What Can You Do from In Guard Position?

The In-Guard Position can be very helpful when it comes to ground fighting. It is employed if you find your self on your back with your opponent on top of you (known as the Mounted Position). This is definitely a common occurrence against a bigger and more powerful adversary. If you know the way to use the In Guard Position then even though it may look like your enemy bears the advantage, the actual case is often rather different.

If someone is ‘In Your Guard’, he is really in the Mounted Position but your legs tend to be wrapped around his waistline and your feet are crossed around his or her back. This position is useful to take back some control when your adversary is on top of you since you can utilize your legs and hips to manage his weight. Also, you can thrust your pelvis forward to extend distance to ensure that he cannot hit you.

Even though you are on the bottom, it does not mean you are losing the fight. If you have someone ‘In Your Guard’, you are able to do finishing moves, such as the very effective choke known as the Guillotine. To do so, bring your left hand around the back of his neck, from your right, when sitting up. Under his body, get your wrist with your other hand to apply a Guillotine. Be sure his or her arm is not in the way. You have to be underneath his chin, by using the blade of your fore-arm on his throat. Push him away using your legs while pulling his or her neck to your chin to put on the choke.

Should you be ‘Inside His Guard’, your plan is usually to escape and get into the Mounted Position. The foundation of this is to ‘break his guard’, enter the Side Mount and then directly into the Mounted Position. If his legs are not crossed you can just move over his legs to get into the Mounted Position, but when his legs are crossed then you should use the following method to get to the Side Mount.

From a kneeling position, place your right hand on his left bicep. Next, put your left leg up onto your foot, ensuring to centre your balance so he or she is unable to just push you over. Putting your leg up will create a gap on the inside of his leg, you can then put your left arm through. Turn your body slightly on its side to the right so that you can go under this gap. Go under the curve of the knee, never his thigh, and then wriggle your shoulder under his leg. You should not try to muscle the arm, employ your shoulder. Your knee may additionally help to prevent him from bringing his leg down so that you can maintain that gap. Your left hand, which is now free, reaches out and grabs his left shoulder (or jacket). The notion of good grappling is to minimise your exertion levels, so the weight of his leg is carried by your body, not by your arm. Now swap the position of your legs right foot up, left knee down. Drive his knee in the direction of his head, which will force him or her to uncross his legs. Lastly, put your left elbow on the ground, walk around to the left and stabilize your position across him from his side. You are now in the Side Mount.