Sit up guard?

**ProudClod** · Posted On: 8/10/2007 1:46am

I have recently been debating the topic of the "situp guard" with someone, and would like some of your input. I have never heard of this guard before this fella mentioned it. He says you keep your feet crossed while in closed guard, and pull yourself up to your opponent.

My first concern was: "Why the hell can't he just posture/punch you?"
According to him, it is apparantely impossible to push him down or punch him, if he has his forearm on your throat, and uses his elbow to post himself up.
I see this as illogical because:

-My arm is longer than half of his arm. If he could reach my throat with his forearm, I can definitely reach his face with my fist.

-If you really ARE posting that well on your elbow, why can't I just grab the arm and break your balance?

Next I told him that if you ARE somehow maintaining a parallel position with your opponent, the only thing you would be able to do, to any success, is the hip bump. And even then you have tilt your body, exposing yourself to a tackle. But he tells me there are more sweeps you can attempt while in this position. Is anyone familiar with them (Other than hipbump ofcourse)?
(Direct quote from him)

- Hip bump
- Push their knee out with your foot
- Get a butterfly hook in and sweep
- Omoplata sweep
- Arm across chest windmill sweep
- Neck crank turnover sweep
- Double underhooks walk over sweep

I sent him a reply, about how irrational some of these sweeps seem. This was my reply:

-Push their knee out with your foot? I thought your feet were stil crossed? Wouldn't opening your guard, setting your foot down by their knee, be a BEGGING for a pass?

-Butterfly sweep is a lot more effective from closed guard, because your opponent has very little oppurtunity to post up, and keep balance.

-I have NEVER heard of an omaplata sweep. If it's anything like the omaplata submission, you will not get it. One of their arms needs to be on the ground, and one of your legs needs to be on his hips, inside of the other arm. Unless ofcourse you're reffering to something totally different. In which case, could you please describe it? (I'm sorry... My MMA/Jiu Jitsu instructors did not mention this move ever. I was never even aware that the omaplata could be a sweep).

-No clue what the arm across chest windmill sweep is.

-absolutely no leverage for a neck crank. I could barely get myself steady, let alone even think about attempting to control my opponent when posting up.

- Double underhooks walk over sweep? I would see this ending up as a tackle from your opponent. As soon as you open your guard, it is either being passed, or you're going down.

I am still awaiting a reply from him.

Does anyone on this forum know of the sit up guard? According to him, B.J. Penn wrote a book about it. I'm looking into it right now, I'll see what I can dig up. I may be a blabbering idiot, and maybe this IS a viable and MMA ready guard -- but I still want your opinions. Thanks!

**ProudClod** · Posted On: 8/10/2007 1:43pm

bump.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 8/10/2007 4:09pm

I've seen some NAGA vids where guys seemed to be doing this. I just thought they were not very good and doing hip bump sweeps or setting up the kimura... I've never heard anything about it. But I've only been doing BJJ for 9 months or so.