Reverse Half Guard?

[trustdoesntrust]

While looking for something else, I stumbled upon Philipe Della Monica demonstrating the reverse half guard position with Budo Jake and it definitely got me thinking. Here's the video:

Anybody actually integrate this into their game? I noticed there's also a DVD where he goes into significant detail about various attacks and entries. I find myself in this position quite a lot from top, but more in the Marcelo Garcia style where you can either get under the elbow and pass, bait him up for the guillotine/armbar/omoplata, or restep and set up a knee slide on the other side. I would not have thought it a place where you'd want to put yourself on purpose.

So is it worth my time to start exploring and practicing this? Seems like there'd be some tricky Jeff Glover-type stuff available from here as well.

 

[Uchi Mata]

I use what little I've picked up from Philipe, but it's not a position I seek. HIs stuff is good however.

 

[SidRon]

I would not willingly go there. I play a Leite style half guard and if I do not control the far leg my opponents will back step to the reverse half guard. I don't like being there at all but I do work on escapes from there since it is a position I find myself in.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

I would not willingly go there. I play a Leite style half guard and if I do not control the far leg my opponents will back step to the reverse half guard. I don't like being there at all but I do work on escapes from there since it is a position I find myself in.

Do you use any of Philipe's techniques from there? As I said, it's one of my most dominant positions from top, but in the above video they show Philipe sweeping Rafa Mendes twice from reverse half so there must be something to it.

 

[Uchi Mata]

I would not willingly go there. I play a Leite style half guard and if I do not control the far leg my opponents will back step to the reverse half guard. I don't like being there at all but I do work on escapes from there since it is a position I find myself in.

Leite usually catches people halfway. Plus if you're really torquing the knee you can almost always prevent a clean backstep and Plan B sweep him.

 

[bjjaz]

Youtube Kron vs Phillipe Della Monica, and I'm pretty sure that was the same position that Kron ended up armbarring him. It was from a tournament here in AZ that I watched live. Although maybe it wasn't the exact same position. I feel like it would be a difficult position for me personally to be successful with.

Edit found it:

 

[SidRon]

Do you use any of Philipe's techniques from there? As I said, it's one of my most dominant positions from top, but in the above video they show Philipe sweeping Rafa Mendes twice from reverse half so there must be something to it.

As one poster mentioned I try to catch them with my hook as they are backstepping. If I do not get that and they get to the reverse halfguard I do try to elevate their trapped leg with a butterfly hook and then come up into a leg drag kind of position. I believe that this is covered on his DVD.

 

[SidRon]

Leite usually catches people halfway. Plus if you're really torquing the knee you can almost always prevent a clean backstep and Plan B sweep him.

For me, torquing the knee fromn the Leite quarter guard compels the guy to backstep. I always have to kind of control the far leg somehow to prevent the backstep and complete the sweep. Leite usually controls the far leg as well when he does the plan b style sweep.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

Youtube Kron vs Phillipe Della Monica, and I'm pretty sure that was the same position that Kron ended up armbarring him. It was from a tournament here in AZ that I watched live. Although maybe it wasn't the exact same position. I feel like it would be a difficult position for me personally to be successful with.

Edit found it:

Yeah, I watched this match. Kron almost passes the reverse half toward the beginning but Philipe inverts, then they go back and forth between deep half and reverse half for a while before Kron gets the 3/4 mount. Seems like the worst case scenario for this position is a guy like Kron. I also kept thinking of Lucas Lepri's deep half pass where he reaches under his own trapped leg before backstepping then stepping back over to a knee slice.

But I watched a lot of Philipe's other matches, and he sweeps from here at a pretty high percentage, and against some high-level opponents. Here he is sweeping and submitting Magid Hage off it:

 

[bjjaz]

Yeah, I watched this match. Kron almost passes the reverse half toward the beginning but Philipe inverts, then they go back and forth between deep half and reverse half for a while before Kron gets the 3/4 mount. Seems like the worst case scenario for this position is a guy like Kron. I also kept thinking of Lucas Lepri's deep half pass where he reaches under his own trapped leg before backstepping then stepping back over to a knee slice.

But I watched a lot of Philipe's other matches, and he sweeps from here at a pretty high percentage, and against some high-level opponents. Here he is sweeping and submitting Magid Hage off it:

Nice and that is a good sweep!

Do you by chance have vid of that lepri pass you mentioned?

 

[Alonbenav]

The thing I don't understand is, why not backstep into a sitting on belly position to attack the legs, rather than trying to pass with the backstep, especially when he has both underhooks like that?

 

[trustdoesntrust]

Nice and that is a good sweep!

Do you by chance have vid of that lepri pass you mentioned?

It's on his Championship Guard Passing DVD, but not that complicated. Basically, instead of trying to underhook the opponent's inside (usually tucked) arm, Lepri suggests going under your own trapped leg and then getting a partial underhook into your opponent's armpit. Then you lean and step over the opponent's head (into the reverse half position), and immediately step back to the other side and you will be in a knee slice position with the underhook on the far (formerly inside) arm.

 

[bjjaz]

It's on his Championship Guard Passing DVD, but not that complicated. Basically, instead of trying to underhook the opponent's inside (usually tucked) arm, Lepri suggests going under your own trapped leg and then getting a partial underhook into your opponent's armpit. Then you lean and step over the opponent's head (into the reverse half position), and immediately step back to the other side and you will be in a knee slice position with the underhook on the far (formerly inside) arm.

I think I understand, thanks I'm going to give that one a try.

 

[Dirty Holt]

He is using a philosophy that is commonly used in wrestling and honestly with way more options and guards in BJJ than wrestling, Im surprised it isnt used more.

Specialize and become great at positions/techniques that are not commonly used or not commonly used offensively. At first, you are at a major disadvantage because most of these positions are technically more difficult to score out of, which is why they are less common. Standard defense will be much stronger than unconventional offense at first. However, over time, specialized offense in rare positions will become much more powerful than standard defense because the owner of the position will have much faster transitions, set ups, and counter attacks than the defensive standard.

 

[cjd]

He is using a philosophy that is commonly used in wrestling and honestly with way more options and guards in BJJ than wrestling, Im surprised it isnt used more.

Specialize and become great at positions/techniques that are not commonly used or not commonly used offensively. At first, you are at a major disadvantage because most of these positions are technically more difficult to score out of, which is why they are less common. Standard defense will be much stronger than unconventional offense at first. However, over time, specialized offense in rare positions will become much more powerful than standard defense because the owner of the position will have much faster transitions, set ups, and counter attacks than the defensive standard.

Great point, although I feel like this to a certain extent backfires at the highest levels, because most of these position suffer from a (mechanical) inferiority. I think PDM would have a hard time scoring from the reverse half on someone like Marcelo. Whether it would be more successful than more conventional positions is questionable.

Who are your favorite examples of this at a high level in wrestling?

 

[Dirty Holt]

I think PDM would have a hard time scoring from the reverse half on someone like Marcelo.

Reverse half is De La Monicas best offense. If he could not score on Marcelo with that, what could he score on him with? He swept Mendes with reverse half twice and nailed it on Magid Hage. To me, thats enough proof that it works for him, regardless if he could sweep Marcelo with that.

A few examples in wrestling are:
Kendall Cross from overhook/double overs
Anzor Boltukaev from the defensive seatbelt
Kolat from single leg defense
Randy Lewis from single defense
Dylan Ness cracked down on his ass

 

[yetanother]

Specialize and become great at positions/techniques that are not commonly used or not commonly used offensively.

Don't a lot of the top guys have unique positions?
Roger Gracie had his closed guard arm drag.
Caio Terra has his stuff like the de la riva ankle lock that only he is good at.
Braulio Estima always tries to have some crazy stuff up his sleeve.

At the low level the big problem with using weird guards it's that you can't just sign up for a website and get the best moves and strategies.

 

[Dirty Holt]

Don't a lot of the top guys have unique positions?
Roger Gracie had his closed guard arm drag.
Caio Terra has his stuff like the de la riva ankle lock that only he is good at.
Braulio Estima always tries to have some crazy stuff up his sleeve.

At the low level the big problem with using weird guards it's that you can't just sign up for a website and get the best moves and strategies.

Thats the point. None of these guys were handed a blueprint to success. They put in thousands and thousands of hours perfecting their signature moves, set ups, and positions. Braulio didnt just show up and have some guru show him reverse triangle everyday for 6 years.

Beginners can have a lot of success with less common moves at first. The elite of the elite like the guys you listed, they are elite at most positions, they just a few percent better offensively at a few positions, and that 1-2% make them world class winners.

 

[yetanother]

they just a few percent better offensively at a few positions, and that 1-2% make them world class winners.

In elite BJJ isn't the difference between the killer signature move and the stuff used rarely huge?
Even in absolutes you seen people like Leandro Lo sweeping a much bigger Buchecha with his best move.

 

[Dirty Holt]

In elite BJJ isn't the difference between the killer signature move and the stuff used rarely huge?
Even in absolutes you seen people like Leandro Lo sweeping a much bigger Buchecha with his best move.

This is just my opinion so you can chime in, but I see this in wrstling alot and in BJJ, where a guys signature moves, set ups, or finishes are very uncommon for the most part. What happens is they become absolutely world class at them, then the rest of the world is playing catch up. At that point the move becomes more common place. However, these guys have weaved it in so much with so many variables that even if you know its coming, you cant stop it every single time. That one time out of 6 attempts over a tournament is the difference between losing 2nd round and winning the entire tournament.