The Closed Guard: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Jiu-Jitsu’s Essential Position

When you first step onto the mats as a beginner in Jiu-Jitsu, one of the first positions you’ll learn is the closed guard. This position is a fundamental aspect of Jiu-Jitsu that every practitioner must utilize. Understanding and effectively using the closed guard can dramatically enhance your defensive and offensive capabilities, making it a crucial part of your Jiu-Jitsu toolkit.

What is the Closed Guard?

The closed guard is a position where the practitioner on the bottom wraps their legs around the opponent’s waist, crossing their ankles and keeping their feet locked together. This position allows the person on the bottom to control their opponent’s hips and movement, making it difficult for the opponent to escape or advance to a more dominant position.

In the closed guard, your legs act as a barrier, preventing your opponent from passing to side control or mount. Meanwhile, your hands are free to control your opponent’s arms and posture, setting up various sweeps, submissions, or transitions.

Why is the Closed Guard Important?

The closed guard is one of the most versatile positions in Jiu-Jitsu. It provides a safe haven from which you can defend against an opponent’s attacks while also offering numerous offensive opportunities. Here are a few reasons why the closed guard is essential:

1. Control and Safety: The closed guard allows you to control your opponent’s posture and prevent them from advancing to a more dominant position. This control helps you slow things down while planning your next move.
2. Setup for Submissions: From the closed guard, you can set up a variety of submissions, such as the armbar, triangle choke, and guillotine. Your legs and hips play a crucial role in applying these techniques effectively.
3. Opportunities for Sweeps: The closed guard is also an excellent position for initiating sweeps. By disrupting your opponent’s balance, you can reverse the position and end up on top, gaining a more dominant position.
4. Positional Versatility: Whether you’re practicing self-defense, sport Jiu-Jitsu, or MMA, the closed guard is a position that can be applied in various scenarios, making it an invaluable tool in your overall game.

Basic Techniques from the Closed Guard

1. Breaking Your Opponent’s Posture:

One of the first skills to master from the closed guard is breaking your opponent’s posture. If your opponent maintains a strong, upright posture, they can effectively defend against your attacks and work on passing your guard. To break their posture:

• Control the Head or Neck: Crowing the top of opponents head will break their posture, anchoring on the back of their neck make them carry your weight, each have their uses.  Pull them forward, bringing their head down toward your chest.
• Use Your Legs: Engage your legs to pull your opponent closer, using your hips to break their posture. This action weakens their ability to generate power and disrupts their balance.

2. Setting Up the Armbar:

The armbar is a classic submission from the closed guard, targeting your opponent’s elbow joint. Here’s a basic setup:

• Control the Arm: Grab your opponent’s wrist with one hand while your other hand controls their elbow. Pull their arm across your body, trapping it against your chest.
• Create an Angle: Open your guard and place one foot on your opponent’s hip. Pivot your body to create an angle, swinging your leg over their head.
• Finish the Armbar: Squeeze your knees together, lift your hips, and pull down on the trapped arm to apply pressure to the elbow joint.

3. Executing the Scissor Sweep:

The scissor sweep is an effective technique for reversing positions from the closed guard. Here’s how it works:

• Control the Neck and Wrist: Grip your opponent’s neck with one hand and their wrist with the other.
• Position Your Legs: Open your guard and place one shin across your opponent’s abdomen while the other leg stays on the mat.
• Sweep: Push with your shin while pulling your opponent’s arm and neck to your chest, using the momentum to sweep them onto their back. Follow through by transitioning into a top position.

Tips for Improving Your Closed Guard

1. Focus on Hips and Core Strength: A strong core and hip mobility are crucial for maintaining an effective closed guard. Regularly incorporate exercises that enhance these areas into your training routine.
2. Keep Your Opponent Guessing: Don’t be predictable. Mix up your attacks and transitions to keep your opponent off-balance and uncertain of your next move.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice: The closed guard is a position that requires repetition to master. Spend time drilling techniques from the closed guard and apply them during live sparring sessions.
4. Watch and Learn: Study high-level practitioners and how they use the closed guard in competition. Analyzing their techniques can provide insights into improving your own game.

The closed guard is a cornerstone of Jiu-Jitsu, offering a blend of defense and offense that is crucial for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. By actively practicing this position, you’ll enhance your ability to control opponents, set up submissions, and execute sweeps.

As you continue your Jiu-Jitsu journey, dedicate time to refining your closed guard. The skills you develop here will serve you well in every aspect of the art, helping you become a more well-rounded and effective practitioner.

The next time you find yourself in the closed guard, remember that guard is an attacking position, not a defensive position.