BJJ position
Sitting guard
Sitting guard is an open guard where the bottom player sits upright, one hand posted behind or gripping, with their feet active against a standing or kneeling opponent. It is a common way to start the fight on the ground, either after a guard pull or when someone avoids a takedown. Sitting up keeps you mobile: you can come up on a single leg, enter butterfly or single leg X, or stand back up. The passer, meanwhile, wants to control your legs and push you flat before you can connect to their legs.
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If you're on the bottom
- Stay upright and mobile, never flat, with your feet ready to connect
- Connect to a leg: ankle grip, butterfly hook or a shin on the shin
- Use the threat of standing up or a single leg to make the passer react
If you're on top
- Control the legs or the head before you step in
- Push the sitting player flat to take away their mobility
- Stay out of range of their feet until you have a grip
Key details
- Your posted hand is a base, so move it as you move, don't leave it planted
- Keep your knees bent and your feet off the mat so they can block and hook
- Distance is everything: either connect to a leg or stay out of reach
- Use the technical stand-up to reset when the passer gets too close
Common mistakes
- Sitting too far back, so a push puts you flat
- Reaching for grips without your feet in front, leaving the legs open to pass
- On top: diving in without grips and getting pulled onto a sweep
Techniques from sitting guard
In the BJJ Navigator library, each with a video clip.
Sitting guard option submission, bottomArm Drag transition, bottomAndrew tackett CROSS grip pass guard pass, topLong step sequence guard pass, topAnkle Lock Pass submission, topCrazy dog pass guard pass, topPass System sequence guard pass, topPassing sequence guard pass, top
Related positions
Add sitting guard to your map
Free, no sign-up needed. Save your own clips and notes for every technique.