### Closed Guard Overview The Closed Guard, also known as "Full Guard," is a fundamental position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) where the practitioner on the bottom secures their legs around their opponent's torso. This position provides leverage and control over the opponent while protecting the practitioner from strikes and setting up various submissions or sweeps. ### Position - **Position**: Closed Guard (Bottom) - **Japanese Name**: N/A ### How to Perform and Maintain the Closed Guard 1. **Initiating the Closed Guard** - Lie on your back and pull your opponent between your legs. - Secure your ankles behind your opponent's back, fully closing the guard. - Maintain a tight grip on your opponent's torso using your legs. 2. **Control and Posture Management** - **Hand Grips**: Control your opponent's wrists, sleeves, or collar with your hands to prevent them from posturing up. - **Head Control**: Use one hand to grip the back of your opponent's head to break their posture. 3. **Hips and Posture** - Use your legs to pull your opponent's body down towards you. - Keep your hips lifted slightly off the ground for mobility and control. 4. **Balance Breaking** - Employ your legs and arms to disrupt your opponent's balance. - Pull with your legs while pushing with your hands to create an imbalance. 5. **Transiting to Submissions or Sweeps** - **Armbar**: Under-hook one of your opponent's arms and pivot your hips for an armbar. - **Triangle Choke**: Pull an arm through and use your legs to lock around your opponent's neck while trapping the opposite arm. - **Kimura**: Grip an opponent’s wrist with both hands, pivot, and lock a figure-four grip to isolate the shoulder. - **Scissor Sweep**: Elevate your hips, plant one foot, and scissor your legs to topple your opponent. ### Tips for Maintaining the Closed Guard - **Grips**: Constantly adjust your grips to adapt to your opponent's attempts to escape or pass your guard. - **Active Legs**: Utilize your legs actively like an arm to maintain control or execute submissions. - **Hidden Foot**: Tuck your top foot beneath your opponent's back or your other foot to protect against footlocks. - **Hips Movement**: Practice moving your hips side to side to create angles for attacks or transitions. ### Conclusion Closed Guard is a powerful foundational position that offers both protective and offensive capabilities. Mastering the guard involves maintaining control, managing an opponent’s posture, and setting up transitions to submissions or sweeps effectively. Practicing this position with attention to posture and control nuances is vital for BJJ success.