Point of the BJJ guard game

[ps1]

It never ceases to amaze me how you can do something for so long and never really understand what it is you're doing.

The other night, while teaching some defensive moves from the guard, my teacher said something that I had never really thought of before.

"When in the guard your options are to submit, sweep, or get on your feet."

This seems like a rather obvious statement. Afterall, there's nothing else left. However, the statement is much more profound than is immediately apparent.

From any particular guard position (closed, open, half, butterfly ect...) you should be prepared with one or more options to do all three. That is to say, you should know how to submit, sweep, or get on your feet from any given point in your guard game. Moreover, you should be prepared to do any of those three at any given time.

Think about it, can you do those things from any given point in the guard? If not, you have a hole that can and will be exploited.

Any thoughts on this?

[JiuJitsuNation]

Being as I have a strong emphasis on being at top game school, I can totally appreciate this. I tell my students we want to be the best on the bottom and never have be there. So standing up or getting back to neutral is something I preach. I also think it's a great way for your instructor to simplify the goals of the guard. Doing one of three things seems simple enough in the mind of anyone.

I am aware that I instantly took an interest in the standing up point, as I feel it is a huge misconception that we want to be on our backs or even on the ground.

[ps1]

I am aware that I instantly took an interest in the standing up point, as I feel it is a huge misconception that we want to be on our backs or even on the ground.

I agree! When many people are talking smack about BJJ, the most common thing I usually here them say is, "why would I want to be on my back in a fight?" I think they mistake the extensive guard game for a desire to be on the back rather than seeing it as a tool to get on top.

[ShoriKid]

I agree! When many people are talking smack about BJJ, the most common thing I usually here them say is, "why would I want to be on my back in a fight?" I think they mistake the extensive guard game for a desire to be on the back rather than seeing it as a tool to get on top.

I think that comes from some people being very comfortable in the guard and liking to work from there. I know I sometimes feel like I have more options from bottom on what to do. But, a lot of these are sweeps to get to top, or at least try to. Or submissions that are going to allow me to escape and stand up even if the attempt fails.

We're a stand up school, but we grapple because you need to know what to do if you end up on the ground. It also gives you more options for restraint in friendly situations. Do you really want to put your drunken buddy down with strikes? Really? So for us, the subs are fun, but the sweeps and getting up and escaping to our feet is the goal. So, that's what we're looking for and drill to do a lot of nights.

[bushido_man96]

With my very, very, VERY limited knowledge of any grappling, I can really appreciate this statement. In fact, it kind of helps simplify things, at least in theory, when it comes to grappling. I am not good at it, and I do realize that grappling is the single biggest hole I have in my MA knowledge. This helps to kind of put being in guard into perspective for me, and if I think of it this way when I train, maybe it will help in the long run.

Thanks, guys.

[dwarf2]

I've been around grappling for a while and i like the guard because you can control a person and at the same time set them up for armbars, triangles, and the best thing is man its just plain out fun to practice.

[Groinstrike]

Our schools philosophy on the guard is that it can be a great tool, and one can become extremely skilled and dangerous from there, but we want to do all that is possible to be in top position.

[kozushi]

You should always have a go to position from any position in BJJ, to progress your position to something better. Not everyone has the same strategies in this regard.

Actually, taking the back from guard is one other option that you didn't mention in the first post here. Taking the back by swinging around, often from half guard, is good.

[ps1]

You should always have a go to position from any position in BJJ, to progress your position to something better. Not everyone has the same strategies in this regard.

Actually, taking the back from guard is one other option that you didn't mention in the first post here. Taking the back by swinging around, often from half guard, is good.

That would fall into the sweep category for me. I know that, for tourney play, it's not the same, but that's the category I lump it into.

[ThaiBoxerGene]

Actually, taking the back from guard is one other option that you didn't mention in the first post here. Taking the back by swinging around, often from half guard, is good.

Like any application of a submission hold, saying it is easier than done.

Executing moves such as getting someone's back from half guard would be extremely simple if I didn't have a 195lbs shirtless sweaty man named Frank atop of me holding my face down [and sweating one me].

The way I see the guard is merely a game of russian roulette. There are really no benefits nor negatives about it, it is merely a spot of stalemate for both competitors.

Yes, when in guard you are able to apply your legs for moves such as armbars, triangles, and my personal favorite, gogoplatas. But seeing how your legs are so tightly wound around your opponent, the second you loosen your grip and move your legs/hands, they will do all they can to exploit your position and put you in danger mode if you are not fast enough or apply enough pressure to secure them. If you've faced some skilled BJJ masters, you know they clinch to you like a leech. You can easily tell a shift in their weight just by a loosening of a limb. It clicks in your mind "oh snap, he's making a move".

bjj is a game of chess, you need to jedi mind trick your opponent into thinking they are doing something right, when they are merely leaving an opening for a strike. Tactics, in my opinion, you can obtain only through experience and training.