Guard Retention
Defense · Open Guard
Guard retention keeps you in open guard once the opponent has started to pass: he is past your feet, but your hips are still free. Turn onto your side toward him, onto the shoulder on his side, because flat hips cannot move. Frame with your forearm across his collarbone or neck and the other hand on his hip or biceps, elbows bent, bone against bone. The frames hold the distance while your hips shrimp away from him; bring the bottom knee through the gap, put the shin across his hip or belly, then square up and put your feet and grips back on. Beginners push with straight arms and stay flat: frames only stop him, the hips do the moving. Against a stack pass frame on his elbow.
How to do it
- As they get past your feet, turn onto your side toward them, onto the shoulder on their side; never stay flat, because flat hips cannot move.
- Frame: forearm across their collarbone or neck, the other hand on their hip or biceps, elbows bent, bone against bone.
- Keep the frames still and shrimp your hips away from them to make space between you: the frames hold the distance, the hips do the moving.
- Bring the bottom knee through the space and put the shin across their hip or belly, pummeling the leg back inside.
- Square back up to face them and put your feet and grips back on: the guard is recovered before they settle.
Key details
- Frames hold the distance, the hips move: arms alone cannot push a person, but they can stop one while the hips slide away.
- Retain early: it is much easier before they reach your hips than after.
- Always face them: when they circle, you pivot on your shoulder blades to follow, staying on your side, keeping your knees pointed at them.
- Shrimp to face them, then pummel a leg back inside to rebuild the frames.
- Frame on the elbow against a stack pass, then shrimp and re-guard: a blocked elbow stops their weight from driving your knees to your face.
- Keep your knees and elbows close together: the moment they separate and your chest turns to him, he can pin you; and do not trade chest exposure for giving up your back.
Common mistakes
- Pushing with straight arms. — Straight arms get pinned or pulled, and the pass continues. — Keep elbows bent and bone against bone.
- Lying flat on the back. — Flat hips cannot move, so the knee cannot come back. — Turn onto the shoulder on their side.
- Waiting until they are chest to chest. — Now it is an escape, not a retention, and much harder. — Start framing when they first pass your feet.
- Letting him control your head once he is past your legs. — Past the legs is not yet a pass; with your head controlled he settles into side control and your knees cannot come back. — Frame and turn so he never gets the crossface, keep your knees and elbows inside his shoulders, then pummel the knee back in.
If they defend
- They switch sides as you frame. → Pivot on your shoulder blades and bring the other knee in: invert if needed.
- They drive their weight into your frames. → Use their push to shrimp further and get the knee in.
How to drill it
Partner walks around your guard slowly; you keep the feet facing them, 2 minutes. Then pass-and-retain rounds: the passer gets 3 points for a 3-second pin.
Where it comes from