Proper BJJ Half Guard

[Ahoym8e]

When I have an opponent in my half guard, do I want to be "triangle choking" his/her leg or do I "straddle" his/her lower leg with my crossed ankles?

With "straddle" I mean crossing my legs tightly around the opponent's, and then placing one ankle/foot on eath side of the opponents lower leg.

Sorry that I am having such a hard time expressing my question... does anyone know what I'm asking?

I've been "triangle choking" the opponents leg, and I can keep pretty decent control, but I may have been doing it wrong.

Thanks!!!

[cakegirl]

Hello Ahoy,

If what you've been doing is working for you, stick to it. It sounds like two different ways to control the leg, which would require two different methods of escape. I like to triangle too, and depending on what the other person does to try to escape, or what move I'm trying, I may switch which leg is over and tucked behind the knee of the other one.

Another type of control you might like to try is the lockdown - triangle, and then with the straight leg, twist your ankle around their ankle. From here, you can push down and stretch the person out, which will stop them from bugging your neck or whatever (unless they're much taller than you, in which case don't bother with it).

Cakegirl

[Ahoym8e]

the lockdown - triangle, and then with the straight leg, twist your ankle around their ankle.

Hey thanks!

that was the second position I was trying to describe, except that I don't stretch the person out, just hold the leg tight and let them struggle around until they're pretty gassed... If they offer me something to take from the bottom (kimura or whatever), then I take it.

[Ronson]

I too like to start from half-guard (I watched the "Twister" and now I think I can roll like Bravo ). From their I'm always working for the "old school" sweep (one leg in "lockdown" and me with an over and under grip on the other foot). For insurance, I like to tuck their bottom part of their gi or belt between their legs so if they pass my half-guard, I can still sweep 'em (watch J.J. Machado's tapes for great half-guard work).

[FJJ828]

A while ago, I went to my coach Luis Gutierrez and asked to show me the Half Guard. In his usual, no pressure way, he showed me a progression of moves for various pressures the top guy will give. The one constant however was that if you are not attacking your opponent, he is attacking you.

The difference between Half Guard and Half Mount is your attitude.

As far as the leg position. I use several positions from the figure four on the upper leg to the shin across the hip. No matter what though, I am attacking with 1. taking the back, 2. sweeps or 3. submissions.

I play half probably 80% of the time I am in Guard. 15% in Butterfly, X or Spider and 5% in closed.

[J Rockwell]

Good point by FJJ828. While your leg positioning can be important, what's more important is that you are constantly attacking your opponent's base or trying to get to his back. If you find yourself using a leg position that allows you to hold on tight, but doesn't give you the mobility you need to attack, you probably want to use it as more of a last resort than your primary position.

For example, I have fairly long legs, and unless I am rolling with someone of equal or greater "length", I find it pretty hard to get that "lockdown" position. So instead of just triangling my legs and holding on, I generally use more of an "open" half-guard leg position. The only time I will triangle is if I am in danger of getting my guard passed and I need to hold on tight for a minute and recover my upper body posture.

[doubleouch]

The leg position does vary. What does not is the upper body position. Most importantly don't get cross faced and don't get flattened out. Get an underhook with the outside arm. Stay balled up under them. If I do these things then the techniques find themselves.

[cakegirl]

Hey Ahoy,

Rigan Machado has 3 1-hour DVDs about the half guard. I haven't seen them, but I know they exist.

Cakegirl