Passing the Guard No-Gi Article

8/3/2019 Passing the Guard No-Gi Article

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Black throwsWhites feet to hisleft and drops hisknees on Whiteschest as he passesthe Guard andprepares to attack.

Black suddenlylunges in towardWhite, keeping hishead back and

pushing up belowWhites feet toguard againstkicks.

White is on hisback keepingBlack away withhis feet.

Black steps upwith his back footand pushes Whitesfeet up over hishead.

THE IMPORTANCE OFPASSING THE GUARD

Anyone who begins practicing any formof submissions fighting (Brazilian JiuJitsu, Judo, Submissions Wrestling,

Mixed Martial Arts) quickly realizes theimportance of the guard position. Themajority of fights will include some time inthe guard. Learning to defend againstthe opponents attacks while in the guardand the ability to escape or pass theguard to a superior position (or how tosubmit the opponent while in the guard)are essential skills.

A number of variables must beconsidered when passing the guard.Although basic principles will apply in allsituations, variables like the particularrules of the venue (for example, whetheror not striking is allowed), time limits, thescoring system and allowed techniqueswill determine the chosen guard passingstrategy and techniques. In this article,well focus on universal strategies thatwill apply in any situation that calls forpassing the guard.

Guard Positions

The guard is held in one of two basicpositions, closed (with the opponentlocking his feet behind your back) oropen. The fighter in the guard will passin one of two basic positions, standing oron the knees. Finally, there are only threebasic methods of passing the guard, over

This material does not appear in our book, Passing the Guard . Obviously, however,the subject matter is similar. Here wetake a look at some basic strategiesuseful for vale-tudo and streetfightingsituations.


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Black is caught in Whites closedGuard. Black pins Whites upper armsto the floor to keep White frompunching as he stands up in the Guard.

Black continues pushing Whites hipsacross to his left with his right leg andclears the Guard. Black then drops hisleft knee on belly and prepares toattack.

Black lets go of Whites neck suddenlyand punches down with his right handas he begins to twist his hips to his left.

Black pinches his knees together tocontrol Blacks hips and grabs behindWhites neck with his left had,preventing White from sweeping.Black tucks his chin low behind hisright shoulder to protect his face fromWhites left punch (close up).

Black explodes upward and thrusts hisright hip and knee outside Whites lefthip to break the Guard. Black lifts hisright arm to clear Whites left foot.

the opponents legs, under hislegs or around his legs. Theguard fight will often transitionbetween closed and openguard in various configurationsas the fighter attempting topass alternates between

standing and knee passtechniques. It is important todevelop a guard passingstrategy that includes a varietyof techniques, so you canmake constructive responsesin every situation. The abilityto flow with the opponentsmovement while takingadvantage of his momentumand positioning will often bethe deciding factor in passingan experienced fightersGuard.

When caught in a closedguard, there are few optionsfor attacking or passing. Withthe opponents legs lockedaround your body, your will notbe able to move your hipsfreely, thereby severely limitingyour mobility. Whetherstanding or on your knees, thefirst step to a guard pass orcounter attack is to breakopen the opponents feet.Once the opponents feet areopen, you have theopportunity to pass the guardor to attack the opponentsfeet and legs. It is, of course

extremely important to guardagainst the opponents attacksat all times. You must countersubmission and sweep/ reversal techniques as yousimultaneously attempt topass and counter attack.

The two most importantfactors for successful guard


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Black now slides his left knee and hipsover Whites left leg and moves into thescarf hold position.

Black twists his hips to his left anddrives his hips forward.

Black lifts his hips and drivesforward to crush Whites head withhis left shoulder.

Black pushes Whites left leg downwith his right hand and slides his kneeover the top of Whites leg.

With his weight pressing Whites left legdown, Black steps his right foot overWhites left foot.

Keeping his weight on Whites head,Black traps Whites left upper arm toprevent White from punching.

Black is caught in Whites closedGuard. White is hugging Black tokeep him from punching.

Continuing the twisting motion,Black uses the force of his hips andhis right hand to break Whites feetopen.


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Black immediately traps Whites topfoot in a heel hook, pulling Whitesfoot tight to his body.

White turns towards his stomach toescape the pressure on his leg. Black takes advantage of the position andclamps Whites legs between his kneespreventing White from escaping.

Black twists his body to his left anddrives his weight forward to beginapplying pressure to Whites ankleand knee.

As Black attempts to punch White,White turns onto his side in thescissors Guard to hold Black away.


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Black pulls Whites anklein toward his chest withhis left hand and pushesthe top of Whites footwith his right hand as heleans forward and twiststo his left for thesubmission.

Black quickly changes hisgrip to a toe holdposition, pushing on thetop of Whites foot withhis right hand ad his lefthand reaches underWhites ankle to a figurefour position.

passes are base and sensitivity. Baseimplies the ability to maintain dynamicbalance. You must constantly adjust tothe opponents movement and thepressure he applies so you maintain astrong and balanced position. In order todo this, you must be aware and sensitive.

The opponent will be doing his best todestroy your balance and set up his ownoffensive techniques. You need to nullifythe opponents offense as yousimultaneously set up your own offensivetechniques.

It is extremely important to pay constantattention to the opponents movement,position, grips and the amount anddirection of his force. If you can use theopponents momentum and force to youradvantage, you will be able to pass theguard smoothly and quickly, whileconserving your own energy.

Strategies

Strategy should be adjusted dependingon the situation. Variables such as theopponents size, strength, degree of

flexibility, and endurance relative to yourown will all influence your guard passingstrategy. Since no two opponents areexactly alike, it is important to becomeproficient at a number of different guardpassing strategies and techniques. Thegoal is to always use your strengths toyour advantage.

For example, if you are larger andheavier than your opponent, you can useyour weight to smash and pass. If youare lighter and quicker, you can speedand mobility to pass. Otherconsiderations are your respective levelsof strength and flexibility. Finally, in asport match, the rules and time limits willalso influence your choice of strategy andtechnique.
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Passing the Guard No-Gi Article

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