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SIDE GUARD BJJ

By Benjamin Strusnik, December 07, 2022

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has evolved considerably over the last one hundred years, and this is due to the extensive list of generational champions that the art has created. Many of these traditional athletes are now sharing their extensive knowledge with the rest of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community. World champions like Roger Gracie, Marcelo Garcia, Royler Gracie, and Xande Ribeiro are all experienced innovators of the art, and have all added significant development into the infrastructure of the Martial Art. From the bjj spider guard to the formidable style of pressure passing, all of these legends have done it all.

What this article covers:

How the Side Guard Works
The History of Xande Ribeiro
How the Side Guard Fits Into the Diamond Concept
How to Escape the Side Guard

Xande Ribeiro is one World Champion that has an outstanding reputation, and is a phenomenal teacher of the Brazilian art. His philosophy and understanding of Jiu Jitsu is first class, as he has contributed concepts like the impassable guard, the attacking side guard position, the shield, and the diamond guard bjj concepts. Learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a long and slow process that has a lot of great information, but also a lot of misguided information. Learning concepts from a 7 time black belt IBJJF, and 2 time ADDC world champion will put a student's mind at ease knowing they are learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that can work at the highest level, and against the world's best competitors.

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HOW THE SIDE GUARD WORKS

The side guard is a great defense mechanism that can trap opponents into this variation of the jiu jitsu closed guard system. Xande uses this method of guard to also attack arm bars, triangles, and omoplatas. Essentially the guard entails a student to use a tight locking system with their legs, while they use a series of frames to firstly keep themself safe, and secondly trap their opponents into a sideways guard position.

One of the most dominant competitors of all time Xande Ribeiro has released his SIDE CLOSED GUARD ATTACKS secrets with BJJFanatics.com and is giving you access today!

The first aspect is all about breaking the posture of an opponent, which will allow a sideways body posture for the student. The side guard uses a higher guard, and involves trapping the opponent’s arm in front of the student's chest. This method of defense has an extremely advanced attacking system that students can utilise. Xande talks about playing guard against a guard passer, as his strongest element versus their weakest. He also professes to utilise a guard while being on his side, as this is where he can defend himself, as opposed to being flat on his back and unable to utilise his strengths. From this concept the side guard was born, and the World Champion black belt showcases how to use the sideways guard against opponents of all shapes, weights, skill levels, and sizes.

THE HISTORY OF XANDE RIBEIRO

Xande Ribeiro was born in Manaus, Brazil in 1981, and began his journey into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at a very young age. Xande began training under the Monteiro Brothers, and by the age of ten his competitive dominance was astounding. In fact Xande only lost twice in his first seven years as a competitor, as his talent for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gained significant momentum. In 1999 Xande moved to Rio de Janeiro where he began studying law, and continuing his career in Jiu Jitsu. Xande joined the Gracie academy, where he began training under the famous Royler Gracie, and alongside his brother Saulo Ribeiro. Within Xandes' first two years training out of Royler's academy, he won two World Championships, and two Pan American Championships.

Xande became a formidable guard player, as he accessed guard systems like the jiu jitsu butterfly guard, and the bjj half guard. In 2001 Xande was awarded his black belt in a ceremony headed by his older brother Saulo. Xande kept on winning world titles from 2004 till 2008, and again in 2015, becoming a 7 time IBJJF Champion. Xande's biggest claim to fame was the fact his guard was only passed twice in his career, once by Roger Gracie, and once by Braulio Estima. He was also never mounted as a black belt competitor, showcasing just how good his defense systems were. Later on Xande and Saulo opened their own Jiu Jitsu University in San Diego, California, where many high level practitioners came to share knowledge, regardless of their affiliation. They also founded the Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu Association, where many students across the country come to train with the world's best bjj full guard specialist.

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HOW THE SIDE GUARD FITS INTO THE DIAMOND CONCEPT

The side guard is just one aspect in a much larger system of Jiu Jitsu techniques. Xande has created one of the most comprehensive defensive guard systems, which is designed to help a student hang with the world's best, and set up longevity within the sport. The diamond concept is all about utilising frames with a student's knees, , and forearms, to withstand the pressure passing of any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor. Xande began realising that he would often use his knee as a shield, and so he decided to pay closer attention to the actual technique of his instinctive Jiu Jitsu. This created the effectiveness of the diamond concept, where a student can use the different components of the superhold defense, the cross knee and the knee dive defenses, and of course putting them all together into the diamond concept. Where the student's frames would work in conjunction like a diamond shape to defend body positioning, and escape different angles, while still using counter offensive measures.

The superhold concept is all about making sure the student never gets their hips pinned to the mat. It works as a knee shield, which is placed generally in the hip region. Xande was always known for his guard passing skills, so it's no wonder his guard is extremely hard to pass. Stopping the deep knee dive and the cross knee is all about creating solutions to stay ahead of an opponent. The diamond concept gives the student an advanced understanding of how to stop all attacks from the far side technical pass, to the nearside pressure passing game. Utilising the diamond defense is a helpful tool in building a great defense, and not allowing an opponent to enter their centre line, or pin their hips to the mat. This will give a student a comprehensive head start within all transitions, which leads to a strong setup into the side guard control system.

SWEEPS FROM THE SIDE GUARD

Many of Xande Ribeiro’s systematic techniques are incredible defense mechanisms, but there are multiple attacks that can be utilised in order to win high level competitive matches. Sweeping for Xande is all about giving the opponent a false sense of attack, which can often lead to an easy transition. Entering the side guard is all about using the attack of an opponent, and turning it into a more advantageous position for the student. Xande uses different variations of grip control like the collar grip, the two on one sleeve grip, the two on one arm lock grip, and the cross sleeve grip. These fundamental control positions are extremely important in executing a successful series of baits, and traps that lead to shifts in balance, and momentum.

One of Xande's most common sweeps from this side guard position is all about action, and reaction. This means moving in a certain way to force their opponent to react in another way, and then countering with another movement. This is how a student can achieve controls like an under hook, an over hook, or basically just protect their own centre line. To execute this easy sweep a student will use action, and reaction concepts to trap their opponent into the side guard. Once their opponent's arm is trapped on their chest, they can use their hand hugging around the back of the lat muscle, as they use their other hand to grab hold of the knee material on the Gi, and this will make it easy to roll their opponent over, as they do not have a hand to post onto the mats with. This is an easy sweep to execute, once the student has a fundamental understanding of the side guard position.

Utilising the side guard has numerous functions, like easy transitions into back control, and simple sweeping options. Once the student has a tight control with their side guard, they can still utilise a lat grip, but it is better to take a grip on the belt of their opponent. From this position they can use their other hand to take a sleeve grip on the arm they have trapped, as they unhook their guard, and quickly transition it into a butterfly hook. Now it is an easy sweep, as their hook will elevate their opponent's hips, while the belt grip, and the trapped arm will allow for an easy roll over sweep. The good aspect about this sweep is the student can move straight into a control position like the mount, or the side control position.

Another great sweep is the Xande sweep which is iconic, and utilised by multiple high level practitioners. This sweep is usually accessed from a traditional closed guard position, but it can be modified to work from the side guard position. The first step is to trap an opponent in the side guard, before securing a grip on their opponent's Gi somewhere near the lat muscle. From here they will now take a grip on the far leg as low down on the Gi pants as possible, and this is how to gain better leverage in the sweep. The next step is to open the guard, placing one foot on the mat, while the other foot hits up underneath their opponent's armpit. This will make their opponent feel lighter, as they lift and pull their opponent's leg out straight, nearly touching the student's face. To finish the sweep the student will push the leg high up, as they roll the opponent over and follow the momentum straight into the mount position.

SUBMISSIONS FROM THE SIDE GUARD

There are a multitude of different submissions that can be set up from the side guard position. A good submission set up is a reactional arm bar attempt. After securing the side guard, the student will reach their arm over the opposite side of their opponent's head, which will allow them to escape their trapped arm and begin to frame into the student's chest to peel off the guard attack. From here the student will scoop their arm under their opponent's far leg, pulling them on top and exposing their originally trapped arm. From here it is just a matter of taking a firm grip inside the elbow, and swinging their leg in front of their opponent's face, before hyperextending the arm, and securing the tap.

Another good submission attempt is the triangle from the side guard position. To initiate this choke hold the student will start from the usual side guard control position. Because the arm is already trapped in front of the student's chest, half the job is already done. The student will take a sleeve grip and push it into their opponent's chest, before shooting their leg over the shoulder, and across the neck. Once the triangle mechanism is in place they can readjust the finer details to lock down a triangle. To finish the submission, the student just needs to create a greater angle by either scooping under the armpit, or under the thigh of their opponent, as they hold onto their shin, and create a tight triangle finish.

The omoplata is another functional submission from the side guard. This submission can be achieved by using an opponent's escape to finish the submission maneuver. Obviously when an opponent is trapped in the side guard with their arm in front of a student's chest, they will be actively trying to escape their arm and use it to frame away. Once the opponent begins to escape the arm, the student will let the arm out, as they will secure a tricep grip, and use the other leg to step up onto the opposite shoulder. From here the student should lift their hips high into the air, and this will force the opponent to lose their posture, as the student then secures an omoplata trap with their other leg over the arm they have secured. To finish the omoplata the student should kick their legs forward, getting their opponent's belly down on the mat, before reaching over and securing the other shoulder, and then lifting their hips off of the mat to hyperextend the arm lock.

Another submission attack from the side guard is the gift wrap series. This is a great way to wrap up an opponent, and take control of their posture. Because the arm is already trapped in front of the student's chest, then it becomes easy to take a sleeve grip, and then feed the wrist up around their neck, passing it to their other hand, and this is called the gift wrap. From this position there are many options, and one simple one is to push on the elbow of the trapped arm, and this will create a spinal twist, which is only legal in some competitions. Another good option is to apply the cobra choke, and this is easy to do from the gift wrap. Holding onto this control, the student will take their free hand and thread it into the gift wrap, and clearing the neck. This will create a choke that has the student's wrist in one carotid artery, and the opponent’s arm trapping the other carotid artery, forcing an extremely tight choke hold.

HOW TO ESCAPE THE SIDE GUARD

Trying to escape from Xande Ribeiro's side guard can be extremely difficult, as the guard is designed to keep an opponent trapped deep out of their posture zone. Creating space against this guard can be nearly impossible, if the student is utilising the right angle of their hips. Escaping this guard position is all about getting the guard player off of their side, and onto their back. This is how they will be able to get their frames back into a good position, so they can begin breaking the guard. Sometimes their posture is so compromised that it can be hard to force an opponent onto their back, so what a student can do is use head pressure into the jaw of the guard player. This will help to redirect some of their opponent's control, and can allow an avenue to escape.

One of the most dominant competitors of all time Xande Ribeiro has released his SIDE CLOSED GUARD ATTACKS secrets with BJJFanatics.com and is giving you access today!

The problem with escaping this guard is that the student cannot use much forward pressure or they will be easily swept. So the best methodology is to try and stay back, and remain in some form of based position. Sometimes if the control is not extensive enough, the student can circle their arm out from their opponent's chest, and look to use frames to escape. If the student can get back a little bit of angle from the get go, they may have enough room to bring their knee up into a combat base position, and start looking to split the guard open with a knee cut, or a knee slice. However the guard is broken it has to be an instantaneous movement, otherwise the opponent will only greater their control, and utilise extra grips to secure a range of different sweep or submission maneuvers.

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