Guard Pull

The Guard Pull is a fundamental technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that transitions the practitioner from a standing position into their Guard with control over their opponent. This technique is often used as an alternative to a takedown, especially in scenarios where the practitioner prefers to play from Guard or has a guard-centric game. The goal is to establish a dominant Guard position while minimizing the opponent's ability to initiate a takedown or advance to a dominant position.

Key Principles

Maintaining Connections

  • The success of the guard pull relies on maintaining grips and close connections to your opponent during the transition.

Controlled Descent

  • Smoothly lowering yourself to the mat ensures you retain control and avoid giving your opponent opportunities to pass or advance.

Immediate Engagement

Grip Fighting

  • Secure grips on your opponent (collar, sleeve, or pants) to control their posture and limit their ability to attack.

Steps to Perform the Guard Pull

Set Up Grips

  • Secure strong grips on your opponent’s collar, sleeves, or pants to control their posture and upper body.
  • Maintain a solid base while preparing to pull.

Level Change

  • Lower your center of gravity slightly by bending your knees, preparing to pull your opponent into your Guard.

Foot Placement

  • Step one foot on their hip or thigh to maintain distance and control.
  • Use your other foot to initiate the descent, placing it on the mat or transitioning into hooks for a specific Guard.

Sit Back and Pull

  • Sit down with control, keeping your grips tight and pulling your opponent forward into your guard.
  • Your hips should engage to guide your opponent’s momentum while keeping them close.

Establish Guard Position

  • Once on the ground, quickly transition into a guard of your choice:

Closed Guard

  • Wrap your legs around their hips to trap them.

    Butterfly Guard

  • Insert hooks under their thighs for sweeping opportunities.

    De La Riva

  • Use a hook around their leg to destabilize their base.

Variations of the Guard Pull

Collar-and-Sleeve Pull

  • Use one hand on their collar and the other on their sleeve for maximum posture control during the pull.

Spider Guard Pull

  • Transition directly into Spider Guard by placing your feet on their biceps as you pull.

De La Riva Guard Pull

  • Use your grips to transition into De La Riva, immediately hooking their leg as you pull guard.

Butterfly Guard Pull

  • Pull directly into Butterfly Guard by positioning your hooks under their thighs during the descent.

Common Applications

Tournaments

  • The Guard Pull is often used in competition to avoid risking a takedown (which awards points to the opponent) while initiating guard control.

Against Takedown Specialists

Setting Up Sweeps or Submissions

Defensive Strategies

Preventing the Guard Pull

  • Counter the pull by maintaining strong posture, breaking grips, or stepping back to prevent connections.

Immediate Passing

  • As the opponent pulls guard, aggressively move to pass by controlling their legs and advancing into Side Control or Mount.

Follow-Ups and Transitions

Sweeps

Submissions

Advanced Guards

Tip

The Guard Pull requires precise timing and tight grip fighting to prevent counters or immediate guard passes. Focus on maintaining control and transitioning smoothly into your preferred Guard.

Positioning

The Guard Pull can be executed from various positions and scenarios where you can control your opponent’s posture and create a seamless transition to your preferred Guard. Below is a breakdown of the key positions and situations where the Guard Pull is effectively applied:

Neutral Standing Positions

Engaged Neutral Stance

  • From a neutral standing position where both opponents are engaging in grip fighting, a guard pull can transition you into a dominant guard position.

Collar-and-Sleeve Control

  • With one hand gripping your opponent’s collar and the other on their sleeve, you can pull directly into guards like Closed Guard or Butterfly Guard.

Double Lapel or Collar Grips

  • Using grips on both lapels or collars helps control your opponent’s posture as you pull guard.

Wrist Control

  • If you control both wrists or a wrist and sleeve, you can initiate a guard pull while keeping them off balance.

Takedown and Scramble Scenarios

Failed Takedown Attempt

  • If your takedown attempt (e.g., Single-Leg Takedown) fails, pulling guard can prevent your opponent from capitalizing on the position.

Against Forward Pressure

  • When your opponent pressures forward aggressively, use their momentum to transition into a guard pull and establish control.

In Scrambles

  • During dynamic exchanges, pulling guard can provide a stable position to reset and counter.

Preferred Guard Transitions

Pulling to Closed Guard

  • Initiate from standing or Combat Base by wrapping your legs around their torso after pulling them forward.

Pulling to Butterfly Guard

  • Place hooks under their thighs as you descend into guard, enabling immediate sweeping options.

Pulling to De La Riva

  • From grips on their sleeve or pant leg, hook their leg with your De La Riva as you pull guard.

Pulling to Spider Guard

Pulling to Single-Leg X Guard

  • Use your grips to secure control of their leg and pull directly into Single-Leg X Guard for attacking opportunities.

Dynamic Transitions

From Combat Base

  • If your opponent kneels with one knee up and one knee down, you can pull guard by controlling their collar or sleeve and guiding them into a Guard position.

Countering Aggressive Passing

After Breaking Grips

  • When disengaging from their grips, initiate a guard pull to prevent them from advancing or attacking.

Defensive and Counter Scenarios

Against Takedown Specialists

Countering Postural Dominance

  • If your opponent establishes strong posture during a grip exchange, pull guard to neutralize their positional advantage.

Submission and Sweep Opportunities

Submission Setups

Sweep Setups

Common Applications

Tournaments

  • The Guard Pull is widely used in competitions where takedown points are awarded, as pulling guard avoids conceding points for a takedown.

Against Taller Opponents

  • Pulling guard is a strategic option against opponents with a height or reach advantage in standing exchanges.

In No-Gi

  • Use wrist control or an underhook in no-gi situations to execute a guard pull effectively.
Tip

The Guard Pull thrives in positions where your grips are secure, and you can control your opponent’s posture. Focus on immediate transitions to a dominant Guard to minimize their opportunities to counter.

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