Guard Retention Games

The 80/20 of Guard Retention

Warmup

(5 minutes)

Independent warmup

Game 1

Partners.

A: Seated open guard. Goal: keep opponent in front of you. "10-2" on the clock. Inversion is allowed.

B: Outside passing. Goal: cut an angle. Move, jab, no big attempts to affect opponent's base.

Not a competition. 10%.

Game 2

Additions:

B: Goal: keep opponent's shoulders on the mat for 3 seconds

30%

Game 3

Start the round with 3 reps of B putting A on their back.

A: Supine open guard. Goal: keep the bottoms of your feet facing your opponent. "eyes on your feet"

B: Goal: Get and keep opponent's soles looking somewhere else. Can't enter hip space / can't solidify passes.

Game 4

Additions:

A: Goal: keep your knees above your hip line. stay contracted.

B: Goal: get a line of sight to opponent's hip. Pressure is allowed. Solidifying passes is allowed.

Live Positional

Groups of three. Very short timed rounds (5s, 10s). Open guard passing. No subs. You can wrestle up, but if no points, just reset. If there's a guard pass, rest.

Live Positional

Same thing, but 2 minute rounds. Rotate passer on pass or sweep.

Game

Hands, hips, feet

Live Rounds

5 minute rounds, start standing.