Pedro Elias: Rickson's Closed Guard, Never Flat

Pedro Elias (@pedroeliasjj), 4th degree black belt at Caique Academy, on Rickson's closed guard concept of never staying flat: get on your side with hips up to pull them down, and beat their grips to reach the back, triangle or arm. From the video: https://youtu.be/ynGMFZJIpO4

Flow outline

  1. Never Stay Flat

    • From closed guard on the bottom, never be flat on the mat.
    • From Pedro Elias (@pedroeliasjj), 4th degree black belt at Caique Academy, in the video "Rickson's Invisible (Until Now) Closed Guard Concepts".
    • The idea Staying flat turns the guard into a strength-based pulling contest instead of jiu-jitsu.
    • Reaction: if you stay flat the top person makes their posture
    • Avoid Being flat lets the top person posture up and makes it a power game.

  2. Hip To The Side

    • Move your hip off flat to the side so your weight goes onto the opponent.
    • The idea Moving the hip off flat puts your full weight on the opponent and makes a huge difference.
    • Checkpoint: move the hip from flat to the side
    • Weight: your weight is fully on him

  3. Come Up On Side

    • Start coming up onto your side, looking at the floor, with hips off the ground.
    • The idea With hips off the ground you have a lot of power to pull him down.
    • Checkpoint: start coming up looking at the floor
    • Checkpoint: you are on your side with hips off the ground
    • Weight: all your weight pulls him down

  4. Pull And Switch Hands

    • Use that power to pull him down, switch hands, and grab the armpit.
    • Grip: switch hands and grab the armpit
    • Key detail Switch hands and grab the armpit to open the back take.

  5. Back Take Or Triangle

    • From the armpit grip you can take the back or start attacking the triangle.
    • Finish: take his back from the armpit grip
    • Finish: or come in and start attacking the triangle
    • Key detail On the back take, float with all your weight on him. It makes it very hard for the top person to move.

  6. Don't Let Grips Set

    • When the opponent won't let you work, don't let him grab you and set his grips.
    • Reaction: if he sets his grip it is easier for him to stand and posture
    • Checkpoint: don't let him set his grips
    • Avoid Letting him set his grips makes it much easier for him to stand and posture.

  7. Double Wrist Grip

    • Use a double wrist grip to keep him from grabbing you and setting grips, then pull him down.
    • The idea The double wrist grip is a great weapon to avoid him grabbing you.
    • Grip: double wrist grip before he sets his grips
    • Checkpoint: pull him down with the double wrist grip

  8. Legs Open Turn Sideways

    • If your legs open that's okay, but turn sideways so your butt is not on the ground.
    • Checkpoint: if your legs open, turn sideways
    • Mistake: what's not okay is your butt on the ground
    • Avoid Having your butt on the ground is what's not okay.

  9. Sit Up As He Grips

    • As he is getting his grip, move your hip and sit up.
    • Timing: as he's getting his grip, sit up
    • Checkpoint: move your hip and sit up
    • Key detail Sit up as he is getting his grip, not after he sets it.

  10. Hip Side Hand On Arm

    • Move the hip to the side, put your hand on the arm, and come up as you pull with your leg.
    • Checkpoint: come up as you pull up with your leg
    • Option: if he holds the grip, go behind the triceps and catch a wrist
    • Avoid Relying on this against a very strong top person. They may be able to hold that grip.

  11. Go Under Both Arms

    • When the person is strong and you can't push the grip off, sit up and go under both arms.
    • The idea Even though he is grabbing you, getting inside and moving your hips puts you where he cannot use you for his posture.
    • Entry: sit up and go under both arms
    • Checkpoint: hips off-center
    • Checkpoint: stop pulling with your legs

  12. Hip To Other Side

    • If he has good posture, bust your hip to the other side and break it.
    • The idea If he still has good posture, bust the hip to the other side to break it and come up.
    • Checkpoint: bust a hip to the other side and break it

  13. Force Elbow High

    • When you can't control his sleeve, get underneath to grab your wrist and force his elbow as high as you can.
    • Grip: get underneath to grab my wrist
    • Checkpoint: force this elbow as high as I can
    • Checkpoint: your hip starts everything
    • Checkpoint: as you grip you go under, hip already there
    • Key detail Force his elbow as high as you can while your hip starts everything.

  14. Hips Up Attack Options

    • With hips up, let him hold your arm and climb or go for the triangle, arm, or choke.
    • The idea The main concept is getting to your side in the guard, whatever attack you choose.
    • Finish: climb or go for the triangle
    • Finish: maybe come back for the arm or the choke

  15. Half Guard To Closed Guard

    • When you get from half guard into closed guard, don't stop - keep getting sideways.
    • The idea Getting sideways immediately forces him to a bad place so he never has a second to be comfortable in his posture.
    • Checkpoint: from half guard get into closed guard and don't stop
    • Checkpoint: already getting sideways as you bring him into the guard

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