Lasso Guard from Open Guard

Lasso Guard from Open Guard is a control used to hold and set up the next attack built around a handful of repeatable controls. Bottom player in established leg lasso with a sleeve grip and the free foot on the opponent's hip, opponent posted on the knee or up on the foot. Another common starting shape: bottom player on the back in open guard with a sleeve grip on the opponent's near arm and the opponent posted up to attempt a pass. It is worth attempting once comfortable with: DLR to reverse DLR transition. The ideas that hold it together are lift-and-push sweep, ending in attacking position, and flow into passing.

The lasso guard chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Lifting the lassoed arm upward by extending the lasso leg, breaking the opponent's posting balance. Driving the free foot into the opponent's hip to push them forward over their own knee. Pulling the gripped sleeve hard toward the bottom hip while kicking the lasso leg. Following the rotation by sitting up onto the elbow as the opponent tips, climbing into top position. Maintaining the sleeve grip with constant tension to keep the arm available for the threading leg. Lifting the lassoing leg up and over the opponent's bicep, then circling the foot back inside to lock under the arm. Keeping the free foot on the opponent's hip or biceps for distance management. Pulling the gripped sleeve down toward the bottom hip to load tension on the lasso once it is in. Top player rolled forward over the lassoed arm with the bottom player coming up to a strong top position with no immediate guard recovery available to the opponent.

Later in the lasso guard, arm-leg connection, lasso lock mechanics, and active vs passive guard tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Sweeping without the hip foot, which lets the opponent base back and stay up. Releasing the lasso during the rotation, surrendering the control before landing on top. Treating the lasso as a stalling position instead of a platform for sweeps and submissions. Letting the sleeve grip die during the threading, which lets the arm escape before the lasso locks. The high-percentage version of lasso guard from open guard is the one you can still chain when the opponent frames or pummel-wins a grip.