High Guard

High Guard is an advanced variation of the Closed Guard where you use your legs to climb higher up your opponent's torso, isolating their arms and shoulders while applying intense Pressure and control. This position is excellent for setting up submissions like the Armbar, Triangle Choke, Omoplata, and sweeps. High Guard leverages Angles, Leverage, and Connections to dominate the opponent’s posture and limit their mobility.

How to Enter High Guard

Start in Closed Guard

  • Break the opponent's posture by pulling them down with your legs and controlling their head or collar.

Secure Wrist or Arm Control

Climb Your Legs

  • Open your guard slightly and lift your hips off the mat, allowing you to slide your legs higher up their torso.
  • Lock your legs tightly above their ribs or near their shoulders for better control.

Angle Adjustment

  • Shift your hips to one side to create an angle, which isolates their arm and prepares for submission setups.

Control Posture

  • Keep the opponent’s posture broken using your legs, grips, and Pressure.

Key Features of High Guard

Leg Position

  • Your legs are higher on the opponent’s torso, often crossing over their shoulders or trapping one arm.

Posture Control

  • The elevated position of your legs makes it difficult for the opponent to regain posture.

Isolation

  • High Guard isolates the opponent’s arms and shoulders, setting up submissions or sweeps.

Transitions

  • You can seamlessly move into submission attacks or positional advancements.

Submissions from High Guard

Armbar

  • From High Guard, trap one arm and swing your leg over their head to finish the submission.

Triangle Choke

  • Use High Guard to trap one arm while locking your legs around their neck and arm for the choke.

Omoplata

  • Shift your hips and bring your leg over their trapped arm to execute this shoulder lock.

Invisible Collar or Cross Collar Choke

  • With the opponent’s posture broken, use the High Guard to secure a deep collar grip and finish the choke.

Sweeps from High Guard

Flower Sweep

  • Use High Guard to control one arm and leg, then pivot to off-balance and sweep the opponent.

Pendulum Sweep

  • Transition from High Guard to sweep the opponent by using a pendulum motion with your legs.

Hip Bump Sweep

  • Exploit the opponent’s posture-breaking reaction to execute a powerful hip bump.

Advantages of High Guard

Posture Control

  • High Guard forces the opponent to stay bent forward, limiting their ability to stack or posture out.

Isolation

  • Their arms and shoulders are effectively neutralized, making it easier to attack.

Versatility

  • High Guard transitions smoothly into various submissions and sweeps.

Improved Defense

  • It’s harder for the opponent to pass your guard or apply pressure while trapped in High Guard.

Common Mistakes

Loose Leg Position

  • If your legs aren’t tight, the opponent can posture up or escape.

Neglecting Grips

  • Without proper arm or wrist control, the opponent can use their hands to defend.

Lack of Angles

  • Staying flat on your back reduces the effectiveness of submissions and control.

Forcing Submissions

  • Don’t rush into submissions; focus on maintaining control and setting them up properly.

Transitions from High Guard

  • Move into Back Control by shifting behind your opponent.
  • Drop into Rubber Guard for more flexibility in submission setups.
  • Return to Closed Guard if you lose control, ensuring you maintain a strong defensive position.

High Guard is a dominant, offensive guard position that allows you to control and attack your opponent with precision. Mastering this position adds a dynamic and high-percentage tool to your Guard game.

Advancing High Guard

Transitions from High Guard

Back Control

  • From High Guard, angle your body and climb higher up your opponent's torso. Control their posture and rotate behind them, inserting hooks for Back Control.

Rubber Guard

  • Release your legs from the locked position and bring one leg across their upper back while keeping posture control. This opens up Rubber Guard setups.

S-Mount

  • Break their posture and climb up into Mount, sliding one knee near their head to establish S-Mount for better control.

Submissions from High Guard

Armbar

  • Trap one arm by controlling their wrist or sleeve and shift your hips to the side. Swing your leg over their head and extend your hips to finish.

Triangle Choke

  • Isolate one arm by pulling it across your centerline, then lock your legs around their neck and trapped arm to secure the choke.

Omoplata

  • Break their posture and angle your hips. Bring one leg over their trapped arm while shifting to the side, finishing with the shoulder lock.

Invisible Collar

  • Secure a deep grip on the collar with one hand while keeping the opponent’s posture broken. Use your legs to maintain control as you finish the choke.

Cross Collar Choke

  • Grab deep inside the collar with both hands, crossing your grips to apply pressure to their neck and finish the submission.

Sweeps from High Guard

Flower Sweep

  • Control one arm and grip the opponent’s pants or leg. Use your leg to pendulum and off-balance them while rotating to sweep into Mount.

Pendulum Sweep

  • Similar to the Flower Sweep, use a pendulum motion with your legs and angle your hips to flip the opponent over.

Hip Bump Sweep

  • Break their posture forward, then sit up explosively while trapping their arm and post to roll them over to Mount.

Scissor Sweep Variation

  • Control one arm and create a slight angle. Use your top leg to sweep across their torso while pulling their trapped arm.

Passes from High Guard

Leg Drag Pass (Opponent Attempting to Stand)

  • If the opponent tries to posture up or stand, release one leg and drag their leg across their body to initiate the Leg Drag Pass.

Smash Pass

  • As you transition out of High Guard, use your shin or knee to staple their thigh and flatten them to finish a pass to Side Control.

Escapes from High Guard (for the Opponent)

Posture Up Escape

  • The opponent regains posture by pulling their arms back and pressing their hips forward while breaking your leg control.

Knee Push Escape

  • The opponent pushes down on one of your knees and slides their body backward to disengage from High Guard.

Takedowns from High Guard

Arm Drag to Back Take Takedown

  • From High Guard, angle your hips and pull their arm across. Transition to Back Control, then force the opponent forward or to the mat.

Trip from Guard Pull

  • If High Guard is used during a guard pull, off-balance the opponent by controlling their arms and sweeping their leg during the transition.

By mastering these techniques, High Guard becomes a versatile platform for offense, transitions, and positional control.

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