Hey guys, one of my real big stalling points is when the guy postures up in my guard and has both hands on my stomach. What can you do when he's really solid there? Should you focus on getting one of his arms away and start attacking that?

I spoke to my instructor about this. He said you have to start mixing stuff to open him up. Try to go for a flower sweep maybe so he'll base then when he does, take that arm etc.

Looking forward to hearing all of your opinions on this topic! :icon_idea

Here's something:

YouTube- Breaking Your Opponent's Posture in Guard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckhxh4NMCwQ)
YouTube- Jay-jitsu BJJ: The Guard - breaking posture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syiDiOyAL9I)
YouTube- breaking posture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBMASgFhPGc&feature=related)
YouTube- Royce Gracie Teaching at Capital Jiu-Jitsu (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7za4kqNmXo&feature=related)

That Brown belt is missing some key points like -if somebody has your belt and has good posture you won't be able to sit up.

I can't say enough to tell you not to listen to that instruction.

I usually break them down emotionally first. Here's something else I found poking around that starts from the same position.

YouTube- BJJ Instruction: Under-Hook Sweep from Guard 01 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvBaY7WYKMA)

Those videos are a great resource. Very nice tips.

That first video is terrible too. Ryno? Seriously? Really? I'm out of here guys. Blind leading the blind in this forum.

I wasn't offering any of the videos as being the definitive word on the subject, I was just offering them up so that they might give the OP some new ideas. Sorry if any of them were sub par. I'll refrain from posting any others.

When dealing with somebody just sitting postured up, I try to focus on three things:

- Disrupt their base
- Arm drag
- Change angle

Keep your guard locked. Using your core, extend your knees past their hips to begin 'push' their base back behind them. Keep this forward pressure with your hips into them, maybe posting an elbow on the ground to help with the forward pressure. The point of this isn't to sweep because they will probably adjust before you can pull something off, but it forces them out of their strong posture position (disrupt their base). They MIGHT take a hand off of you to post behind them.

Attack their elbows (cup with your hand or under/over hook) and their grips (2-on-1 grip releases) while still pressuring forward with your hips.

With an arm drag or underhook, move yourself around them (while still pressuring into them). It is easier to cut an angle by moving yourself than to forcefully pull them off to the side. MOVE YOURSELF, NOT THEM.

This is what works for me an my game. I play a tight/low-space open guard game and use this to break down posture to start setting up my attacks.

When dealing with somebody just sitting postured up, I try to focus on three things:

- Disrupt their base
- Arm drag
- Change angle


Keep your guard locked. Using your core, extend your knees past their hips to begin 'push' their base back behind them. Keep this forward pressure with your hips into them, maybe posting an elbow on the ground to help with the forward pressure. The point of this isn't to sweep because they will probably adjust before you can pull something off, but it forces them out of their strong posture position (disrupt their base). They MIGHT take a hand off of you to post behind them.
Attack their elbows (cup with your hand or under/over hook) and their grips (2-on-1 grip releases) while still pressuring forward with your hips.

With an arm drag or underhook, move yourself around them (while still pressuring into them). It is easier to cut an angle by moving yourself than to forcefully pull them off to the side. MOVE YOURSELF, NOT THEM.

This is what works for me an my game. I play a tight/low-space open guard game and use this to break down posture to start setting up my attacks.



Thank you for this advice; I'm usually helpless in this position. Does your guard have to be locked in order to pull this off? My short, thick legs are difficult to lock around an opponent even in ideal positions.

opening the elbows (pull outward) while pulling in with your legs can also help...

if you want a good resource, i suggest Rodrigo Medeiros' Essential Guard. I don't have the book with me (i left it @ my parents, in another country...), but i recall there is a whole section on breaking the posture.

Vorpal, would you mind posting the link to the video again? i wanna see what was so wrong with the vid...

That first video is terrible too. Ryno? Seriously? Really? I'm out of here guys. Blind leading the blind in this forum.

And I would have really wanted to hear what you had to offer. Oh well.


When dealing with somebody just sitting postured up, I try to focus on three things:

- Disrupt their base
- Arm drag
- Change angle

Keep your guard locked. Using your core, extend your knees past their hips to begin 'push' their base back behind them. Keep this forward pressure with your hips into them, maybe posting an elbow on the ground to help with the forward pressure. The point of this isn't to sweep because they will probably adjust before you can pull something off, but it forces them out of their strong posture position (disrupt their base). They MIGHT take a hand off of you to post behind them.

Attack their elbows (cup with your hand or under/over hook) and their grips (2-on-1 grip releases) while still pressuring forward with your hips.

With an arm drag or underhook, move yourself around them (while still pressuring into them). It is easier to cut an angle by moving yourself than to forcefully pull them off to the side. MOVE YOURSELF, NOT THEM.

This is what works for me an my game. I play a tight/low-space open guard game and use this to break down posture to start setting up my attacks.

This openned up so much stuff for me. Thanks man!