Half guard from the top: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu · Half guard · 9 minute lesson Pro

Pinning the trapped leg, flattening the opponent and freeing your leg.

Watch it on YouTubeSearch: Bjj top half guard passing basics tutorial. Videos by other coaches.

In half guard, your opponent has one of your legs trapped between theirs. From the top your job is to flatten them, control the head and shoulders and free the leg.

A good top player does not rush. Pressure comes first. You use your shoulder and hip to make the person underneath feel heavy, then the leg comes free.

Key points

Crossface and underhook: your shoulder across their jaw and your arm under theirs.
Keep your hips low and your weight on their chest, not on your toes.
Trap their near knee with your other hand so they cannot bring in a knee shield.
Free the trapped foot by turning the shin up the thigh and sliding it out.
Do not lie on your side: it gives them the underhook and a chance to come up.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Pulling the leg straight out. Turn and slide it. Straight pulling just feeds their grip.
Rolling onto your side. Stay chest-down on their chest with the head low.
Giving up the far underhook. Control the far side and keep your head on the same side as the crossface.

The rest is in the app

The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Half guard module of Jiu-jitsu foundations.

Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.

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Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.