Is a Sweep a Takedown? Understanding the Difference in Martial Arts

Well, I get this question a lot, especially when I’m training or watching people roll on the mats in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) or wrestling. You’ve probably seen some slick moves where a fighter goes from being on the bottom to ending up on top, and you’re probably wondering, “Is a sweep a takedown?” It's a totally fair question. I used to get mixed up between the two too, especially in the heat of a match. So let’s break it down and clear up the confusion.

What is a Sweep?

A sweep is a technique where you’re on the bottom, typically in guard (like closed guard or butterfly guard), and you use your legs, hips, or arms to off-balance your opponent and flip them onto their back, allowing you to end up in a dominant position, usually on top. The key here is that you start from the bottom position.

One of my favorite examples? I remember in a BJJ tournament, I managed to sweep my opponent using a simple hip bump sweep. It was all about timing and positioning—getting that perfect angle where I could turn the tables in my favor. When I finally pulled it off, I was no longer under him; I was on top in side control. That was an exhilarating moment, but that’s exactly how a sweep works: it flips the script.

What is a Takedown?

Now, a takedown is different. A takedown happens when you take an opponent from a standing position and bring them to the ground. The goal here is to control your opponent once they're down, typically by using grips, body positioning, or trips. It doesn’t matter if you end up on top after executing a takedown—it's the action of bringing them to the ground that defines it.

Think of wrestling or judo. In wrestling, a takedown could be something like a double leg, where you shoot in, grab your opponent’s legs, and bring them down to the mat. In judo, you might use a throw to get them down.

I had a conversation with my friend Josh last week, and he said, “A takedown is like getting them to the floor, no matter where you end up.” He’s right. It's all about control from standing.

So, is a Sweep a Takedown?

Actually, no. Even though both sweeps and takedowns involve bringing an opponent to the ground, the starting positions are what set them apart. A sweep is always from the bottom, and you’re attempting to reverse the position to get on top. A takedown starts when you’re standing and ends when your opponent hits the mat, whether or not you’re in a dominant position afterward.

I’ll be honest, though—this can get a bit blurry in practice. For instance, in certain styles of grappling or MMA, you might see someone start a standing position and then immediately work for a sweep-like motion to get on top. It can feel like a combination of both techniques, but at the core, a sweep is a positional reversal from the bottom, while a takedown is about bringing them down from a standing position.

A Key Difference in Scoring

In sports like BJJ and wrestling, there’s a huge difference in how sweeps and takedowns are scored. In BJJ, a sweep often scores points (usually 2) when you successfully reverse position from the bottom and end up on top. A takedown, on the other hand, also earns you points, but you're getting them by bringing your opponent to the ground from a standing position.

Funny story: I once lost a match because I thought I had scored more points than my opponent after a sweep. I thought I had him, but he had scored a takedown before I got the sweep, and his points counted more. You learn fast in this game.

Conclusion: Know the Difference

So, to wrap things up—no, a sweep is not a takedown. The position you start from makes all the difference. A sweep starts from the bottom and flips the dynamic, while a takedown starts from standing and focuses on bringing your opponent to the mat.

Honestly, I think it’s crucial to understand the distinctions because it affects not only your technique but also how you approach each position in a match. Plus, once you get good at both, you’ll really be able to dominate on the mat. So, the next time you roll, remember: if you’re starting from guard and end up on top after a move, it's a sweep. If you're standing and bring your opponent down, it’s a takedown.

I hope this clears things up! If you’ve got any more questions or need more examples, don’t hesitate to ask. You can always drop me a message, and we can talk about that crazy submission I just landed on my last sparring session!

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How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

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Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

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Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

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Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.