Hello Southern Soul Family!

The closed guard is one of the most fundamental and commonly used positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. While being in someone’s closed guard might seem like a disadvantage, with the right techniques and a solid understanding, you can escape and turn the tables on your opponent. Today, we’re diving into a few essential tips and techniques to help you effectively escape the closed guard.

Understanding the Closed Guard

Before we jump into the escape techniques, let’s quickly review what the closed guard is. The closed guard is a position where your opponent has their legs wrapped around your waist, locking you in. This position can be challenging because it gives your opponent control over your posture and limits your movement.

Key Principles for Escaping the Closed Guard

  1. Maintain Good Posture: Keeping a strong posture is crucial. Sit back on your heels, keep your back straight, and avoid leaning forward. This helps you stay balanced and reduces your opponent’s ability to break you down.
  2. Control the Hips: One of the main goals when escaping the closed guard is to control your opponent’s hips. This can be done by placing your hands on their hips or gripping their belt or pants.
  3. Stay Calm and Patient: Escaping the closed guard requires patience and precision. Avoid rushing the process, as this can lead to mistakes and create opportunities for your opponent to attack.

Technique 1: Stand-Up Guard Break

The stand-up guard break is a powerful and effective method to open your opponent’s closed guard.

Steps:

  1. Posture up with your hands on your opponent’s hips.
  2. Slide one knee to the centerline, pressing against your opponent’s tailbone.
  3. Stand up quickly, keeping your posture upright.
  4. Once standing, push your opponent’s knee down to open their guard.
  5. Step back and transition to a guard pass.

Technique 2: Knee-in-the-Butt Guard Break

This technique involves using your knee to create pressure and open your opponent’s guard.

Steps:

  1. Posture up and place your hands on your opponent’s hips.
  2. Slide one knee into your opponent’s tailbone.
  3. Use your other leg to create an angle and push your opponent’s knee down.
  4. Once the guard is open, transition to a guard pass or another dominant position.

Technique 3: Double Underhook Guard Pass

This technique not only helps you escape the closed guard but also puts you in a strong position to pass your opponent’s guard.

Steps:

  1. Posture up and secure double underhooks on your opponent’s legs.
  2. Lift your opponent’s hips and stack them on their shoulders.
  3. Use your head to pin their legs while controlling their hips.
  4. Slide your knees to the side and pass to a dominant position.

Final Thoughts

Escaping the closed guard is a fundamental skill that every BJJ practitioner should master. By maintaining good posture, controlling your opponent’s hips, and using effective techniques like the stand-up guard break, knee-in-the-butt guard break, and double underhook guard pass, you can turn a challenging position into an opportunity to dominate.

Remember, practice makes perfect. Drilling these techniques regularly will improve your confidence and efficiency in escaping the closed guard. So, next time you find yourself in someone’s closed guard, stay calm, use your skills, and take control of the situation.

See you on the mats!

Warmly, The Southern Soul Academy Team