Comparing Open Guard Sweeps

[AlphaBJJ]

One of the great things about jiu jitsu is the ability for the individual practitioner to intemperate the art for themselves. One of the most creative aspects about the art is in the open guard position. Here, in a highly movement based position, there is a lot of room for personal preference guided by basic principle.

Recently, we cut a short video comparing two practitioners take on some open guard work:

Its one of the neatest things about the art to me, the way similar principles can be used in slightly different tactical manners between practitioners with differing backgrounds.

So, what open guards are common here? What guiding principles between them do you see vs. the similarities?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

The open guards I use most often are butterfly, feet on hips, De La Riva, and shin-to-shin. I also do a bit of x-guard, single-leg x, and reverse DLR as the situation demands, but I haven't really fully worked out those games yet.

Guiding principles are continually fight for superior grips and work to break the top guys posture. Without those, nothing is likely to work well.

Regarding the video, I thought it was interesting that on the tripod/push-pull sweep you hooked behind the top guys ankle. I've always put the hook behind the knee. What advantages do you find for hooking the ankle?

I've never done the second sweep that Clint showed with the foot on the triceps. I'll have to try it sometime.

 

[AlphaBJJ]

The knee works as well.

Personally, I like the foot better because it really isolates the step back counter mechanic. Also, it brings the hand/ arm lower and builds a longer lever between the pushing foot and the trapping arm.

 

[kuniggety]

As a relative newbie, the only two open guards I purposefully use are butterfly and feet on hips. I occasionally wind up in some of the other guards but I haven't really trained them yet. Lately, I've been trying out the open seated guard but it keeps resulting in me being side mounted, haha. The one recurring principle I look for is when/where I can push and pull. Whether or not I get a sweep, I can get them off balance and keep movement happening which can open more moments of opportunity.