Is Your Game Missing This Counter To A Common Half Guard Sweep?

By Fanatics Authors, January 31, 2019

The best counter to the half guard sweep... and how to re-counter (Lachlan Giles)

Who is Lachlan Giles? He is a Jiu Jitsu black belt under John Simon and arguable one of the top Australian grapplers of his generation. Giles earned his distinguished reputation in prestigious tournaments such as IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, Pan Pacific Championship, Boa Super 8 and Eddie Bravo Invitational.

Lachlan Giles is an ADCC Veteran, Pan Pacific Champion and coach to one of the fastest rising starts, Craig Jones!

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Giles hails from Melbourne, Australia. At a young age he was influenced by martial arts movies. He was introduced to Jiu Jitsu at the age of 15 when he saw Royce Gracie’s legendary performance at UFC 1. Lachlan began his training in Jiu Jitsu under Tyrone Crosse. It was under Tyrone’s tutelage that he progressed to purple belt. His club changed coaches and Lachlan progressed to black belt under John Simon. It is worth noting that Giles was also heavily influenced by Thiago Stefanutti. Thiago also awarded Giles the first degree on his black belt.

Lachlan has many exceptional achievements as a grappler. He is the ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials Champion in 2015 and 2017. He is the IBJJF Pan Pacific Champion and Pan Pacific No-GI Champion in 2016 and 2017. He won the UAEJJF Continental Pro Champion in 2018. Giles also took second place at the Boa Super 8 1st Edition and 2^nd Edition in 2015. Lachlan took 3^rd place at Eddie Bravo Invitational 5. He claimed second place at the 2018 UAEJJF Grand Slam Abu Dhabi and 3^rd place at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in 2017.

In this video Lachlan Giles explores a sweeps and counters from the half guard. He begins the video by stating that it is important to keep your hip away from your opponent. Giles states that another key point of control is the bottom knee. The half guard player always wants to be able to free his knee. Lachlan suggests always having your bottom knee line clear of your opponent. Did you notice how Lachlan likes to use his top leg? He has it hooked into the back of his opponent. He also uses his top side arm to reinforce the structure. For the sweep Giles replaces his top side leg with an under hook and then immediately cuts an angle. Lachlan states that changing the angle is important so you are not flattened out against the mat. He switches his feet and drags his opponent’s leg out as a lever. To finish the sweep he drives his weight forward while puling on the far side leg. Giles now discusses how to counter this sweep. One method of counter the sweep is keeping your hips facing your opponent. Lachlan also states that it is important to block your training partner’s hip with your knee. It is an important detail that he likes to keep the near side knee centered toward his opponent’s stomach. The last point of discussion in the video is how to counter the counter. Giles likes to catch his knee behind his opponent knee and his other leg behind their ankle. He spends some time explaining how this scissoring will force their knee to the mat. Well done Lachlan. These details are excellent additions to almost anyone’s game.

This video is a wonderful example of Lachlan Giles’s ability to communicate technique to even novice grapplers. Like all of Giles’ instructional videos, there is a lot of detail. I know that I often gain new insights every time I re-watch one of his videos. Certainly, they have a powerful impact on anyone who makes a careful study of them. Giles’ education, the success of his students and the popularity that he has achieved are testaments to his exceptional abilities as an instructor. Certainly the Jiu Jitsu community is lucky to have him.

Come and learn one of the world’s most important guards from one of the world’s best instructors, Lachlan Giles. The head coach of Australia’s Absolute MMA, is back to show one of his best positions, the offensive half guard. He explores the techniques that he uses to win tons of tournaments at the world black belt level. Get it now from BJJ Fanatics!

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