De La Riva vs Reverse De La Riva
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De La Riva hooks the outside of the passer's lead leg. Reverse De La Riva hooks the inside, with your knee pointing across their body. DLR works better against a passer standing square, RDLR against one driving a knee cut, and you switch between them as the passer moves.
Outside hook, inside hook
Both use the same leg to off-balance a standing passer.
- De La Riva
- Your leg wraps the outside of their lead leg, foot hooked inside the thigh. Leads to backward sweeps, the berimbolo, the back, and X-guard.
- Reverse De La Riva
- Your shin hooks the inside of their lead leg, knee across their body. Stops the knee cut and leads to single-leg X, the saddle, and the back.
Follow their lead knee
Start in De La Riva and watch what their lead knee does.
- If they stand square and heavy on the hooked leg
- Stay in De La Riva and off-balance them backward, or invert for the berimbolo.
- If they turn their knee in and drive across to knee cut
- Switch to reverse De La Riva. The inside hook jams the knee cut.
- If they back step or pull the leg back from reverse De La Riva
- Follow the leg to single-leg X or swing into the saddle.
- If they redirect both your legs across
- That's the leg drag, and it beats both hooks. Turn in before your hip is pinned.
Gi and no-gi
De La Riva leans on sleeve, collar and belt grips, so it's at its best in the gi. Reverse De La Riva relies more on the shin hook and leg position, so you see it more in no-gi and as an entry to leg locks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between De La Riva and reverse De La Riva?
De La Riva hooks the outside of the passer's lead leg; reverse De La Riva hooks the inside with your knee across their body. DLR is better against a passer standing square, RDLR against a knee cut.
Should I learn De La Riva or reverse De La Riva first?
De La Riva is usually taught first because the grips are simpler and it connects to the berimbolo and back takes. Add reverse De La Riva once passers start knee-cutting through your DLR.
Which is better for no-gi?
Reverse De La Riva, in most games. It relies less on gi grips and connects directly to single-leg X and the saddle.
What pass beats De La Riva and reverse De La Riva?
The leg drag is the common answer to both, because it redirects your legs across your body before either hook can work. The knee cut beats De La Riva once the hook is cleared.
DLR to RDLR and back
What the passer's lead knee does, when to switch to the inside hook, and where each line ends.
Open the DLR chart Or build your own flowchart