magic guard
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About This Technique
Magic Guard
Position: Open Guard
Top/Bottom: Bottom
Overview: The Magic Guard is a unique and versatile position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It's a hybrid guard that's highly controlling and offers numerous attacking opportunities, including sweeps and submissions. Typically entered from an open guard scenario, the Magic Guard emphasizes breaking the opponent’s posture and gaining a dominant attacking angle.
Step-by-Step Detailed Instructions:
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Starting in the Open Guard:
- Begin in your opponent's open guard, ensuring your legs are active and your opponent's posture is broken. Maintain control with grips on your opponent’s sleeves, collars, or pant cuffs.
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Establishing Control:
- Leg Placement: Place your right shin parallel across the chest of your opponent, with your foot hooking onto your opponent’s far hip.
- Underhook or Overhook: Use your left arm to establish an overhook on the opponent's right arm. Alternatively, use an underhook to maintain contact and control.
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Securing the Magic Guard
- Cross Grip: Reach across with your right hand to grip the opponent's left sleeve. This cross grip helps in breaking your opponent's posture further.
- Foot Adjustment: Your left foot should be based on the mat for support while maintaining a tight connection with your right leg and shin across your opponent’s chest.
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Finishing Options from the Magic Guard:
- Sweep:
- Utilize a scissor sweep motion by dropping your left leg while simultaneously pushing with your right shin. This action destabilizes your opponent, potentially allowing for a transition to top.
- Triangle Submission:
- Unhook your foot from the hip while swinging your left leg over and across the opponent’s neck. Lock your legs to complete the triangle setup.
- Armlock:
- Using the overhook on the opponent's arm, isolate their arm and pivot your hips for a straight or bent armlock.
- Sweep:
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Maintain Pressure and Adjustments:
- Switch between options depending on how your opponent reacts. Use your guard hooks and grips actively to transition between offensive actions.
- Keep breaking the posture to stay on the offensive, making it difficult for your opponent to pass.
Considerations:
- Constantly adjust grips and leg positioning to respond to your opponent's movement and maintain effectiveness.
- Focus on the balance between controlling your opponent and attacking opportunities.
Conclusion
The Magic Guard, though not commonly integrated in every academy, offers significant control and dynamic attacking options in a match. Mastery of this guard can make a practitioner formidable from the bottom position, forcing opponents to defend constantly.
Japanese Name: N/A
How to Execute
Magic Guard from Open Guard Position
Setup
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Initial Position Details:
- •Begin in an open guard position with your back on the mat.
- •Your opponent should be kneeling or standing in front of you.
- •Ensure you have a good distance to control and manipulate your opponent’s balance.
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Grips and Controls Needed:
- •Establish a collar grip with one hand on your opponent’s same side collar.
- •Use your other hand to control your opponent's opposite side sleeve.
- •Your feet should be active, with one foot placed on the hip of your opponent and the other foot prepared to transition to the magic guard setup.
Steps
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Initiate the Guard Transition:
- •Pull your opponent slightly forward using the collar and sleeve grips.
- •Simultaneously, place the foot that is on the hip into your opponent’s bicep on the controlled sleeve side, resembling a spider guard position.
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Create Angle and Space:
- •Shrimp slightly away from your opponent to create space and angle. This will help in setting up the next steps efficiently.
- •Elevate your hips slightly off the ground, using your opponent's collar and sleeve as leverage.
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Establish the Magic Guard Hook:
- •With the foot that was free (not on the bicep), thread it under your opponent's opposite leg and hook their far inner thigh. This requires a bit of flexibility and hip movement.
- •The goal is to have your leg wrapped around their far leg, creating a hook with your foot.
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Secure the Position:
- •Keep a tight hold on the collar and sleeve, maintaining pressure through your grips.
- •Your bicep foot should still be actively controlling your opponent's movement and maintaining tension.
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Control and Attack Setup:
- •Depending on your opponent’s reaction, you can use this position to set up sweeps, transitions, or submissions.
- •Common transitions from here include moving into a triangle or armbar position, or sweeping your opponent by off-balancing them with the hook and grips.
Key Points
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Important Details to Remember:
- •Keep your grips strong and consistent to control your opponent’s posture.
- •The hook with your foot is crucial for immobilizing your opponent’s leg and maintaining control.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- •Failing to create an angle can lead to ineffective control, allowing your opponent to pass or counter.
- •Losing grip strength on the collar or sleeve will reduce your ability to manipulate your opponent’s balance.
- •Not maintaining active feet can result in losing the position or failing to set up attacks effectively.
By ensuring you follow these steps and keep in mind the key points, you can effectively utilize the magic guard from the open guard position to control and attack your opponent.