Your Parachute Guard Method

Choosing a guard system should be like shopping for a parachute for skydiving. It’s not something you should ever skimp on the quality or design, for any price. This is how you should treat your guard game in Jiu-Jitsu. The guard is the number one thing that separates BJJ from all other grappling arts, wrestling, sambo, catch wrestling, sumo wrestling, etc. Deciding on a guard is the most.

When you can’t control or submit an opponent from bottom. Just need to get on top and change the tempo. Sweep threat also opens up subs.

Assuming you already understand the general theory of guard retention and recovery, you are ready to choose your parachute. You can’t just pick any parachute. This is one part of BJJ that relies on body type.

Think about:

-Body type -Admire most

Compact body type:

Butterfly-Guard System Sweeps: Suma geishi, X-guard, Scissor, Half butterfly, armdrag backtake/sweep ​ Instructors/Competitors: Adam Wardzinksi, John Danaher, Marcelo Garcia, Garry Tonon, Tom ​ ​ ​ DeBlass

Half-Guard System Sweeps: Deep half, z-guard, half-butterfly, dogfight, electric chair, x-guard, z-guard, sit-up to ​ single-leg td Instructors/Competitors: Bernardo Faria, Jeff Glover, Marcelo Garcia, Lucas Leite, Eddie Bravo, ​ ​ ​ Garry Tonon

X-Guard System (best hybrid for gi and nogi) Sweeps: Tilt Sweep, X ankle pick sweep, Technical stand sweep ​ Instructors/Competitors: John Danaher, Marcelo Garcia, Tony Ferguson, Keenan Cornelius, ​ Garry Tonon, Eddie Cummings, Romulo Barral

Lanky body type:

Closed-Guard System Sweeps: Scissor sweep, pendulum sweep (w/armbar option), omoplata sweep, kimura hip ​ bump sweep Instructors/Competitors: Kron Gracie, Roger Gracie, Richie Martinez, Gordon Ryan, Charles ​ Oliveira, Jeremiah Vance, Brandon McCaghren

De La Riva-Guard System Sweeps: Tripod sweep, Reverse DLR spiral sweep/backtake (crabride), berimbolo ​ backtake/sweep, Mantis to X-sweeps Instructors/Competitors: Mikey Musemeci, Rafael Mendes, Gui Mendes, Keenan Cornelius, ​ Joao Miyao, Paulo Miyao

X-Guard System (best hybrid for gi and nogi) Sweeps: Tilt Sweep, X ankle pick sweep, Technical stand sweep ​ Instructors/Competitors: John Danaher, Marcelo Garcia, Tony Ferguson, Keenan Cornelius, ​ Garry Tonon, Eddie Cummings, Romulo Barral

Action: Categorize yourself as either compact or lanky (no self-body shaming allowed :P). Then ​ ​ choose one of the systems that interest you. Maybe you’ve already used with some success or it just fascinates you. Then start searching some of the competitor names and see which one makes you go “laptop beastmode”. Then, write on a piece of paper the system/microsystem, 2 or 3 competitors you like to watch, and one instructor you might be able to learn from (either online or in-person).

Note: Your instructor might be one of the competitors, but it doesn’t have to be. Often the best teachers are not competitors.

Where to find instructors:

● Your professor ● An advanced classmate (ideally purple belt or higher) ● DVD/streaming instructionals (ex: BJJ fanatics, budovideos, etc.) ● Online academy subscription (ex: MGinaction, Mastering the System, Rogergracie.tv, etc.)