Guard in MMA: MMA guide

MMA · Ground fundamentals · 9 minute lesson Pro

Animated figure showing closed guard — Closed guard

Animated figure showing guard frame — Guard frame

Closed guard as a place to control posture, create angles and stay safe from strikes.

Watch it on YouTubeSearch: MMA closed guard basics control posture. Videos by other coaches.

Guard means your legs are between you and the opponent. In a sport with strikes the guard has two jobs: stop the opponent hitting you freely, and keep a route back to your feet or a submission.

In MMA you do not pull guard on purpose. You land in it, and you need to know how to make it a safe place.

Key points

Close your legs around the opponent's waist and lock your ankles high on the back.
Control posture. Pull their head down so they cannot sit up and strike.
Frame with your forearms against their collarbones or hips when they posture up.
Open your guard when you need to scramble, not before.
Keep your chin tucked and your hands up when the opponent threatens strikes.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Letting the opponent posture up. Control the head and keep your knees tight against their waist.
Putting your hands behind your head. Keep your hands in front of your face. Strikes come when the guard is passive.
Holding the guard when it is not working. Use a hip escape or a scramble to get to your feet.

Combinations that use it

bjj-frame-shrimp: Guard frame, Hip escape
bjj-frame-elbow: Guard frame, Elbow-knee escape
bjj-shrimp-close-guard: Hip escape, Closed guard
bjj-frame-elbow-guard: Guard frame, Elbow-knee escape, Closed guard
bjj-elbow-elbow-guard: Elbow-knee escape, Elbow-knee escape, Closed guard

Related techniques

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 Ground fundamentals module of MMA foundations.

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

More from Ground fundamentals

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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.