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Side ControlBottom
BeginnerEscape to Full Guard
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Taught by:Nathan Merkle
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About This Technique
Escape to Full Guard from Side Control
Transitioning from a disadvantaged position, like Side Control, to a more neutral one, such as Full Guard, is a crucial skill in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). This technique allows you to regain control by capitalizing on your opponent's movements and creating space to reposition yourself.
Step-by-step Instructions:
- Assess and Protect
- Goal: Prevent further attacks and set up space for your escape.
- Actions: Keep your elbows tight against your body to prevent your opponent from isolating your arms. Maintain a defensive frame with one arm across your opponent's neck and the other protecting your near-side hip.
- Create Space
- Goal: Make enough room between you and your opponent to maneuver your hips.
- Actions: Turn onto your side slightly, pushing with your forearm against their neck or shoulder while simultaneously using your elbow to create space at the hip.
- Hip Escape (Shrimp)
- Goal: Move your hips away from your opponent's control, creating more room to work with.
- Actions: Use your feet to push against the mat, sliding your hips outwardly and away from your opponent while maintaining your frames.
- Insert the Near Leg
- Goal: Position one of your legs between you and your opponent to break their control further.
- Actions: After creating space, slide your near-side knee between your bodies across their waist, establishing a sort of loose half-butterfly guard.
- Hold Position and Escape
- Goal: Transition smoothly into full guard. Ensure balance and leverage are in your favor, preventing opponent from re-establishing control.
- Actions: Use the leverage of your newly formed guard to elevate their hips slightly. Simultaneously, pull the inserted knee towards you while swinging the far leg around their back.
- Establish Full Guard
- Goal: Achieve a safe, central position from which you can initiate offense or control.
- Actions: Use your far-side leg to circle around their body and secure the full guard by locking your feet behind the opponent's back.
By executing these steps, you can efficiently escape from the side control and place yourself in a more offensive and balanced position.
How to Execute
# Escape to Full Guard from Side Control
## Setup
- **Initial Position Details**: You are on the bottom in side control. Your opponent is positioned across your body, controlling your upper body with their chest and often holding your head or far arm.
- **Grips and Controls Needed**: Establish a strong frame with your near arm against your opponent's neck or shoulder and your far arm against their hip to create space and prevent their full weight from settling on you.
## Steps
1. **Frame and Bridge**:
- Begin by placing your near arm's forearm across your opponent's neck or shoulder. Your far arm should be braced on their hip.
- Perform a bridge by driving through your feet and lifting your hips off the mat. This will create space and shift some of your opponent's weight off you.
2. **Shrimp to Create Space**:
- As you bridge, simultaneously perform a 'shrimp' (also known as a hip escape). Push your hips away from your opponent using your feet, sliding your hips out to create additional space.
- Your goal is to create enough space to bring your bottom knee between you and your opponent.
3. **Insert Bottom Knee**:
- With the space created by the shrimp, insert your bottom knee between you and your opponent's body. Aim to get your knee across their stomach or hip line.
4. **Frame and Reposition**:
- Use your frames to push away slightly, maintaining the space you’ve created. Keep your top leg active in maintaining distance.
5. **Recover Full Guard**:
- Once your knee is in, use the leverage to slide your other leg out and around your opponent.
- Pull your opponent into your closed guard by locking your legs around their waist.
## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember**:
- Always keep your frames active to control distance and prevent your opponent from settling their weight fully on you.
- Use your hips effectively to create space; the shrimp movement is crucial for making room for your knee.
- **Common Mistakes to Avoid**:
- Neglecting to frame properly, which can allow your opponent to maintain control and pressure.
- Failing to shrimp adequately, resulting in insufficient space to insert your knee.
- Not securing the guard quickly enough, allowing the opponent to pass again or establish another dominant position.
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