What comes next from closed guard, posture broken
The bottom player has pulled the top player's head down to their chest. The bottom player is winning and has many attacks. The top player wants to lift their head and sit up straight again.
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Learn the position itself: Closed Guard in the library ›
If you are the in the guard
Best The choice that works most often here.
- Rebuild posture: head up, hips forward
Walk your hands back to their chest, push your hips forward and lift your head. With your posture back, most of their attacks stop. Slow and patient works better than fast.
Leads to closed guard ›
Good Works well with the right setup.
- Protect your neck and elbows
Keep your chin down and your elbows close to your body. This protects you from chokes and armbars while you wait to sit up.
You stay in this position.
Mistake Avoid this: it usually makes things worse.
- Push up with a hand on the mat
Putting a hand on the mat to push up gives them that arm. They can grab it for a kimura.
Usually goes wrong. Choose a better option above. - Drive forward and smother
Driving your weight forward gives them what they want. It makes their sweeps easier and keeps your head down.
Usually goes wrong. Choose a better option above.
If you are the guard player
Best The choice that works most often here.
- Triangle (one arm in, one out)
Trap their head and one arm between your legs, with the other arm outside, and lock a triangle choke. It is the best attack here, because their head is already down and one arm is across.
Ends the match if it works: a submission.
Good Works well with the right setup.
- Cross collar chokeGi
Put one hand deep in their collar, then the second hand in the other side, and pull your elbows down. This choke needs a gi (the jacket).
Ends the match if it works: a submission. - Kimura on a posted hand
If they put a hand on the mat, grab that wrist. Lock your arms in a figure four grip (the kimura) and turn their arm behind them.
Ends the match if it works: a submission. - Take the back with an arm wrap
Wrap one of their arms, move your hips out and climb around to their back. Back control is worth 4 points.
Leads to back control › - Flower (pendulum) sweep
Hold one sleeve and hook one of their legs with your other arm. Swing your free leg hard and roll them over. This is the flower sweep, also called the pendulum sweep, and you land in mount.
Leads to mount › - Hold them down and squeeze
Keep their head down and your legs tight. Holding them here is already good for you, so attack when you see a chance.
You stay in this position.
Train it on the Path
The What a guard is unit turns this into short lessons: you see a position and pick the best move.
The Path goes in order: start free from lesson one and you reach What a guard is on the way. With Rolla Plus you can jump straight here.