The butterfly guard is one of the simplest, yet most effective open guard in BJJ. It can be used against opponents of any size as it utilizes the strongest part of our body-the legs, to pull, lift, and off-balance the opponent. Up to date, the butterfly guard is regarded as one of the most effective guards, considering how you can effortlessly lift and sweep heavier opponents above you while in a supinated position.

It starts off in a seated open guard position, and as you approach your opponent or vice-versa, it opens up the possibility of applying hooks along with other upper body control techniques. These hooks can be partnered with various grips which helps take control of your opponent’s upper body; hence, making it easier to pull your opponent closer to you.

You can then transition to the single leg X position.

The Single Leg X position is one of the best positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu; as it offers a multitude of sweeping, transition, and submission options. However, you have to know how to enter into this position first – which isn’t always an easy task.

Here’s one of the ways to enter into it from the Butterfly Guard, as demonstrated by Kyle Sleeman on the video below:

Dive Into High Level X-Guard Techniques With Black Belt Kyle Sleeman And Start To Utilize This Guard To Effortlessly Control Your Opponent And Smoothly Transition Into Match Winning Positions And Submissions.

• Start with the basics such as entries and gaining a good foundation and understanding of single leg x and full x-guard.
• Work on transitions to and from x-guard from other guards such as spider guard, butterfly guard, De La Riva, and much more.