John Danaher once said, “the older you are, the more you need to play half guard”.

Mr. Danaher is right because the half guard is one of the most frequently used positions at the master level in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The half guard can be played from the top or the bottom, the latter being the preferable choice since the top player can enjoy both the force of gravity and the many options to attack and keep his opponent under control. After all, this is a very dominant position, and the Kimura, the Armlock, or the leg lock are only one backstep away.
So, what about when you are the person on the bottom? What should you do when stuck underneath somebody’s top half guard, especially if you are an MMA fighter? Here is a technique that may drastically change the way you look at the half guard and its yet unexplored potential.

“The Lotus Lockdown”

Many people, including Connor McGregor, knows first hand what it is like to be stuck in half guard under a much more skilled and aggressive opponent. If you watch carefully, in his fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov, after the first takedown, Mr. McGregor found himself in this exact position, completely defenseless and at the mercy of his opponent. Mr. McGregor needed a solution, and the solution in this particular case is the Lotus Lockdown!

The Lotus Lockdown, modified for Gi purposes from Eddie Bravo’s Lockdown, actually favors the person being on the bottom. The Lotus Lockdown greatly slows down the game and forces the top player to face a dilemma. If he tries to pass, his base will be compromised. If he tries to submit, he will most probably get swept, and find himself the target of multiple attacks such as the electric chair, the vaporizer, a toe-hold or a kneebar—either way, the benefits of the Lotus Lockdown are definitely worth your time and investment.

In this video, Magnus Hansson, head instructor at 10th Planet Stockholm, shares light on some of the first basic key details that will turn your bottom half guard into kryptonite!

Still in doubt? Check out www.grapplinginstructionals.com for further information on the Lotus Lockdown, the world’s most complete Lockdown instructional in a Gi.

Magnus Hansson, 3rd-degree blackbelt under Duda Suares (Gi) and Eddie Bravo’s 1st European blackbelt shows everything there is to know about the Lockdown in a Gi with new revolutionary details. Modified from its original, the Lotus Lockdown will change the way you approach this powerful half-guard. Let the Lotus Lockdown be your solution!