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The Pillars: Open Guard Mastery System by Stephen Whittier
Master The Open Guard With Clear-Cut Controls, Sweeps, Submissions, Back Takes, And More From Stephen Whittier!
- Stephen Whittier is a 4th degree BJJ black belt and has a unique open guard system that is highly effective for grapplers of ALL levels.
- Utilize effective open guard concepts that will allow you to shut down your opponent’s passing attempts as you set up your offense.
- Develop go-to attacks from both inside and outside foot positions.
- Learn preventive open guard maintenance that allows you to avoid guard passes and keeps you in control of the action.
- Discover late-stage guard retention that works against DEEP passes that are usually the end of the road for guard players.
- Stephen Whittier adds another CLASSIC to “The Pillars” series of instructionals, this time centered around the Open Guard!
Course Content
Volume 1
CHAPTER TITLE
START TIME
| Overview: the most important & overlooked guard skill | 0 |
| 1. Both feet on the outside. How & when to create connection from your back | 7:29 |
| Feet vs. hands pummeling | 20:07 |
| Retracting when opponents breaks connection | 23:58 |
| Breaking grips low on the pants | 26:51 |
| Breaking no gi grips on the feet | 28:28 |
| Breaking grips on the knees | 30:39 |
| Transferring weight & repummeling your legs | 35:21 |
| Repummeling vs leg drag | 40:20 |
| Adding the hand check | 43:31 |
| Recovering guard when oppt drives legs to one side | 48:06 |
Volume 2
CHAPTER TITLE
START TIME
| Countering the hip-in pass | 0 |
| Additional details | 3:36 |
| Q&A: Maintaining connection & when to break grips | 6:53 |
| Intro to sweeps | 11:04 |
| Tripod sweep | 12:41 |
| Finishing the sweep | 15:42 |
| Beating the “Hop” defense” | 20:30 |
| Sickle sweep | 23:11 |
| Sickle sweep on much taller opponents | 26:04 |
| Pocket drill to isolate the sweeps | 28:21 |
| Using pressure to set up closed guard | 30:20 |
| Using connection & pressure to set up other guards | 33:30 |
| Arm steering counter to leg staple pass | 37:40 |
| Magic handle defense | 43:08 |
| Cycling back to open guard when opp’t backs off | 47:49 |
Volume 3
CHAPTER TITLE
START TIME
| Over / under defense (head pointed across) | 0 |
| Over / under defense (head diagonal or centerline) | 7:45 |
| Adding the arm drag | 11:46 |
| Early defense to double under pass | 17:23 |
| Additional details | 21:20 |
| Late defense to double under pass | 23:52 |
| Dump pass counter | 28:52 |
| The classic scissor sweep | 33:53 |
| The Rickson scissor sweep (via Henry Akins) | 38:07 |
| How to secure top position from scissor sweep (without grips) | 45:09 |
Volume 4
CHAPTER TITLE
START TIME
| Transferring weight in the scissor sweep | 0 |
| Scissor sweep when opp’t changes angle | 2:27 |
| Counter when opponent sprawls | 5:24 |
| Integrating offense into your guard retention | 8:57 |
| Breaking the leg weave grip & troubleshooting | 11:44 |
| Incorporating submissions. X-choke details (under) | 15:24 |
| X-choke details (over) | 21:52 |
| Loop choke | 24:35 |
| First principles & strategy for setting up chokes | 26:22 |
| The ‘Sneak’ omoplata #1 | 30:59 |
| The ‘Sneak’ omoplata #2 | 33:35 |
| 2. Both feet on the inside. Hooks (Butterfly) guard fundamentals | 36:28 |
| Both hooks in (Butterfly Guard) | 47:55 |
| Hook sweep details | 51:20 |
Volume 5
CHAPTER TITLE
START TIME
| Additional details | 0 |
| Butterfly sweep with an overhook | 5:57 |
| Sweeping when opponent bases with their leg | 7:15 |
| Circular & linear angles concept for sweeps & reversals | 10:18 |
| Maintaining connection butterfly posture as oppt moves | 15:44 |
| Completing the hook sweep when oppt posts their leg | 21:03 |
| Entries to other guards when they post their leg | 24:48 |
| Details on the reversal from butterfly guard | 26:29 |
| The collar tie “Chop” hook sweep | 28:15 |
| The arm drag (standard) | 32:52 |
| The windsurfer arm drag | 36:07 |
| Multi-directional sweeping off the arm drag | 41:18 |
| The shoulder crunch hook sweep | 44:20 |
| Hitting the hook sweep from your back | 48:28 |
| The reverse hook sweep | 52:06 |
| Reverse hook sweep to knee bar | 57:12 |
Volume 6
CHAPTER TITLE
START TIME
| Getting up when opp’t disengages | 0 |
| Transitions to double & single leg when opp’t disengages & stands | 8:09 |
| The modified inside single | 9:56 |
| Pulling opp’t into single leg X when they keep balance | 12:49 |
| Reverse grip inside ankle pick | 17:16 |
| Seated guard vs. standing opponents (sport) | 18:22 |
| Defense when opp’t steps in the middle | 21:56 |
| Leg drag vs. standing opp’t | 23:28 |
| The double ankle push sweep vs. standing opp’t | 27:29 |
| Defense vs cross step pass | 29:31 |
| Cross shin hook kuzushi to ankle pick | 32:12 |
| Cross shin kuzushi to single leg X guard | 38:02 |
| Single leg X to X-guard, sweep & ankle lock | 41:16 |
| Switching to standard X-guard & standup sweep | 44:43 |
| Switch to reverse-X when opp’t drops weights | 47:49 |
| Adaptive isolation drilling | 49:46 |