Do you prefer top or bottom position in the guard?

**PoleFighter** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 1:26pm

Just out of curiosity, do you in general prefer to be the person trying to pass the guard or the person on the bottom? I'm only talking about grappling here, specifically under SW and BJJ rules.

If someone could turn this into a poll, that would be great.

**PoleFighter** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 1:30pm

I normally prefer the top position, because I find that I have a much easier time passing than sweeping or submitting anyone from the guard, even though I feel my guard has improved be leaps and bounds in the last few months.

**Darkpaladin** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 1:37pm

being on top is always better than bottom.

**PoleFighter** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 1:44pm

I know a few guys that prefer the bottom position...

**Kengou** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 2:09pm

Being a noob, I suck at both guard passes and guard subs/sweeps. So I'd rather NOT be in or under guard.

But I'd say, depends who you roll with, some people have good guards and you'd want to avoid being in their guard, while some people are good at guard passes, so you'd prefer not having them in your guard.

**RoninPimp** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 2:22pm

Top, but by a narrow margin.

**Camus** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 2:37pm

When I started BJJ, I was obessed with pulling guard and working from there. If I was mounted on someone I would go for triangles or w/e with full knowledge that I would be upa'd back into my guard and didn't really mind. I'm a shitty grappler, but working the bottom in guard is probably my best position. That said, I've been working on radically changing my overall game-plan as of late as I've been focusing on learning takedowns and staying on top.

So, with that in mind, I've found that starting from the knees (which is pretty much the de-facto place in 2 of the 3 places I train BJJ) is obviously much different than when I work pummeling, takedowns or throws with wrestlers. Usually, with guys around my level I can get the double underhooks or otherwise gain a dominant hip position on them in short order, but, being on the knees, it's the easiest thing in the world for them to roll right into guard and they do so 95% of the time (this statistic is completely made-up). At first, I found this discouraging as I didn't get to use my new knowledge to much effect, but then I began to realize that being on the top in guard is not so bad. I never try submission from there, but even though there may few submissions for the top man, you have to keep in mind that, once you and your partner go down with one on top and bottom, you can hold that top position. Sure, guard is dangerous, but if you're familiar with the position and decent at passing, you can let someone pull guard and then pass and continue to stay in the top position, which generally takes less energy and is less stressful than being the guy pinned between the you and the mat. Of course, all this should be taken with a rather large grain of salt as I'm generally 20 lbs. larger than most of the people (with a couple guys my size I roll with on a regular basis) I work with and much slower, so this suits me more maybe than it should.

**BSDaemon** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 2:39pm

what kind of guard? Open, Closed, High, X, Spider, rubber, Butterfly, Half butterfly? Is your guard offensive or defensive, are you attacking or stalling? Do you want to control them, or attack them? Do you think your opponent will leg lock you? So many possibilities.

Guard is home, being in guard is something you must pass. I pick bottom. On bottom you are the one that's in control. On bottom is where you can attack. Triangles, armbars, kimuras, guilotines and omoplatas oh my.

**Honor** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 2:41pm

I prefer to be on top. Leglocks are fun

**MEGALEF** · Posted On: 10/01/2005 3:34pm

Bottom, because my closed guard is nearly unbreakable so until I can get hold of an arm and open up to attack he isn't going anywhere. That and I always screw up my guard passes and get swept.