What is Closed Guard in BJJ?
Quick Definition
A guard position where your legs are wrapped around your opponent's waist with ankles crossed.
Full Explanation
Closed guard is the fundamental guard position in BJJ. Your legs wrap around your opponent's waist with your ankles crossed behind their back, preventing them from standing or moving freely. From here, you can control their posture by pulling them down, and attack with submissions like the armbar, triangle, and guillotine, or sweeps like the hip bump and scissor sweep. It's the first guard most students learn.
Examples in Context
"Keep your closed guard tight so they can't posture up"
"She broke my closed guard and started to pass"
Related Terms
Guard
A position where you are on your back but using your legs to control your opponent.
Open Guard
Any guard position where your legs are not closed around your opponent.
Half Guard
A guard position where you control one of your opponent's legs between yours.
Armbar
A joint lock hyperextending the elbow, one of the most fundamental submissions.
Triangle Choke
A choke using your legs in a figure-four around the opponent's head and arm.
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