Yeah… You were supposed to frame when you’re in the Half Guard, remember? Well, obviously you didn’t. Your opponent found their way with an underhook and is now crushing you with the „Shoulder Of Justice“. Not a pretty situation to be in, not one bit… But there’s a way to get out – a way for not just alleviating the pressure you’re feeling, but for getting your opponent’s back as well!
Professor Luiz Rosa „Dentinho“ demonstrates this lifesaver.
REMOVE THE PRESSURE
The key to getting some relief from being crushed in Half Guard is in getting a Lockdown and then using it to your advantage. But how do you get to the Lockdown in the first place?
Professor Luiz first explains that which you need to prevent from happening; as your opponent is utilizing pressure forward with their bodyweight, they have a possibility of doing a hip switch. You cannot allow this!
What you need to do, Professor Luiz demonstrates, is place one hand onto your opponent’s hip and your other hand over their head. This’ll incapacitate them from doing the hip switch.
Now’s the time to start setting up your pressure relief; switch your legs from a Half Guard position into a Lockdown. From there, you need to get their knee to the mats; which you do by dropping it down to the side, using your legs. Then, use your Lockdown to extend them away from yourself – this will remove the pressure.
GET OUT OF THE HALF GUARD
To make yourself safe from pressure, set up your frames. Place one of your arms across your opponent’s neck and your hand onto their shoulder. Then, push them away from you, creating space for your other arm to come in and block their bicep.
If your opponent keeps their head down and next to your head in this situation, just block their knee with your arm and swing their leg from one side to the other; then pull your leg back in and get them into your Closed Guard.
If they don’t move their head up there, then the arm you’ve used first goes underneath them and over their shoulders. Pay attention that this arm’s palm is facing up. You do this – yet again – to make it difficult for your opponent to hip switch, incapacitating them from escaping what will soon be your backtake! So, don’t grab their hip once you are in this position, but keep your arm high on their shoulders. Then, unlock your Lockdown and use your outside leg to hook their leg at the heel, and pull it towards your backside.
Now you can lower your hand and grab their belt or their hip. Your other hand, one that has been blocking your opponent’s bicep muscle, goes to your rib cage and escapes to the outside; use it to post yourself.
TAKE THEIR BACK
From there, prop yourself to a bit more of an upwards position; while transitioning your grip from your opponent’s hip to their collar. Then, pull the leg you’ve hooked towards yourself yet again; and twist your opponent by getting your choking arm across their jaw and towards yourself as well.
This will not only make them uncomfortable, but it’ll also make it impossible to defend by going into a Turtle. Then, set your hooks in; if they’re defending by keeping their knee down to the mat, just lock your legs and extend them. This will make it possible for you to get your second hook in and finish your backtake.
Watch the video below to see Professor Luiz explain this setup in amazing detail:
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