BJJ position
Closed guard
Closed guard is the position where the bottom player wraps their legs around the opponent's waist and locks the ankles. It is one of the first guards most people learn, and one of the most complete: from here you can sweep, submit or take the back, while the person on top has to deal with your legs before they can pass. The fight is about posture. The bottom player tries to break the top player's posture and create angles; the top player works to stay upright, control the hips and open the guard safely.
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If you're on the bottom
- Break posture by pulling with your legs and controlling the head, collar or wrists
- Create an angle by moving your hips to one side before attacking
- Chain sweeps and submissions: hip bump, flower sweep, kimura, triangle and armbar feed each other
If you're on top
- Keep your posture: head up, back straight, hips forward
- Control the hips or biceps so the bottom player can't climb or angle out
- Open the guard from a stable base, kneeling or standing, before you try to pass
Key details
- Squeeze your knees, not just your ankles, to keep the top player close
- Use your hips: most closed guard attacks start with a hip movement, not a grip
- Keep one hand on a wrist or sleeve so the top player can't post freely
- When the opponent postures up, switch to attacks that use that reaction, like the hip bump
Common mistakes
- Lying flat on your back and holding on instead of moving your hips
- Opening the guard without a plan, which hands the top player an easy pass
- On top: leaving a hand on the mat between the legs, which invites armbars and triangles
Techniques from closed guard
In the BJJ Navigator library, each with a video clip.
Hip Bump to triangle submission, bottomFlower Sweep sweep, bottomGilbert Burns Opening guard pass, topGordon Ryan Just Stand Up guard pass, topArm Bar setup submission, bottomOverhook options submission, bottomHip Bump Fake Guillotine Sweep sweep, bottomScissor sweep options submission, bottomShoulder Lock submission, bottomReverse triangle submission, bottomShoulder crunch sweep sweep, bottomOverhook option submission, bottom
Related positions
Add closed guard to your map
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