When working guard it is important to drill retention strategies, sweeps, and submissions. As you begin to feel comfortable with each technique individually you must then link them together into cohesive strategies and drill them as such. Once you are proficient with each of the strategies individually you can then begin to link strategies together to create what will become your guard ‘style’. For me personally my guard game is centered around retention to create frustration in my opponent from which they will make a mistake and allow for me to execute one of my ‘go to’ sweeps that will either bring me into my top game OR lead me straight to a submission chain or back to guard retention. The key to my guard game or ANY guard Brazilian jiu-jitu practitioner’s guard game for that matter is hip mobility. To follow is a video consisting of several solo drills that I utilize to keep my hips mobile, flexible, and explosive.
About the Author:
Jeff Reese, Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belt, has had the honor of learning from two generations of Gracie family members including Royce, Royler, Rodrigo, Rolker, Ralek, Rener, and Ryron; he teaches at Gracie NEPA in Scranton, PA
