BJJ closed guard

[peppi]

I would like to ask the experienced BJJ practitioners to help me to learn more about the closed guard in BJJ. I have no experience in this topic but was impressed by the simple idea about the defense.
However I am wondering about several things:
1. Is it true that in non-competitive environment the closed guard makes your groin exposed to attacks. Can you "pass the guard" in that way
2. In the old BJJ tapes they show how to pass the guard with the arm below the leg. Is it true that in this way you are vulnerable to triangle choke?
3. People say the Rorion and Kukuk lessons are "the old school" and outdated, however I find the instruction very good. Aren't the basics of BJJ the most important stuff? Isn't it true that in reality you use not more than, say, 12 mastered moves?

[pstevens]

1. Is it true that in non-competitive environment the closed guard makes your groin exposed to attacks. Can you "pass the guard" in that way

In a real situation, everything is exposed. You have to work at it; just like anything else.
The purpose of the guard is to allow yourself to fight from your back in a situation where your ability to stand has been compromised. From the closed guard, you shouldn’t be simply lying on your back. You’re working to keep him close (defense), force a submission, or sweep/get out.
If “groin” attacks were such an issue, I don’t believe the guard would be valid today. However, if you break their posture like you’re supposed to, it’s a non-issue.

2. In the old BJJ tapes they show how to pass the guard with the arm below the leg. Is it true that in this way you are vulnerable to triangle choke?

You’re vulnerable to a triangle choke whenever you have one elbow beyond their belt line, and the other outside. It doesn’t matter whether you’re passing guard, or simply transitioning. The problem is not whether passing the guard in this manner will get you caught in a triangle, it’s whether you understand enough about the triangle to not get caught.

3. People say the Rorion and Kukuk lessons are "the old school" and outdated, however I find the instruction very good. Aren't the basics of BJJ the most important stuff? Isn't it true that in reality you use not more than, say, 12 mastered moves?

People will say what they want… but you should understand that techniques and ideas can become outdated. However, the core principles of BJJ remain the same; and as long as the technique embodies these principles – it’s still valid and can be tweaked to your needs.
Let me explain a little about the “basics” of BJJ. First of all, the basics doesn’t refer to simply techniques. Rather, when we say “basics” we’re referring to an understanding of the theories of BJJ AND how to relate them to fundamental techniques.
In reality, you’re not using 12, 24 or 36 moves. Instead, you’re reacting based on your understanding of the basics (a combination of concepts & core techs). For example, if you picked 12 techniques and drilled them to perfection, would they address all your needs? Chances are the answer is “no” because this idea is flawed. However, if you found that there were 12 techniques that were guided by a sound principle; and these 12 techniques could be linked endlessly to compensate for changes; then you’re on to something.

[peppi]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your in-depth, detailed answer!

Petar Petrov,
wing chun coach

[peppi]

And greetings!

[pstevens]

Greetings and you're welcome...

As a tidbit, let me share with you 4 functions of the closed guard. They are:

1. Defense. The guard's primary purpose is to allow you to defend yourself while on your back. You accomplish this by controlling the space between yourself and the opponent. You want to be either too close or too far to hit; but never in a range where your opponent can effectively strike you. This means that you're constantly fighting for positional control and breaking his posture.

2. Sweep or reversal. The next order of business is to get out from under your opponent. Regardless of how effective your closed guard may be, the fact remains that you're positioned underneath someone who has gravity on his side. As such, you need to consider what techniques or strategy allow you to get up. This depends on what your opponent allows or what you create. Regardless, you need to understand how to sweep, stand back up and reverse the situation.

3. Submission. Should the opportunity present itself, you should have an arsenal of submissions that can be used from the closed guard. However, this should be a last resort, in my honest opinion. Attacks from here aren't as effective as they may seem in sport competition. Speaking from a self-defense point of view, it's a last resort and hopefully one that can be made to count. Needless to say, you need to understand how to effectively attack from underneath.

4. Combination. Finally, you must combine the first 3 functions effectively. For instance, you've been tackled to the ground so you assume the closed guard; immediately, you defend your position by breaking your opponent's posture and look for a possible sweep should he lean to one side to free his arms. If he postures up too much, you might have an armlock or triangle. Better yet, he allows you to lock a submission and execute a sweep. Now, you're on top.

The bottom line is the guard isn't a "magic" position that allows you the comfort of working from underneath. No one wants to be there in a real situation. However, if you put in the time and effort your guard can be very formidable. Most people in BJJ spend hours perfecting guard passes and defense. It's the staple of BJJ.