Stand-Up Escape from Closed Guard: Mastering the Fundamental Technique for Getting Back on Your Feet

The closed guard is a common position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where the bottom person wraps their legs around the top person to control their movements. While being stuck in someone’s closed guard can be frustrating, there are several techniques you can use to escape and gain a dominant position. In this article, we’ll focus on the stand-up escape from closed guard, a technique that can help you get back to your feet and regain control of the match.

Establish Good Posture

The first step in executing the stand-up escape from closed guard is to establish good posture. This means sitting up straight, keeping your back straight and your head up. You want to create as much space as possible between you and your opponent to make it more difficult for them to control your movements. You can use your hands to push your opponent’s hips away from you or grab onto their sleeves to control their arms.

Break the Closed Guard

Once you’ve established good posture, you’ll want to work on breaking your opponent’s closed guard. To do this, you can use your hands to grab onto their knees or ankles and push them away from you. You can also use your hips to push forward, creating pressure and making it more difficult for your opponent to keep their guard closed.

Posture Up and Stand Up

With the closed guard broken, you can now focus on posture up and standing up. To do this, place one foot on the ground and the other foot on your opponent’s hip. Use your foot on their hip to create space and stand up, pulling your opponent up with you. As you stand up, be sure to maintain good posture and keep your head up.

Pass the Guard

With your opponent standing up with you, you can now focus on passing their guard. There are many different guard passing techniques you can use, but a common one is to step over your opponent’s leg and move into side control. As you pass their guard, be sure to maintain good control and keep your weight distributed evenly to prevent your opponent from sweeping you.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One common mistake people make when attempting the stand-up escape from closed guard is failing to establish good posture. Without good posture, it will be more difficult to break your opponent’s closed guard and stand up. Another mistake is standing up too quickly or without using proper technique, which can give your opponent an opportunity to sweep you or catch you in a submission.

Key Principles

There are several key principles to keep in mind when attempting the stand-up escape from closed guard. First, be patient and focus on establishing good posture before attempting to break your opponent’s closed guard. Second, use your hands and hips to create pressure and break the closed guard. Third, maintain good posture and keep your head up as you stand up. Fourth, be prepared to pass your opponent’s guard once you’ve stood up. Finally, avoid common mistakes like failing to establish good posture or standing up too quickly.

 

The stand-up escape from closed guard is a valuable technique to have in your arsenal, as it can help you escape from a difficult position and regain control of the match. By focusing on good posture, breaking the closed guard, standing up, and passing your opponent’s guard, you can successfully execute this technique and move into a dominant position. Remember to be patient and focused, and avoid common mistakes like standing up too quickly. With practice and dedication, you can master the stand-up escape from closed guard and become a more well-rounded grappler.