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Basic Positioning In Half Guard For BJJ With Jake Mackenzie

Posted by Matt Bryers on

Jake Mackenzie's Half Guard Game Is Anything But "Basic!"

We have all seen it used endlessly be this point. That is right… I am talking about the half guard. It is hard not to talk about the half guard when you talk about BJJ. Truthfully, it is so widespread because it is just so effective and even easier to learn. There is no shortage of amazing half guard tutorials online. And I bet like me you probably think from time to time, is there really anything else I can learn about this position? Of course there is! You can never stop learning new techniques, and it is always appropriate to strengthen your technique by focusing on fundamental concepts such as basic position.

Jake Mackenzie may be the most knowledgeable half guard specialist in Brazil. Learn The Top Secret Half Guard System From The Canadian Who Infiltrated Brazil’s Toughest School

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Today we are going to do just that. We are going take a look at one of the most over looked details to make your half guard extremely effective: positioning. And who knows better about half guard than Jake Mackenzie? Jake Mackenzie is a Canadian born Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. Jake is known for his mastery of half guard, and deep half guard. Jake is regarded as one of the top North American grapplers of his generation. His notable accomplishments include 4x Brazilian National Teams Champion, 2x Brazilian National No Gi Champion, 2x São Paulo International Open Champion, World Masters Champion, São Paulo International No Gi Open Champion and more!

Jake Mackenzie has two great instructional series called “High Precision Half Guard” volumes 1 and 2 available exclusively on BJJFanatics.com. It will completely transform your game so be sure to check it out. But for now let us take a look at basic positioning in half guard for BJJ from Jake Mackenzie. Watch the video below and then we will break down the technique. Check it out now!

Jake Mackenzie prefers not to use the knee shield when playing half guard. He also uses slightly different grips than the normal way you would learn. He controls his opponent’s hip and grabbing the belt. Then Mackenzie will place his knee in his opponent’s arm pit. The reason he prefers to play half guard like this rather than a traditional approach is because it gives him a free hand to start attacking with. Jake controls his opponent’s arm by grabbing behind the elbow while pulling his training partner’s arm tight. Jake Mackenzie takes his opponent’s head off line by pushing with his knee in the arm pit. From here he shoots in for the under hook and circles off to the side, keeping his head underneath his training opponent. When Mackenzie secures the low under hook he grabs around his opponent’s shin, and puts his shoulder forward, giving himself a much more solid base.

When you look at Jake Mackenzie’s half guard, you might think to yourself that his technique is anything but basic. And that is because Jake has mastered half guard on a high level, that only really makes sense if you study his approach in detail. So if you liked this technique and you are looking for ways to improve your guard play then I definitely recommend you check out Jakes instructional series “High Precisions Half Guard.” Both volumes 1 and 2 are loaded with Jake’s secrets to having a very hard guard game to play against. He has tested his methods against some of the world’s greatest grapplers. This is a rare chance to gain insight into the mind of one of the world’s most prolific grapplers. So be sure to check it out, and the next time you are working your guard, remember to focus on the basics!

Everybody feels in trouble when they play half guard with Jake. Now, it’s your turn to make everyone feel this way about your game. When you finish watching this series you’ll leave them thinking you were born on the mat. REMEMBER! Half guard is a safe guard to play. It has no age or body-type restriction. Anyone can play it - literally.

The problem is most people play half guard wrong. Jake is like an encyclopedia when it comes to half guard. He’s all about technique without force and shows you game-changing details.

Learn The System That Will Completely Change Your Half Guard Game.

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