Butterfly Guard

Butterfly Guard is a versatile and dynamic Open Guard position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where the practitioner sits upright with their legs bent and their feet hooked inside the opponent’s thighs. This position provides strong Connections and allows for effective Leverage to control the opponent’s posture, disrupt their balance, and set up sweeps, submissions, or transitions.

Key Features of Butterfly Guard

Hooks

  • The feet act as hooks inside the opponent’s thighs, allowing control and leverage for sweeps and movement.

Posture

  • The practitioner maintains an upright posture with a straight back, enabling mobility and effective Grip Fighting.

Frames

  • The hands, forearms, and knees create barriers to prevent the opponent from collapsing your guard.

Angle Creation

  • Butterfly Guard excels when you create angles to off-balance the opponent and exploit their base.

Objectives of Butterfly Guard

Control the Opponent’s Posture

  • Use Hooks and Frames to keep the opponent from advancing or breaking your posture.
  • Secure grips on the opponent's arms, lapel, or belt to control their upper body.

Disrupt Balance

  • Rock the opponent side-to-side or forward and backward to create sweeping opportunities.
  • Use your legs and hips to lift or off-balance them, exploiting their weaknesses.

Set Up Attacks

Common Sweeps from Butterfly Guard

  • Butterfly Sweep: A powerful sweep where you lift the opponent with a hook and roll them over.
  • Elevator Sweep: Using a lifting motion with one leg to tilt and off-balance the opponent.
  • Hook Sweep: Redirecting the opponent’s weight to the side by using an inside leg hook.
  • Reverse Butterfly Sweep: Rolling under the opponent to flip their weight backward.

Common Submissions from Butterfly Guard

  • Guillotine: Securing the neck while controlling their posture.
  • Triangle Choke: Transitioning into a triangle when the opponent’s arm and head are exposed.
  • Armbar: Isolating the arm and transitioning to a submission after breaking their posture.

Transitions from Butterfly Guard

  • Transition to X Guard by extending one leg and maintaining a hook.
  • Transition to Closed Guard by pulling the opponent forward and closing your legs around them.
  • Move into Single-Leg X Guard or De La Riva when creating angles or chasing sweeps.

Common Mistakes in Butterfly Guard

Poor Posture

  • Leaning back excessively or allowing the opponent to flatten you makes sweeps and attacks ineffective.

Neglecting Hooks

  • Without active hooks, the opponent can easily pass or collapse your guard.

Static Defense

  • Butterfly Guard requires constant adjustment, grip fighting, and movement to maintain control.

Forcing Techniques

  • Trying to sweep or submit without off-balancing the opponent often leads to failed attempts and guard passes.

Butterfly Guard emphasizes the principles of Angles, Leverage, Frames, and Fundamentals/Base to control and attack effectively. It is a versatile position that allows practitioners to adapt to both offensive and defensive scenarios, making it a critical skill in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Advancing Butterfly Guard

Transitions from Butterfly Guard

  • Transition to X Guard by extending one leg while maintaining a hook.
  • Transition to Closed Guard by pulling the opponent forward and securing the guard.
  • Move into Single-Leg X Guard when creating angles for leg attacks.
  • Transition to De La Riva when the opponent stands to counter your guard.

Submissions from Butterfly Guard

  • Guillotine by controlling the neck during a posture break.
  • Armbar by isolating and extending an arm during grip control.
  • Triangle Choke by trapping an arm and transitioning to the choke.
  • Kimura by catching the opponent’s arm while controlling their posture.

Sweeps from Butterfly Guard

Takedowns from Butterfly Guard

YouTube Videos