Underhook from Half Guard

Underhook from Half Guard is a sweep that puts the bottom player on top built around a handful of repeatable controls. The bottom player has the top player's leg trapped between their own with a knee shield and the inside underhook in play. Another common starting shape: the bottom player has a deep underhook in half guard, the cross-face is blocked, and they are firmly on their side. It is worth attempting once comfortable with: Bottom half guard structure and underhook and comfortable with: Chaining wiggle and two-on-one to recover the underhook. The ideas that hold it together are grip-fighting, off-balance, and chained reactions.

The underhook chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Establish the controlling grips and frames consistent with the family before initiating the action. Off-balance or load the opponent in the direction the technique demands before committing. Chain to a follow-up if the primary motion is defended cleanly. Use the underhook to drive the opponent upward while pulling the head out the back door. Post the bottom hand on the mat to lift the upper body higher than the opponent's. Walk the hips toward the opponent to take the angle. Drive the underhook deep enough to lift the top player's chest off. Come up onto the elbow on the underhook side and then to the hand, entering a dogfight. The bottom player has come up to the underhook side or elevated the trapped leg to sweep the top player to the back or come on top.

Later in the underhook, underhook drive, head position, and angle change tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Initiating the motion before grips and angle are set. Stalling in the position rather than chaining when the opponent reacts. Driving forward without lifting the head, getting flattened back down. Releasing the underhook too early before structure is established. The high-percentage version of underhook from half guard is the one you can still chain when the top player posts or re-bases.