Half Guard Top

Half Guard Top refers to the position where you are on top of your opponent while they control one of your legs between theirs. This position is a key element of the Positional Hierarchy, sitting between Side Control and a fully neutral position. The goal in Half Guard Top is to maintain dominant pressure, neutralize your opponent's offense, and work toward passing their guard or attacking directly.

Key Concepts for Half Guard Top

Weight Distribution

  • Keep your weight heavy on your opponent to prevent them from moving freely or attacking effectively. Focus on pinning their shoulders or hips with your chest, arms, and pressure.

Frames and Connections

  • Neutralize your opponent's Frames by staying tight and removing their ability to create space. Use underhooks, Crossface, or heavy chest-to-chest contact to maintain control.

Pressure

  • Constant forward pressure ensures your opponent struggles to initiate offense, creating openings for you to advance.

Common Goals from Half Guard Top

Advance to Side Control or Mount

  • Work to free your trapped leg and establish a more dominant position.

Attack Submissions

Cook the Opponent

  • Use pressure and control to tire them out and limit their ability to attack or defend.

Techniques and Strategies

Underhook Control

  • Establish a Deep Underhook to prevent your opponent from attacking or sweeping. This control also sets up passes like the Knee Cut.

Crossface Pressure

  • Apply pressure to your opponent's head and neck, turning their face away. This makes it harder for them to frame or generate movement.

Trapped Leg Work

  • Free your trapped leg by:
    • Using your free foot to pry their legs apart.
    • "Walking" your foot up to create space.
    • Using a Back Step or Knee Slide Pass.

Key Challenges and Solutions

Opponent's Underhook

Knee Shield Framing

  • If they use a knee shield, address it by:

Sweeps

Half Guard Top is a versatile position that allows you to apply relentless pressure while working toward a dominant position or submission. Mastery of Weight Distribution, Frames, and Pressure is essential for maintaining control and progressing from this position.

Advancing Half Guard Top

Transitions from Half Guard Top

Pass to Side Control

  • Use a Knee Cut or a Smash Pass to clear the trapped leg while maintaining heavy pressure with your shoulder and Frames to neutralize the opponent's movement. Establish Side Control once the leg is passed.

Transition to Mount

  • After flattening the opponent, step your free leg over their body while keeping tight upper-body control to secure Low Mount or High Mount.

Submissions from Half Guard Top

Kimura

  • Secure the opponent’s wrist with one hand and thread your other hand under their arm to lock the Figure-Four Grip. Break their grip and apply the submission by lifting their arm behind their back.

Arm Triangle

  • Flatten the opponent and weave your arm under their head and around their far arm. Lock your hands together and apply shoulder pressure to complete the choke.

Darce Choke

  • If the opponent tries to frame or underhook, thread your arm under their neck and around their far arm, locking the choke as you sprawl to finish.

Sweeps from Half Guard Top

Back Take Sweep

  • If the opponent attempts an underhook, counter by controlling their hip and threading your free leg to establish Back Control.

Guard Passes from Half Guard Top

Knee Slide Pass

  • Pin their top leg to the mat with your knee and slice through the guard while keeping control of their upper body with an Underhook or Crossface.

Smash Pass

  • Flatten the opponent and stack their knees together. Drive forward with pressure to pin them, then circle around to Side Control.

Over-Under Pass

  • Thread one arm under their leg and the other over their hip, stack their legs, and walk to the side to clear their guard.

Escapes from Half Guard Top (if swept or in danger of losing position)

Backdoor Escape

  • If they establish an underhook and try to take your back, post your weight forward, clear their hooks, and regain control by circling behind them.

Pillow Escape

  • If they get under you, post on your free leg and push off their frame to reset posture and return to top control.

Takedowns to Enter Half Guard Top

Single-Leg Takedown

  • Transition from the single-leg finish directly into Half Guard Top by controlling their leg and securing your base over their hips.

Body Lock Takedown

  • Use heavy chest pressure to land directly into a dominant position in their Half Guard.

These techniques leverage the principles of Pressure, Leverage, and Grip Fighting to achieve dominance and control from Half Guard Top.

YouTube Videos