How do I retain guard when someone is passing?

Guard retention is arguably more important than having a fancy guard because it does not matter how good your attacks are if your opponent passes your guard in the first exchange. The fundamental principle is hip facing. Your hips should always face your opponent, which means constant re-alignment as they move around you. Create layers of defense with your feet as the first barrier, your knees as the second, and your arms as the third. When they clear one layer, use hip movement to reset to the previous layer. Granby rolls and inversions can recover guard when someone has nearly passed. The key mistake is becoming flat on your back without frames, which gives your opponent free access to your hips. Practice specific guard retention drills where a partner tries to pass at increasing intensity while you focus purely on retaining guard, not attacking. Over time, you develop an instinctive ability to keep your guard even against aggressive passers.