X Guard

X Guard is a highly effective and versatile Open Guard system in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that focuses on controlling the opponent's legs to disrupt their base and balance. The guard is named for the "X" shape created by the bottom player's legs as they hook and control one of the opponent’s legs. X Guard is particularly useful for sweeps and transitions, enabling practitioners to off-balance opponents and transition to dominant positions.

Key Features of X Guard

Leg Placement

  • One leg hooks behind the opponent’s far-side thigh (creating the "X" shape).
  • The other leg hooks inside their near-side thigh or rests across their hip.

Control Points

  • The bottom player uses their legs, feet, and hands to control the opponent’s posture and center of gravity.
  • Grips on the opponent's pants or ankle enhance control.

Body Position

  • The practitioner stays closely connected to the opponent’s leg, often lying on their back or side to maximize leverage.

Posture Disruption

  • X Guard effectively limits the opponent's mobility and ability to generate pressure, making it difficult for them to pass or attack.

Objectives of X Guard

Control the Opponent

  • Use your hooks and grips to neutralize their base and posture.

Set Up Sweeps

  • Exploit their compromised balance to sweep them into dominant positions.

Transition to Other Positions

Common Techniques from X Guard

Sweeps

Back Sweep

  • Pull their far leg while driving their hips backward, toppling them.

Technical Stand-Up Sweep

  • Use their off-balance posture to stand up while controlling their leg, transitioning to a takedown.

Side Sweep

  • Lift and push their far leg to the side, disrupting their base.

Overhead Sweep

  • Use your hooks and grips to elevate their body, flipping them overhead.

Submissions

Heel Hook

  • Isolate their leg while maintaining X Guard, transitioning into a Heel Hook submission.

Straight Ankle Lock

Kneebar

  • Trap their leg and extend it, applying pressure to their knee joint.

Transitions

To Single-Leg X Guard

  • Shift your hook placement and control their lead leg, transitioning into Single-Leg X Guard.

To Butterfly Guard

To Deep Half Guard

To Standing

Defending Against X Guard (Top Player)

Clear the Hooks

  • Use your hands or free leg to remove the opponent’s hooks, regaining control of your base.

Posture Up

  • Maintain an upright posture to avoid being off-balanced or swept.

Smash Pass

  • Apply pressure to their hips or chest, flattening them to escape the guard.

Knee Cut Pass

  • Pin their hooks and slice your knee across their Guard to pass.

Tips for Effective X Guard

  • Use your hooks and grips actively to off-balance your opponent constantly.
  • Stay tight to their leg to maintain connections and deny them the ability to escape.
  • Be patient and wait for the right moment to attack, ensuring their base is compromised.
  • Transition fluidly between X Guard and other guards, like Single-Leg X Guard, to adapt to their defense.

X Guard is a powerful tool for sweeping and controlling opponents, especially when used to exploit their base, angles, and posture. Its adaptability makes it a valuable addition to any grappler's arsenal.

Advancing X Guard

Transitions from X Guard

To Single-Leg X Guard

  • Shift your hooks so that one foot hooks under their thigh while the other pushes on their hip, transitioning to Single-Leg X Guard for focused leg control.

To Butterfly Guard

  • Remove your hooks and sit up while maintaining grips on their legs, transitioning into Butterfly Guard.

To Deep Half Guard

  • Roll under their hips and trap one of their legs to secure Deep Half Guard.

To Closed Guard

  • Pull them forward with your grips while retracting your legs to wrap around their waist and establish Closed Guard.

To Standing

  • Use the Technical Stand-Up while maintaining control of their leg to rise to a standing position for takedowns.

Submissions from X Guard

Heel Hook

  • From X Guard, isolate their leg and control their knee, transitioning into the Heel Hook submission by twisting their foot.

Straight Ankle Lock

  • Use the control of their leg to trap their ankle and apply pressure for the Straight Ankle Lock.

Kneebar

  • Extend their leg while controlling their knee and hip to hyperextend the knee.

Calf Slicer

  • Trap their leg in a figure-four position and apply pressure to their calf with your legs.

Toe Hold

  • Use their exposed foot to apply rotational pressure on their ankle.

Sweeps from X Guard

Back Sweep

  • Pull their far leg while driving their hips backward to off-balance and topple them.

Technical Stand-Up Sweep

  • Off-balance them using your hooks and rise to your feet while controlling their leg, transitioning to top position.

Side Sweep

  • Use your hooks to lift and push their far leg to the side, destabilizing their base and sweeping them.

Overhead Sweep

  • Elevate their hips with your hooks while gripping their leg, flipping them overhead.

Dummy Sweep

  • Collapse their balance by pulling their leg and rotating their base, forcing them to fall forward or sideways.

Passes to Counter X Guard (Top Player)

Clear the Hooks

  • Use your free hand or leg to remove their hooks from your legs, regaining control of your base.

Knee Cut Pass

  • Pin their hooks and slice your knee across their guard, transitioning to Side Control.

Backstep Pass

  • Step your free leg over their hooks and rotate into a passing position.

Smash Pass

  • Apply pressure to their hips and legs, flattening their X Guard to neutralize their attacks.

Leg Drag Pass

  • Drag their hooked leg across your body and pin it, advancing into a dominant position.

Escapes from X Guard (Bottom Player)

Invert Escape

  • Roll under their base while maintaining hooks to recover Guard or transition to a sweep.

Frame and Shrimp

  • Use your arms to frame against their chest or hips, creating space to recover Open Guard.

Roll to Butterfly Guard

  • Use the hooks to create momentum, rolling to a seated Butterfly Guard position.

Reestablish Hooks

  • If they clear one hook, replace it while maintaining tension with your grips.

Takedowns from X Guard

Sweep to Stand-Up Takedown

  • Sweep them backward or sideways, then rise to your feet while maintaining control to execute a takedown.

Single-Leg Takedown

  • Transition from X Guard to standing, lifting their leg and driving forward to complete the takedown.

Tripod Sweep to Trip

  • Use the hooks and grips to knock them backward, then drive forward to secure a trip.

Ankle Pick Takedown

  • From a standing position after a sweep, grip their ankle and push forward to take them down.

Back Take Transition

X Guard provides a versatile and powerful system for sweeping, submitting, and transitioning, using leverage, angles, and precise control to dominate the opponent's base and posture. Its adaptability makes it a key tool in the arsenal of advanced guard players.

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