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Closed GuardBottom
BeginnerGuard Recovery
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About This Technique
Guard Recovery Technique
Position:
- Primarily used from
- Side Control
- Mount
- Half Guard
- Turtle
Japanese Name:
- N/A
Step-by-Step Instructions
From Side Control
-
Frame:
- Establish frames by placing your forearm across the opponent's neck and your other hand pushing against their hip. This prevents them from applying pressure by keeping their weight off of you.
-
Shrimp Movement:
- Use your legs to push your hips away from your opponent by performing the "shrimp" movement (or "hip escape"). This creates space between your hips and theirs.
-
Knee Shield:
- Slide the knee closest to your opponent's body inside, creating a knee shield between you and them. This acts as a barrier, preventing further advancement.
-
Re-establish Guard:
- From the knee shield position, bring your other leg around to close your guard, or apply an open guard if closing isn't possible.
From Mount
-
Elbow to Knee Escape:
- Begin by bringing your elbows tight to your sides and push against their knee, aiming to connect your knee to your elbow. This starts the base for an escape.
-
Bridge and Shrimp:
- Perform a strong bridge by driving your hips upward while turning to one side, attempting to create enough space to slide your bottom leg under.
-
Regain Half Guard:
- As space opens beneath them, bring your outside leg under them, capturing their leg and trapping it with your legs to achieve half guard.
-
Hip Escape to Full Guard:
- Use a shrimp movement to keep your opponent from flattening you out and use your free leg to circle back into a full guard.
From Half Guard
-
Frame and Underhook:
- Frame against their chest with one arm and secure an underhook with your other arm. This will help control their movement.
-
Shrimp to the Side:
- Shrimp your body to the opposite side of their position to create space.
-
Re-Establish Guard:
- Slide your bottom leg beneath their body to transition back to a full guard or insert a butterfly hook and work back to a seated guard.
From Turtle
-
Maintain Structure:
- Ensure your elbows are tight to your body and heads down to protect against choke attempts and control.
-
Roll to Guard:
- Roll to your back by trapping one of their legs with your closest leg and securing their arm with your grip.
-
Closing Distance:
- Once on your back, immediately close the distance by pulling them into a closed or open guard setting.
Key Points to Remember:
- Always protect your neck and arms from submissions when recovering guard.
- Hip movement is crucial to creating enough space.
- Maintain control through frames and grips throughout the transition.
- Stay calm and strategic; rushing can lead to openings for your opponent.
Guard recovery is an essential skill in BJJ, allowing practitioners to regain control and position during a match. It emphasizes the principles of leverage, framing, and managing distance.
How to Execute
# Guard Recovery from Closed Guard
## Setup
- **Initial Position Details**:
- You are in the closed guard position with your back on the mat.
- Your opponent is inside your guard, sitting on your hips with their knees on the mat.
- **Grips and Controls Needed**:
- Establish a cross-collar grip with one hand to control your opponent's posture.
- Use your other hand to control their sleeve or wrist.
## Steps
1. **Break Opponent's Posture**:
- Use your cross-collar grip to pull your opponent forward, breaking their posture.
- Simultaneously, use your legs to pull them closer by engaging your core muscles.
2. **Establish an Angle**:
- Open your guard slightly and shift your hips to one side, creating an angle.
- Use your opposite foot to post on the mat, aiding in your hip movement.
3. **Control Opponent's Arm**:
- Pull your opponent’s arm across your body, using the sleeve grip to guide it towards the opposite side of your body.
- Maintain control of their posture with the collar grip to prevent them from posturing up.
4. **Shin-in Guard Recovery**:
- Slide your knee on the side you shifted towards across your opponent’s chest, inserting your shin as a barrier.
- Use your free foot to keep your opponent's hip at bay, maintaining the angle.
5. **Re-close the Guard**:
- Once your shin is in place, use it to help you square back up with your opponent.
- Re-close your guard, either maintaining the shin as a hook or transitioning back to a traditional closed guard position.
## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember**:
- Keep constant pressure on the collar grip to control your opponent's posture.
- Use your core and legs to assist in pulling your opponent close and maintaining control.
- **Common Mistakes to Avoid**:
- Do not allow your opponent to regain posture; this will make it difficult to recover guard.
- Avoid being flat on your back; always work to create angles and maintain mobility.
- Ensure your grips are firm but not so tight that they restrict your own movement.
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