Lesson B: Taking the back from closed guard

Warm up – Basic conditioning and motor skill development.

  • Jogging
  • Inside Shuffle
  • Outside Shuffle
  • Alternate Shuffle
  • Carioca
  • Leg Windmilling
  • Panda Rolls
  • Closed Guard Crunches
  • Plough and Stretch
  • Arm lock sit ups
  • Triangle sit ups

Pre Technique

  • Around the World
  • Standing Around the world

Technique – Taking the back from the Closed Guard (choose most relevant option for students in attendance)

  • Aggressive Opponent
  • Conservative Opponent

Common Mistakes

  • Weak controls from the beginning caused by failing to cross the ankles and keep the legs high up the back.
  • Students often loose contact with their opponent as they are moving round to the back remember to keep constant contact
  • During the climb faze it is important to unhook your bottom leg often students leave it hooked over their opponents leg and this restricts the climb to the back

Teaching Tips and Terminology

  • From the beginning it is important to reference the use of the legs in pushing and pulling your opponent, everybody uses the arms everyday but few people use their legs when teaching beginners anything from the guard you should emphasise the need to develop the legs.
  • Gable grip is the term used to describe the palm-to-palm hand entanglement that controls the posture prior to the transition to the back.
  • The hardest part about the climb to the back is getting the bottom leg out of the closed guard position and into the Half guard position especially if you have long legs, highlight the need to kick down to make your opponent step over your leg.
  • Use the term pocket guard to describe the arm transfer position required for the attack on a conservative opponent

·    Specific Training (choose 1 option)

  • Closed Guard Game – play 3-minutes per round and rotate partners once (total of 4 x 3-minute rounds) or play 10 minutes group game, with 2,3, or 4 students in the middle, rotating out as you get beat.
    • Note this is suitable for most general classes
  • Closed Guard Game –work in three’s 2 training 1 resting play 3-minutes per round 1 person always completes 2 rounds before change (total of 6 x 3-minute rounds – 2 x 3-minute rounds per game)
    • Note this is suitable for more advanced classes and only to be used in general classes where the overall standard is quite high

Live Training (compulsory)

  • 2 x 5-minute rounds (minimum)
    • Note – if time does not allow, run the class longer to accommodate.
    • If there is more time, allow another 5-minute roll