I'm having MAJOR problems w/ my open guard!!

[Trickster***]

My open guard is getting passed very easily by heavier guys.

Last night I asked for advice and I was told;

- Never sit flat on your ass, always be more on one butt cheek
- Post one hand on the floor so you have balance while the other looks for an underhook
- If your opponent stands up, put your adjacent foot inside of his foot so if he tries to pass that knee across your hip you can lift his foot and he has no balance (making it easy to sweep)
- If the guy tries to collaspe your knee (inward) to pass, just scoot your butt backwards
- Don't put both feet between his legs unless you have double underhooks

All of this makes sense to me, I just have to practice it...but does anyone have any other advice for me to help me with my open guard? What sweeps to you use?

Thank you!

 

[J Storm**]

nice tips, i was also told to keep going after one arm at a time for control, giving you sweeps and arm drags

 

[Zankou]

Biggest problems I see with people learning open guard are two:

(1) What I call the "whore" guard. People are used to playing closed guard, and they think open guard is just lying on your back and wiggling your arms and legs around. Not so. You need huge hip movement. You need to come forward, and be moving from side to side. Lying flat on your back is basically worthless.

(2) Not playing distinct open guard controls -- spider, butterfly, x, etc -- and transitioning between them. Instead just haphazardly grabbing stuff and yanking on it.

I suggest picking one form of open guard control and concentrating on playing it properly, starting with the basic game and adding onto it.

 

[eclipse]

yeah keep the open guard tips coming please fhagorts

 

[Deloitte]

My open guard is getting passed very easily by heavier guys.

Last night I asked for advice and I was told;

- Never sit flat on your ass, always be more on one butt cheek
- Post one hand on the floor so you have balance while the other looks for an underhook
- If your opponent stands up, put your adjacent foot inside of his foot so if he tries to pass that knee across your hip you can lift his foot and he has no balance (making it easy to sweep)
- If the guy tries to collaspe your knee (inward) to pass, just scoot your butt backwards
- Don't put both feet between his legs unless you have double underhooks

All of this makes sense to me, I just have to practice it...but does anyone have any other advice for me to help me with my open guard? What sweeps to you use?

Thank you!

Nice tips, I recommend the basic tripod sweep or hook sweep (whatever the name is called) immediately when the opponent stands up. You also might want to play a little x-guard when your open guard defenses are stronger.

 

[kenban judan]

i don't offer solid techniques or advice, just a few notes:

as soon as you pull it, attack with sweep (or submission) attempts, always -- unless you're practicing guard pass defense. otherwize, what's the fucking point?

switch up your guards - half, butterfly, back to open, back to half etc.

learn a few guard pass counters/sweeps

 

[Deloitte]

i don't offer solid techniques or advice, just a few notes:

as soon as you pull it, attack with sweep (or submission) attempts, always -- unless you're practicing guard pass defense. otherwize, what's the fucking point?

switch up your guards - half, butterfly, back to open, back to half etc.

learn a few guard pass counters/sweeps

Well if you have amazing guard defense you can use it to stall in competitions if you are ahead on points.

 

[Trickster***]

Biggest problems I see with people learning open guard are two:

(1) What I call the "whore" guard. People are used to playing closed guard, and they think open guard is just lying on your back and wiggling your arms and legs around. Not so. You need huge hip movement. You need to come forward, and be moving from side to side. Lying flat on your back is basically worthless.

(2) Not playing distinct open guard controls -- spider, butterfly, x, etc -- and transitioning between them. Instead just haphazardly grabbing stuff and yanking on it.

I suggest picking one form of open guard control and concentrating on playing it properly, starting with the basic game and adding onto it.

2. I totally understand what your saying but Im talking about when someone is standing in front of you, and you do not have control of their sleeves or anything. You are just sitting in front of them. I happen to think which guard you play is determined by yorur opponents first move!

If he tried to jump over your knee and mount you can play X guard
If he tried to grab your pants by your knees you can counter by grabbing his sleeves and working spider guard or DLR

But your are very RIGHT about not laying flat on your back....you def need to sit up!

 

[kenban judan]

Well if you have amazing guard defense you can use it to stall in competitions if you are ahead on points.

yeah, i guess that was my special way of saying my open guard sucks

 

[Sherdog_Mutt]

I happen to think which guard you play is determined by yorur opponents first move!

If he tried to jump over your knee and mount you can play X guard
If he tried to grab your pants by your knees you can counter by grabbing his sleeves and working spider guard or DLR

But your are very RIGHT about not laying flat on your back....you def need to sit up!

For the most part you're right that what your opponent does dictates which open guard you use. Open guard is difficult in that you need to learn several different guards, learn when to use them, and learn how to flow between them. Nonetheless, all decent open guard players know several entries into their open guards of choice. Hell, Marcelo Garcia has about half a dozen ways to force his opponent into his x-guard (from butterfly, half-guard, closed guard, etc...)

I agree 100% with Zankou's advise. Focus on one open guard control at a time. The games are so varied and different that it'll take time for you to learn them. In the process, play around with different setups and entries into the open guard. It'll slowly start to click the more you play around with it.

 

[txfighter13]

Control The Head! Control The Head!