I was revisiting Eddie Bravo’s “Rubber Guard” book the other day and really liked the section on the half guard. Bravo writes:
“In my opinion, the half guard is the most important position in jiu-jitsu because that is where the majority of battles are waged.”
This is certainly true for the type of game Bravo preaches, though I’m sure other players might have a different emphasis. Regardless, it got me thinking about what a “Hail Mary” half guard game I have. I basically just aggressively shrimp and bridge until I get my guard back (against a weak opponent maybe I’ll get an ugly power sweep, or take the back). This is a pretty lame state of affairs, so I read the half-guard sequences with interest.
Bravo posits that “regular” half-guard (i.e. triangling your legs into a figure four) limits your options, and is more easily passed than his alternative…The Lockdown. I have to admit, I often find it tough to get the lockdown on people, but when I do, I notice that a lot of them find it pretty uncomfortable. For those who don’t know, this is the lockdown:
Once you’ve got the lockdown, the next task is to get double-underhooks and then whip up onto your side. At that point, a number of possibilities open up. Now that’s easier said than done! Good guys are not going to let you get the underhooks, and they’re definitely not going to let you whip up to your side…but hey, like most useful things, it takes practice.
Once you’re in position, a cool array of sweeps and options open up: old school, electric chair, and stoner control, to name a few.
I’ve mapped some of the basic and entry phase options in the following tree diagram – follow from left to right (click on the image to improve the quality):
I think it’s time to revisit the lockdown at training. At the very least it should stop my half guard getting smashed all the time.
Here’s a video of the old school sweep for inspiration:
The Patient Grappler 