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X-guard
You are under them, one leg hooked behind their knee and the other foot on their far hip, hugging their leg.
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Essentials
You’re under a standing opponent with both legs in an X around one of their legs. X-guard has huge leverage: you can stretch them out in any direction and come up behind them.
Your goals
- Both hooks under their leg, crossed
- Hug their other leg or grip the ankle
- Extend your legs to off-balance them
What they want
- Drop their weight and kill the hooks
- Back step out or crossface you
Key principles
- Under their center of gravity
- Stand up into the sweep, don’t just roll them
Common mistakes
- Staying too far from their legs
- Uncrossed, loose hooks
Techniques to learn
Each one opens its own page and video.
Where it leads
- In courses
- Open guard set
If this happens…
- they lean forward over youExtend and pull to sweep them backward
- they try to step outCome up on their leg as they move
Advanced detailsTransitions, threats, reactions, troubleshooting and a sparring drill
1. Overview
You are under them, one leg hooked behind their knee and the other foot on their far hip, hugging their leg.
Key controls
- Hug their leg on your shoulder
- Bottom hook behind their knee
- Top foot pushing their far hip
In this position
4 transitions · 3 sweeps · 1 submissions · 2 reactions · 2 troubleshooting fixes · 1 sparring exercise · 2 techniques
Read about itGrapplearts articlesBJJ Heroes
Finish this lesson
0% of this lesson0/7 videos completed · 0/2 techniques practiced
Test yourselfX-guard lesson quiz5 questions · pass with 4