Closed Guard Help

[VaE39]

Ive been taking a bjj class since May and Im really seeing great improvements. I also took a MT class for a 4-5 years and Im loving BJJ more. Aside from class I have a group of friends that are really interested in the whole mma thing and we have a martial arts room at the gym nearby. There is a few basic karate guys, some wrestlers, and people that dont know anything but they want to learn. Im the lightest fighter by at least 15 lbs but I still sparr a little and grapple. I did great in mount and sidecontrol and basically anytime I was the aggressor. When my energy started to drain I put them into my closed guard but my hands were over powered and held down. He then help both of my hands with one of his hands and hit my body for awhile. Everytime I was put into the guard I didnt even have time to close the distance because he just over powered my arms. Is there anything I can do to fight this? BJJ class is way different than fighting with people that have no idea. Thanks for the help.

[blitz]

Just move them closer to you with your legs and if they still have their grisp twist your body and land on mount, they have nothing to block with and their base is probably bad if they control both arms..

[bjjp]

well notice in your bjj class how every body is calm but when you grapple with some body who dont know bjj,they are jerky and really rough but then you take it slow close you guard and right when it closes start working your hands around where they cant grab them.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

You need to keep distracting them with sweeps and submissions when they're in your guard so they can't work. Even if you can't sweepem, throw them off balance so they have to post their hand out.

[VaE39]

Thanks for the replies. I dont know why I never thought of all that. I will try it out next time.

[OmaPlata]

Originally Posted by VaE39

Thanks for the replies. I dont know why I never thought of all that. I will try it out next time.

Yeah just reach with your right arm under his left thigh and turn your body while swinging your left leg (you have to open ur guard and do this fast) in front of his face, while lifting his thigh and using your right leg to push under his left armpit, you will sweep him fast and easy and mount him

[tekshow]

don't fight back. it's weird to think about but you can't muscle someone who's bigger and stronger than you. So you need to redirect what energy they are giving you.

Try to stay relaxed but active. Clenching and holding someone in a closed guard is limited in its offense/defense. I would much rather be in the open guard than the closed in most situations.


You can use your open feet to sweep, push off the knees, hips, armpits, elbow crooks, etc of the opponent. With your legs closed you have limited options, especially if the person is sitting back.


Do your legs sit around their waist in the closed guard? If you walk your legs up behind the shoulders and pull the head in close he won't be able to hit very well or sit back... then you can relax.