Getting stuck in always closed guard is never fun. However, if your opponent is good in that position, it will be a truly miserable experience.
Go to Video 1: Posture In Guard
Go to Video 2: My Favourite Guard Break
Go to Video 3: My Back Up Plan
Go to Video 4: No Gi, No Problem (No Gi Guard Break)
The first time I experienced this was at the 2007 European championships. My first fight was against good purple belt from Alliance called David Said.
I was a little nervous before the fight, but I’d just received my purple belt and thought I was invincible. How wrong I was.
Closed Guard Sucks
As soon as we hit the ground, he secured closed guard, and I realised I was in serious trouble. He was firmly in control of my posture, balance, and the fight. Every time I tried to regain my posture he would adjust his position and counter with a sweep or submission attack.
For about 3 minutes, I survived David’s attacks but did little more than that. Then I made a mistake and over committed to a guard break, in the blink of an eye, David capitalised on my mistake and secured a painfully tight armbar.
As I iced my throbbing elbow joint and fought back the tears of frustration, I made a promise I’d never get stuck in closed guard again.
Becoming A Closed Guard Breaking Monster
With the help of my coach, Braulio, I set about becoming a closed guard breaking monster. I wanted to get to the point where I could look at a closed guard, and it would wither in fear of my skills.
Ok, that’s probably not going to happen, but I wanted to develop an efficient way to break the guard against any opponent.
Fast forward a few years and I’ve now reached that point. I can honestly say I have no fear of breaking anyone’s guard, and I have against some of the world’s best Jiu Jitsu players.
Along the way, I learned three important lessons I want to share with you now that will help you kill your opponents closed guard.
Avoiding Closed Guard Is The Best Option
The first lesson I learned was that avoiding closed guard is much easier than having to break it. The simplest way to do this is bring one knee up (think combat base) anytime your opponent looks to close guard.
If you do this, it will make it difficult for your opponent to cross their ankles and it will give you enough time to stand, step over a leg, and avoid closed guard entirely.
Defend First, Then Posture
The second lesson (and where I went wrong in my fight with David) is you have to regain your posture before you try to break closed guard, and if your posture is broken you have to defend before you can regain your posture.
Then, and only then, you will be able to start SAFELY cracking open the closed guard. I do this by controlling the lapels with one hand and the hips with the other.
Check out this video that covers both avoiding closed guard and building your posture.
Key points:
- if your posture gets broken, control both lapels, keep your head central and follow your opponents hips.
- the moment your head is free, posture up and frame against their chest and hips
- create pressure against their feet
- whenever the guard opens, go to combat base and start passing
- you can avoid closed guard entirely by posting one knee
Standing Is The Easiest Way To Break
The final lesson I learned is that standing to break the guard is far easier than trying to break on the knees.
When you stand up to open the guard you gain your secret weapon in guard passing; Gravity. And gravity is a powerful ally in the battle to open the guard.
Compared to breaking on the knees, standing has a higher risk of being swept but a lower risk of submission. You also have to close the space again once you’ve opened the guard.
In my opinion, the pro’s far outweigh the con’s and providing you’re aware of the potential problems you can neutralise them before they happen.
This video covers my favourite way to open closed guard from standing and how to train it.
Key Points:
- look to stand as soon as possible
- control one sleeve to avoid being knocked off balance
- stand up tall, so you don’t provide a shelf for their legs
- hang them from the sleeve grip
- use your free arm and shake open the guard
- as soon as their guard opens close the space or step back and start passing.
However, sometimes people don’t give you the sleeve grip (damn them). But don’t panic, if that happens you simply stand up using the collar grip.
This video covers how I stand and break the guard using the collar grip.
Key Points:
- look to stand as soon as possible
- hide your legs when you stand to avoid being knocked off balance
- immediately break the angle when you stand to avoid being swept
- stand up tall, so you don’t provide a shelf for their legs
- hang them from the collar grip
- use your free arm and shake open the guard
- as soon as their guard opens close the space or step back and start passing.
No Gi, No Problem
You may be wondering how I break closed guard in No Gi when you don’t have the collar or sleeve grips?
The process for breaking closed guard doesn’t change. First, I establish my posture, then I stand. The only difference is I am a lot more explosive when I stand and I’m very aware my opponent will be trying to under hook my legs.
This video covers how I break the closed guard in No Gi.
Key Points:
- look to stand as soon as possible
- explode to your feet using the throat and hip grips
- immediately break the angle when you stand to avoid being swept
- stand up tall, so you don’t provide a shelf for their legs
- use your free arm and shake open the guard
- as soon as their guard opens, kick out and step back to avoid being swept.
By using these simple tips and practicing the techniques, you should be able open almost anyone’s closed guard.
Discover The Simple Way To Pass Any Guard
Passing the guard can be a very frustrating experience if you don’t have an effective system.
The beauty of the Simple Passing System is that it focuses on one position you can get from all most any guard.
Once you establish that position, your opponent only has two options both of which will lead to the guard pass.
Here’s what you’ll get:
– Two 40-minute instructional videos covering everything you need to know to pass the guard from any position.
– Simple Passing System Mind Map so you’ll have a clear guide of what to do and when
– The Performance Drilling eBook so you have clear way train the techniques.
Here’s the bottom line:
If you struggle to pass the guard and are looking for a high percentage, simple way to pass even the most frustrating guards, then this instructional is for you.
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Price: £27.00
Length: 101 min
Includes: Two Instructional Videos, Mind Map, and Performance Drilling