BJJ position
Butterfly guard
Butterfly guard is an open guard where the bottom player sits up with both feet hooked inside the opponent's thighs. It is a seated, upper-body guard: the hooks do the lifting, but the grips decide where the sweep goes. With an underhook or an arm drag, the bottom player can lift the opponent and sweep them, or transition to single leg X, X-guard or the back. The top player wants to stay heavy, flatten the bottom player and get past the hooks before they can be used.
Add butterfly guard to your map
Free, no sign-up needed. Save your own clips and notes for every technique.
If you're on the bottom
- Sit up and stay connected, chest close to the opponent
- Win an underhook or an arm drag before you try to lift
- Lift with one hook and sweep to the side where they can't post
If you're on top
- Stay low and heavy so the hooks can't lift your hips
- Flatten the bottom player with your head and shoulder
- Kill a hook or step around it to pass
Key details
- A sweep needs off-balance first: pull the opponent onto the hook before lifting
- Keep your knees inside so the hooks don't get pushed out
- If you lose the upper body, switch to single leg X or X-guard
- On top, a whizzer stops the underhook and most butterfly sweeps
Common mistakes
- Leaning back on your hands, which kills the sweep
- Lifting without an underhook or an arm drag
- On top: posting your hands on the mat, where they get trapped
Related positions
Add butterfly guard to your map
Free, no sign-up needed. Save your own clips and notes for every technique.