Livia Giles: X-Guard Leg Positioning and Pressure

Livia Giles (@livia_giles), 3x world champion and ADCC 2019 competitor, shows why the X-guard hooks sit where they do: hip hook drives back, the other leg blocks the back step, forward tension, and a knee bump. From the video: https://youtu.be/QzQdnJ4KyYs

Flow outline

  1. X-Guard Leg Configuration

    • From X-guard the aim is to keep them off balance, so they can't stand on one leg and set up a pass.
    • From Livia Giles (@livia_giles), 3x world champion and ADCC 2019 competitor, in the video "Where Most People Mess Up From X-Guard: Leg Positioning and Pressure."
    • Mistake: a lot of people get their feet in place without thinking about why
    • Checkpoint: every hook is there to keep them off balance

  2. Hip Hook Drives Backwards

    • The hook at the hip stays active and drives them backwards so they can't come forward.
    • Anchor: hook is placed at the hip
    • Pressure: leg stays very active driving him backwards
    • Reaction: if he pushes this foot down the guard falls apart

  3. Opposite Leg Pushes Across

    • The other leg does the opposite action, pushing them the other way so they can't back step to pass.
    • Reaction: if this leg is taken away nothing stops him back stepping to pass
    • Pressure: this leg pushes him the other way
    • Pressure: both legs work together, each doing the opposite action

  4. Forward Tension Off Balances

    • Keep tension forward so they are already off balance.
    • Pressure: keep tension forward so he is already off balanced

  5. Knee Bump Forward

    • Flare the left knee out, then use it to bump them forward.
    • Leg Path: flare the left knee out
    • Finish: use the knee to bump him forward

  6. Light Leg Sets Up Sweeps

    • Once they are off balance their leg gets light, which makes it much easier to set up sweeps and stand up.
    • Checkpoint: his leg becomes light once he is off balanced
    • Timing: it is much easier to set up sweeps and stand up from here

Branch conditions