# Breaking a closed guard



## Andrew Green (Aug 7, 2004)

Note - There are other ways, this is just a fairly common one.  This also DOES NOT work with strikes, this is a submission grappling method only.  With strikes you will likely get punched in the face then swept or submitted.

Breaking the closed guard  In a little more detail

Step 1

First thing you have to do is protect yourself from being swept or submitted. 

First you want a good wide base with your knees, keep them outside of either side his hips, this will also restrict his hip mobility.

Now get your weight down low, butt to heels and keep it there.

In order to attack he needs use of his arms, his hips or both. So we have to tie them up. Also if he has control of your arms you will be unable to pass his guard, and in danger of a submission.

So use your head to pin him. You are using it as a third hand to keep him flat on the floor. At the same time you are protecting yourself from a whole bunch of sweeps and submissions that require your head to be up to do.

Now we want to control the arms as well, in order to break the guard so that we may pass / stand up / leg lock we need to control the inside line. So start working to control his arms at the elbow and keep them up and away from him. Do not fight him with strength, instead relax and bring your arm back inside and reset when he tries to fight out. It takes practice but you do not want to rely on strength when doing this.

*A simple drill is to get into a closed guard and fight for control of the arms. He is trying to get underhooks / overhooks / neck ties, you are trying to pin his arms out.

Ok, now were safe, time to start working into position to break the guard.

Step 2

Posture the legs.

With his arms tied up with your arms, and him pinned on his back with your head you are fairly safe to adjust your base to a less stable position, but one you can use to break his guard.

Stick your right knee right into his tail bone it is going to be used as a wedge. Your left foot is going out to the left and back a bit so that he cant reach it to grab it.

Make sure you keep yourself low and your head pressing down.

Step 3

Move the hands into position.

Now that we have the base we need to break we have to move your hands into position. They are going to move from his elbows to his hips and take over the job that your head was doing so that you can posture up.

Your arms will be far enough back to make attacking difficult, especially with his hips pinned to the floor.

The most common mistake that gets made is to bring the head up before the hands are on the hips. This opens you up to a number of sweeps and submissions during this step. Keep your head down.

Step 4

Straighten up

Now that the hands are in place pressing the hips to the floor you can bring your head up. Keep the pressure down on his hips and straighten yourself up, here your butt comes away from your heels and your head away from him.

Step 5

Break the guard

Using that right knee as a wedge sit back and keep his hips pressed to the floor with your hands. If the guard is not breaking use your right elbow to press down on his leg to assist, keeping your hand on his hips.

Now that his guard is broken you can pass, fall back to a leg lock or stand up and separate.

Other methods of guard breaking work of similar ideas, First you protect yourself and control the inside line. Adjust your base if you need to, put your hands in position, posture up and break it.

The important thing to realise is that if you loose control at any time you must start over, otherwise you are in danger. So if you get to step 4 and he gets an underhook go back to step 1 or you could be in trouble.


----------

