Half Guard
The bottom player fights for the underhook to sweep or take the back. The top player flattens them, wins the crossface and frees the leg.
205 lessons
Also called meia guarda, half guard bottom, half guard top, half-guard.
Half Guard Bottom
Get on your side, win the underhook, then sweep or take the back.
- Underhook and Frames Staying on your side so you never get flattened and crossfaced. 12
- Sweeps Old school, plan B, John Wayne and dogfight sweeps off the underhook. 36
- Back Takes Climbing to the back from the underhook and dogfight. 13
- Submissions Kimuras, triangles, loop chokes and leg entries when they over-commit. 21
- Recovering Half Guard Catching a leg mid-pass to turn side control into half guard. 6
Knee Shield (Z-Guard)
Half guard with your knee across their body to hold distance.
- Structure and Distance Placing the knee, feet and grips so the shield cannot be flattened. 8
- Sweeps Lifting and tilting off the shield, or switching to butterfly hooks. 6
- Submissions Kimura, loop choke, triangle and omoplata off the shield. 9
- Leg Lock and Guard Entries Moving to single-leg X, ashi garami or reverse De La Riva. 5
Deep Half Guard
Underneath them, hugging one thigh with your head by their hip.
Lockdown
Legs figure-foured around their trapped leg, stretching it to break posture.
Half Guard Top
Flatten them, win the crossface and underhook, and free your leg.
- Flattening and Crossface Winning the crossface and underhook to flatten them before you pass. 5
- Passes Knee slice, hip switch, backstep and weave passes, plus passing deep half. 42
- Submissions D'Arce, brabo choke, kimura and americana chances while you pass. 17
- Stopping the Sweep and Back Take Whizzer, knee position and weight so they cannot come up. 4