Half-guard vs full guard

[PoleFighter]

I'm just curious about if I am some kind of anomoly in the jiu jitsu game, as I prefer half guard to full guard. The reason is that I absolutely suck at submissions from the guard, I just can't seem to pull them off no matter how much I try (and I've been training for two years soon), unless my opponent is far less skilled than I and makes a mistake like just putting himself inside a triangle.

I find that, in general, sweeping is far easier from half guard, to the point where the only reason I still use any guard but the half guard anymore is because I feel that I should in order to stay well rounded.

What are your opinions on this?

[Phrost]

Someone needs to be introduced to Eddie Bravo.

[PoleFighter]

Yes! I leafed through his book and I really liked what he had to say about half guard, but his style is considered unorthodox, no? Is this guy's technique considered bizarre by the rest of the jiu jitsu community?

[chaosexmachina]

I try to be comfortable in both positions. I have used Eddie's olschool sweep a few times as well.

[Stick]

I do like two subs from half guard; mostly I like half guard to get to the back or get up..... I'm not a big half guard guy.

Maybe I should go buy Bravo's book.....

[Fighting Cephalopod]

Half guard can be a very aggressive sweeping guard. In MMA, it can also be a very "get your fucking face beaten in" guard.

If you're dealing with strictly grappling, lots of top level guys go to half guard to work their sweep game. If you're dealing with MMA, lots of top level guys get pounded out trying to sweep.

[Phrost]

Half guard can be a very aggressive sweeping guard. In MMA, it can also be a very "get your fucking face beaten in" guard.

If you're dealing with strictly grappling, lots of top level guys go to half guard to work their sweep game. If you're dealing with MMA, lots of top level guys get pounded out trying to sweep.

Yeah, it's not half guard when punches are involved; it's half mount.

[GoldenJonas]

Someone needs to be introduced to Eddie Bravo.

Shhhhhhhhhh, don't say that too loud!!!! The butt-scoot to half guard pull hits you when you least expect it....on the way to school, at the bus stop, in the shower, on the toilet....Bravo is crafty that way.

But dito what everyone else said about becoming more well rounded. I SUCK at full mount control (me on top) so that is an area I have been trying to focus on lately in my positional game, keep working on your guard.

[Maestro Nobones]

yeah I agree gaps in your game should be filled, not accentuated.

I have been liking to sweep from half guard a lot these days.

[Ke?poFist]

Ya know it's funny, but when using the lockdown (from Bravo's book) I've been able to make some people tap by extending their leg outwards while stretching the calf muscle and putting pressure on the ankle. It's not reliable in the least, but it's a good way to take away their base before sweeping and if you get a lucky submission out of it, then hey :)

[JohnnyS]

I don't think there's anything wrong with working half-guard exclusively. Throughout their BJJ journey, most people will change their preferences for certain techniques. At some point you will start working other forms of guard simply because people will be shutting down your 1/2 guard game, and you'll need to switch to butterfly or spider or closed guard. At present I work on pulling half-guard, getting an overhook and switching to butterfly guard to complete my sweep and it's working brilliantly.

I certainly wouldn't worry about not doing submissions from guard. I don't think there's anything wrong with just sweeping people and finishing them from on top. As I said, you will eventually work them in anyway - it wasn't until brown belt when I started doing x-lapel choke from guard (effectively at least).

[Mjelva]

Ya know it's funny, but when using the lockdown (from Bravo's book) I've been able to make some people tap by extending their leg outwards while stretching the calf muscle and putting pressure on the ankle. It's not reliable in the least, but it's a good way to take away their base before sweeping and if you get a lucky submission out of it, then hey :)

stop crappling with retards

[Scrapper]

I don't even try to pass half guard in an MMA scenario. Some people find that weird, but I can do all the damage I need to, lockdown or not.

I recently rolled with a Megaton BB, and I was able to pretty much stuff his sub-game completely with punches from half-guard. In MMA, half guard is something you work through quickly or get knocked out.

On the other hand, we have a guy (jobe Duran) whose half-guard sub-game is superlative. In pure grappling I don't see why it isn't a viable positon like any other if you are comfortable with it and know what you are doing.

[GoldenJonas]

Ya know it's funny, but when using the lockdown (from Bravo's book) I've been able to make some people tap by extending their leg outwards while stretching the calf muscle and putting pressure on the ankle. It's not reliable in the least, but it's a good way to take away their base before sweeping and if you get a lucky submission out of it, then hey :)

I fucking hate that. My primary training partner has huge fucking legs and his lockdown hurts like a son-of-a-bitch if you sleep on it and don't reposition. While guys with skinnier legs it doesn't hurt so much.

[UpaLumpa]

stop crappling with retards

Taps are rare but if you get it just right you can use what at my school we call lockdown (I assume it is the same as the eddie bravo lockdown) to calf splice. In particular if you keep the lock and roll over you can get teh calf splice.
I'm notorious for leaving people's right legs bruised to hell. :XXbirdman

To the OP, as mentioned, I guess it depends on why you're grappling. For grappling or mma. That said, if you get your opponent on the side of your body opposite from the locked up leg (like when you're taking their back) it seems like you'd be able to prevent taking much damage.