Your First Takedown
THE MMA FIELD GUIDEStriking · Wrestling · Ground fighting
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BJJ

Make room to stand from closed guard

When a training partner bears forward inside closed guard, sitting straight up leaves little room to stand. Elliott Bayev shows Stephan Kesting how a brief shin shield can make an exit available.

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Watch the lesson

FIELD GUIDE / EDITORIAL COVER
Instruction by Stephan Kesting · Grapplearts, with Elliott Bayev. Loading the player connects to YouTube. Watch on YouTube · Publisher’s lesson

Look for this transition

Space between the players leads to a supported lower posture and then a stable standing position.
Stand-up options depend on range and the wall. A coach should choose the position and check that both partners have room.

Before you watch

You should recognize closed guard and know a solo technical stand-up. Start by identifying whose legs enclose whose hips. The bottom partner needs to open those legs to build a different barrier.

Follow the shin

Notice where the shin first fits when the top partner leans forward. Bayev uses the space near the hip to build a temporary barrier, then makes space to bring the foot into play. The partner’s weight and distance determine whether this exit is available.

Use the position as a checkpoint

Pause when the shield appears. Has the bottom partner made room to move the hips, or are both partners still chest to chest? Drilling the final stand-up while a partner is still pinning the hips skips the problem the lesson addresses. Start cooperatively on mats, with no strikes.

Sources & further reading