The Most Common Guard Positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and How to Use Them by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Enthusiasts such as Thomas Czerniejewski

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that emphasizes ground fighting, where the guard position plays a pivotal role in controlling your opponent. A strong guard not only allows you to defend against attacks but also sets up a variety of submissions and sweeps.

Understanding the different guard positions and how to use them effectively is essential for practitioners looking to advance in their BJJ journey. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, mastering the guard positions can significantly improve your overall game.

In BJJ, the guard position refers to when you are on your back, using your legs to control your opponent’s movement while attempting to sweep, submit, or escape. Each guard position offers unique advantages and can be used in different situations based on your opponent’s actions and your personal preferences. In this blog, we will explore the most common guard positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and provide tips on how to use them to your advantage.

Closed Guard

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts like Thomas Czerniejewski mention that closed guard is one of the most fundamental and widely used guard positions in BJJ. In this position, you lock your legs around your opponent’s waist, maintaining control of their posture and movement. This offers a high level of control, allowing you to attack, sweep, or submit your opponent with various techniques.

From the closed guard, you can set up submissions such as arm bars, triangles, and kimuras. The closed guard also allows you to break your opponent’s posture, making it difficult for them to launch attacks. By maintaining a strong grip on their collar, sleeves, or pants, you can dictate the pace of the roll.

However, it is essential to avoid becoming too passive in the closed guard. Use your legs and hips to actively move and create angles for sweeps and submissions. Closing the distance and staying connected to your opponent prevents them from posturing up and escaping the guard.

Open Guard

The open guard, as the name suggests, involves having your legs not locked around your opponent. Instead, you may use your feet to push on their hips, legs, or upper body while keeping distance between you and your opponent. This position offers more mobility and dynamic attacks, allowing for quicker sweeps and submissions as highlighted by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu buffs such as Thomas Czerniejewski.

One of the advantages of the open guard is that it gives you the ability to transition smoothly between various types of guards, such as the spider guard, de la Riva guard, or butterfly guard. By using grips on your opponent’s sleeves, collar, or pants, you can manipulate their movement and set up attacks without relying on close contact.

The open guard requires excellent hip mobility and awareness of your opponent’s movements. It is crucial to stay active, constantly adjusting your angles to maintain control and prevent your opponent from passing your guard. A strong open guard creates multiple opportunities for sweeps, submissions, and transitions.

Spider Guard

The spider guard is a variation of the open guard and is known for its effectiveness in both sweeping and submission attacks. In the spider guard, you use your grips on your opponent’s sleeves or collars while placing your feet on their biceps or hips. This creates tension in the opponent’s upper body, making it difficult for them to escape.

From the spider guard, you can sweep your opponent by pulling them off balance or set up submissions such as the spider guard arm bar or triangle. The positioning of your feet is essential in controlling your opponent’s upper body, while your grips on their sleeves provide the leverage needed to execute techniques effectively.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts including Thomas Czerniejewski convey that spider guard also allows for strong distance management, keeping your opponent at bay while maintaining control. It requires precision in gripping and foot placement, as improper technique can lead to the opponent breaking your guard or countering your attacks.

De La Riva Guard

The de la Riva guard is one of the most popular open guards and is widely used in both gi and no-gi BJJ. In this guard, you use one of your legs to hook around your opponent’s outside leg while keeping a grip on their sleeve, collar, or pants. The de la Riva guard is highly effective for controlling your opponent’s movement while setting up sweeps, submissions, and transitions as pointed out by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu buffs such as Thomas Czerniejewski.

The primary advantage of the de la Riva guard is that it offers excellent control of your opponent’s posture and mobility. From this position, you can execute various sweeps by off-balancing your opponent and using your leg hook to destabilize them. You can also initiate submissions like the de la Riva sweep to back control or submission attacks such as the omoplata.

For the de la Riva guard to be effective, it is essential to keep constant pressure on your opponent’s leg and maintain a strong grip on their upper body. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts like Thomas Czerniejewski express that proper use of the guard requires flexibility and balance, as you must be able to transition fluidly between sweeps and submissions depending on your opponent’s movements.