Inside the guard
Here you are on top, kneeling inside someone's closed guard. This tutorial shows the posture that keeps you safe, and the early signs of each attack.
Posture is survival
In closed guard, their legs are around your waist with the ankles locked behind your back. You are on top, but you are not winning yet.
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Your head is up, your back is straight, and your hands are on their body. Posture in the library ›
- Head up, back straight.
- Hips forward, knees wide for base.
- Hands on their chest or hips.
- Elbows inside their thighs.
Most of their attacks need your posture broken first. Chokes need your head down. Sweeps need your weight forward.
See the attacks early
| Attack | Early sign | Your answer |
|---|---|---|
| Triangle | One arm inside their legs, one outside | Posture up, both arms inside or both outside |
| Armbar | Hips turn, a leg climbs high, your arm pulled across | Elbow back inside their thigh |
| Kimura | A hand on the mat or a loose wrist | Elbow to your hip, head up |
| Cross collar choke | One deep collar grip, the second hand coming | Block the second hand at the wrist |
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The triangle shape to avoid: their leg is over your neck, and one arm is inside. Triangle in the library ›
An overhook is their arm over the top of yours, locking it to their side. Drive your elbow down beside their hip and pull it back toward your own hip.
Rebuild your posture
- Protect your neck and keep your arms together.
- Walk your hands back to their chest.
- Lift your head.
- Drive your hips forward.
- Sit up tall in posture.
Your partner breaks your posture and throws a leg over your shoulder. It is not locked yet. You posture up, push the leg off your shoulder and bring both arms to one side.
How you get caught
- Posting a hand on the mat. It is an easy kimura.
- One arm in, one arm out. That is the triangle shape.
- Leaning in chest to chest. Your neck is in range.
- Elbows wide, outside their thighs. They pull an arm across.
- Leaning in to grab both of their collars. Your head comes to their hands.
You stand up inside the guard, but bend at the waist to grab their legs. Your weight goes forward. They pull you down, or armbar the arm you reached with.
Which hand position keeps you safest inside closed guard?
Opening the guard
Opening the guard is the reward for posture. You can open it from your knees or by standing. Both need posture first.
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Set your posture and pin their hips before you try to open their legs. Closed Guard Break in the library ›
- Set your posture.
- Pin their hips or lapels.
- Put one knee in by their tailbone.
- Open their legs.
The Path goes on with passing in Closed guard from the knees.
Train it on the Path
Reading is the first step. The Inside the guard unit has 5 short lessons: you see a position and pick the best move.
The Path goes in order: start free from lesson one and you reach Inside the guard on the way. With Rolla Plus you can jump straight here.