save their balance (propping ankle)

So first on all of these timing and grips are important to varying degrees.

On the catching the foot stepping variety timing often beats grips, you can be losing the grip fight and still hit this kind of footsweep. Propping ankle takes less timing but requires better grips

There are a few ways to contact with foot techniques. There is with the ball of your foot, cupping their foot. Or scooping with your laces.

Just don't contact with your instep, it can work but not as well. Also it HURTS.

So building timing is done with a really simple day 1 judo drill. The old judo two step, where you work on timing you own foot work and sweep to contact your opponent's foot while it's moving

This btw is a drill you can solo while social distancing.

Side step in a direction with a simple 1, 2 count. On step two point your leading foot in the direction of movement, straighten trailing leg, touching the side of your foot to the ground and make a sweeping motion

Once you have a partner you can start working on power, and pulling on the sleeve so you can deposit them on the mat with some authority (remember to work your celebration also)

Once this drill starts feeling easier you can move to slightly more realistic timing drills where you create a single step and have to attack it on the same beat (this drill takes time to get down and you'll still fuck it up after years of training)

And really the best way to get good at them to attempt them in sparring. And don't just spam them, look for repeatable situations.

One of my favorite is going right handed vs aggressive left footed stances. Slight push to unweight their lead leg, then power sweep

Footsweps can be a one off, but are best used in combination. As a follow up to a feinted attack for instance, however these are tough because a feint relies on the opponent being good enough to identify and react to the false attack

My personal favorite is to use the footsweep as a follow up to a mostly successful initial attack. Classically an inside footsweep follows up other inside techinques like ouchi or uchi mata. When I started working on my uchi mata i found my inside footsweep succes rate shot up

Another great application is when an opponent is trying to balance hop against a single leg, wait for the hop and BOOT that leg while it's in the air