BJJ’s Most Powerfull Strike From the Guard The idea of kicking a standing attacker away is simple enough and a staple in quite a few martial arts systems. The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’s self defence curriculum has several sequences that use this downed guard position to defend yourself well.
BJJ’S MOST POWERFULL STRIKE FROM THE GUARD
The idea of kicking a standing attacker away is simple enough and a staple in quite a few martial arts systems. The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’s self defence curriculum has several sequences that use thisdowned guard position to defend yourself well.
Drills aside, the reality is developing your guard for self defence vs an aggressive opponent takes practice.
What about outside of fight situations?
Even when strikes aren’t allowed having a good understanding of optimal foot positioning will make your guard a lot stronger overall.
Learning the right foot positions to control and deliver up-kicks adds a lot to the guard even sport jiu-jitsu situations. Learning how to control the distance, and defend our self till you can sweep, hit a submission hold or get back to your feet.
Prepare For The Worst
Playing any type of guard vs a standing opponents isn’t something you really try to do as a first course of action but in real life situations its always best to plan for the worst and have no holes in your game.
Murillo Bustamante showing the need for an effective guard
Offence From This Defensive Position.
Talk to any old school BJJ student and mention “up-kick” automatically you’ll probably hear about the legendary fight (Renzo gracie vs Oleg Taktarov).
There have been many upkicks since this fight but imo, It is still the most picture perfect application of the strike seen in 20 years of north American MMA
Take a look at video below
Oleg made a serious error many people trying to pass the guard in a sport grappling mode, bending over and putting their head in the direct line of fire. Renzo a life long bjj practitioner and no stranger to combat didn’t have to think twice about what to do. Planting the kick directly on the chin for a quick ko.
Obviously like any technique a ko doesn’t happen every time its used and to be honest its probably more important for self defence and MMA applications that you learn to use the kicks to create space keep the attacker off you and chain in with a technical stand-up to return to a standing position.
If you have to fight from off your back vs a standing opponent there is a lot more to the position than just up-kicks to having an effective guard, so you’ll want to look at the upcoming series of videos covering a variety of strikes and sweeps that will work for everything from sport BJJ to MMA & Self Defence situations..
p.s
Still got your mind on the upkick department?? Take a look at this highlight of the best in MMA over the past 15 years.