Waiter Sweep

Also known as: Waiter Guard Sweep · Tray Sweep

From deep half, serve their trapped leg upward on your "waiter’s tray" arm while your legs elevate — they topple forward and you come up behind their hips.

Sweep · Gi & No-gi · Difficulty 3/5 · Usually learned at Blue belt

Starts from Deep Half Guard as the deep half player → lands in Side Control.

The details that make it work

1. Cradle their trapped shin on your under arm like a tray; your legs lift their thigh at the same time.
2. Tip them FORWARD over their own knee — the sweep goes over their face-side, not sideways.
3. Chase the top immediately: come up to their turned back or settle into side control.

Where it goes wrong

• Staying under a fully-based opponent waiting for a perfect moment instead of creating the off-balance.

How opponents counter it

• Base the free leg wide and pummel the trapped knee down
• Backstep out of deep half before the tray loads

Is the Waiter Sweep legal in competition?

Legal in all major rulesets at all levels (IBJJF, ADCC, sub-only). Rules change — always confirm against the current official rulebook for your event.

Related techniques

• Deep Half Entry
• Old School Sweep
• X-Guard Sweep

All moves from Deep Half Guard · Back to Grapplepedia