Spider Guard from Open Guard

Spider Guard from Open Guard is a sweep that puts the bottom player on top built around a handful of repeatable controls. Top player engaged with the bottom player in spider guard, with one leg extended into a sleeve and one leg curled in toward the chest. Another common starting shape: the bottom player is seated or supine with feet engaged on the standing top player's hips, biceps, or knees, controlling grips. The ideas that hold it together are clear one side at a time, foot-off-bicep mechanics, and step-through pass.

The spider guard chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Keeping the extended-leg sleeve grip in place to maintain pressure on that side of the lasso. Curling the same-side hand over the curled-leg foot to peel it from the bicep to the outside. Stepping the same-side knee forward as the foot clears so the hip line passes the bottom player's leg. Driving forehead pressure forward into the chest as the pass completes to flatten the bottom player. 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. Anchoring sleeve grips deep at the cuff so the opponent cannot easily peel them. Top player having cleared the curled-leg side, settled into a chest-on-chest top position past the spider control.

Later in the spider guard, grip-fighting, off-balance, and chained reactions tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Trying to remove both spider grips simultaneously, leaving no controlled side. Failing to step the knee through immediately after clearing the foot, allowing the bottom player to recover. Initiating the motion before grips and angle are set. Stalling in the position rather than chaining when the opponent reacts. The high-percentage version of spider guard from open guard is the one you can still chain when the top player posts or re-bases.