Do you know which guard offers the most sweeping options and is the hardest to pass? If your answer is X-guard, you are most likely correct. Equally effective in gi and no-gi, the X-guard gives you insane control over the opponent’s weight with minimum effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The standard X-guard has you under a standing opponent, with one foot hooked behind their knee, the other on the front side of the hip, and controlling the other leg between your head and shoulder. There are also different variations of the guard, like the overhook grip, the reverse X-guard, and the low X-guard.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Except for the single-leg x-guard, which can be considered a different position, the x-guard lacks direct submission options, but at the same time, it’s so good at control and sweeping that many players specialize and base a solid part of their game on it. It’s time to see what makes the X-guard so unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The X-guard is an open guard <\/a>position where you are supine on the mat underneath a standing opponent. Your head points to one of the legs of the opponent, and that same leg is resting on your shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your legs here play a crucial role, as they do in all open guards, and one foot is placed behind the opponent’s knee while the other is hooked on the front side of their thigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your legs are in a similar position to a butterfly guard, meaning the knees are pointing in opposite directions. But the foot position is different, and if you look at the position from above, the legs form the letter X, from where the guard’s name comes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The X-guard is a powerful position and offers more destabilization and sweeping options than any other guard because most guards let you control the opponent vertically or horizontally. At the same time, in the X-guard, you can do both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s not clear who exactly came up with the technique, but the great Marcelo Garcia is responsible for developing and spreading X-guard, mainly through his legendary ADCC runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few variations of the X-guard, which we will take a look at shortly. The downside of the X-guard is that it simply doesn’t allow direct submission options, but the unlimited sweeping and transition opportunities make up for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another great thing is that the X-guard is equally potent for gi and no-gi. You have more control through the grips in the gi, but Marcelo Garcia made the position popular through his no-gi exploits, so it’s equally effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like many modern guards, the X-guard is not frequently used in MMA because it leaves you open for punches. This is not to say it hasn’t been used or it can’t be made effective. But in any case, it’s a lot less powerful and more situational than in sports BJJ<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The strongest aspect of the X-guard is your position underneath the opponent. This allows you to unbalance them in all directions and easily manipulate their center of gravity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s break down what makes the position so powerful. The legs provide most of the control, and the critical detail of having an unbreakable X-guard is to engage your knees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure both hooks are always tight and active, and the opponent’s balance will be at your mercy. I feel the X-guard is stronger when I butterfly my knees apart rather than squeezing them together because this fortifies the power of the hooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other point of control is the leg on your shoulder. Their ankle should be between your shoulder and head; the ideal gripping position is to have your hand on their kneecap. This is the classic underhook X-guard variation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Defining The BJJ X-Guard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Controlling From X-Guard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n