Half Guard = GOAT Jiu-Jitsu Guard (Video Proof)

By Fanatics Authors, November 01, 2018

Why Half Guard is the Greatest BJJ Guard... Ever.

It is undeniable, that the half guard is an essential position in Jiu Jitsu, Submission Grappling and MMA.

Here are 10 reasons why you need to know the half guard better than any other guard.

You are either in half guard or half passed. There is a reason why an advantage is awarded in IBJJF tournaments for the top player to pass one leg and achieve that half guard. He / she only has to fight one leg. So if you ignore half GUARD, you're half PASSED
It works equally as well in No Gi and Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Half Guard is one of those guards that work just as well in no gi and gi. Obviously the gi can give you another level of control over your opponent, but many of the sweeps and attacks from half guard work just well in no gi and gi based matches.
You only have to fight one leg. If you look at some of the best half guard players in the world: Bernardo Fario, Tom DeBlass, Craig Jones and Jeff Glover; when then play half guard, they are focus on fighting the leg they control. For sweeps, all they have to do is get their hips on top of their opponents leg. Simple concept, hard execution, but half guard allows you more mobility
Half Guard makes sense to wrestlers. Half guard feels like a single leg takedown. Wrestlers tend to excel at half guard once they realize that the "plane" has changed, not the technique.
Half Guard is easy to get. One of the biggest problems for jiu jitsu fighters is getting the guard they want. Lets say closed guard is your game. It's not easy to get closed guard on an fighting opponent. Yet it is much easier to snag one leg.
Half Guard is a transition guard. From every guard, you can get to half guard, and from half guard, you can transition easily to many other guards.
Leg Locks. The Z-Guard variation of the half guard has been a go to attacking guard for leg locks, made popular by Craig Jones, Tom DeBlass and others.
You can recover to half guard from bad positions. Many find it easier to "slip into half guard" from mount, side control or even back control.
It's all about the hips. If there is one thing that half guard teaches you, is that you need to be on a hip, which applies to ALL guard systems.
It's just cool!!!! What's more sexier than half guard!!??!