is it true

[knees_n_elbows]

Half guard is a valid position but there's two ways of looking at it.

1. You have a half of your guard.
2. You've already had half of your guard passed.

Both are right, its just a matter of perspective. I personally look at half guard as a glass half empty type situation. I only end up there if my opponent or transitional positioning finds me there and I don't try to hang out there for very long.

 

[dimmyfinster]

For me the Rafa videos are a lot better. Some instructors they have where even teaching inferior shit like the lockdown.

I didn't like all of their instructors equally, but you could just skip them. In particular, I think we really lose out by not having Nick's videos anymore.


It looks like they've had a few instructors leave recently (Rick Slomba to open his own school and Danny Stolfi) so maybe this hides that.

 

[FatherSauce]

Half guard is a valid position but there's two ways of looking at it.

1. You have a half of your guard.
2. You've already had half of your guard passed.

Both are right, its just a matter of perspective. I personally look at half guard as a glass half empty type situation. I only end up there if my opponent or transitional positioning finds me there and I don't try to hang out there for very long.

You can also look at it as a 2 on 1 of the legs.

 

[tekkenfan]

You can also look at it as a 2 on 1 of the legs.

if you are a fast thinker and quick with transitions youll do fine in hg the thing i see is guys sitting there and not attacking enough so yeah they should prob play a basic closed guard but tbh any open guard from bottom you have to be fast and attack fast or your gonna get passed

i like mma and think half is the best guard for saving your face vs good guys today guys have great posture today so no more holding guys down and setting up your triangles gotta get up under them.

 

[georgegreece]

Half isn't the best for saving anything in mma, a high guard could save you from some punches but that's all.

 

[tekkenfan]

Half isn't the best for saving anything in mma, a high guard could save you from some punches but that's all.

good luck getting a high guard vs someone whos good people in ufc today arnt blue bellt level anymore u never see guys getting high guard hardly ever half guard gives me easy chance to hit a single leg come on top like what maia does

 

[BJJ_Rage]

good luck getting a high guard vs someone whos good people in ufc today arnt blue bellt level anymore u never see guys getting high guard hardly ever half guard gives me easy chance to hit a single leg come on top like what maia does

people dont use high guards in mma because very few like to use close guard at all. Tony has very good high guard for example. There are a few guys using rubber guard type of guard, not many though.

Maias half though, its a killer. but you need to be able to wrestle very well also, going to a dog fight with a good wrestlers is not an easy task.

 

[tekkenfan]

people dont use high guards in mma because very few like to use close guard at all. Tony has very good high guard for example. There are a few guys using rubber guard type of guard, not many though.

Maias half though, its a killer. but you need to be able to wrestle very well also, going to a dog fight with a good wrestlers is not an easy task.

i agree i guess im thinking of myself like to wrestle for legs singles doubles to get on top but man against good guys gettin high guard is very hard especially with sweat man

u rarely see close guard subs in no gi advanced bjj matches much less when guys can punch them int he face and are elite level athletes

 

[BJJ_Rage]

i agree i guess im thinking of myself like to wrestle for legs singles doubles to get on top but man against good guys gettin high guard is very hard especially with sweat man

u rarely see close guard subs in no gi advanced bjj matches much less when guys can punch them int he face and are elite level athletes

I believe submitting people in mma might even be easier than no gi to be honest... its riskier as well, but when people try to punch, they open up for subs, problem is time, as long as you are on your back, your most likely losing so people want to get up as soon as they can. I was a firm believer in the Guard, but at these days, people is too damn good to be honest.

 

[tekkenfan]

I believe submitting people in mma might even be easier than no gi to be honest... its riskier as well, but when people try to punch, they open up for subs, problem is time, as long as you are on your back, your most likely losing so people want to get up as soon as they can. I was a firm believer in the Guard, but at these days, people is too damn good to be honest.

its easier t sub guys in mma when guys dont have good grappling bases yes cause they are desperately trying to hit your face opening up space but good guys have great posture and are smart about there attack iv won 3 fights off my back so far my pro debut in 36 seconds by triangle then went to train at att and i couldnt budge most of the pros from closed guard

 

[ChumsGum]

I love half guard and am very dangerous whether I'm on top or on bottom. Most people think of it as a transition position but I attack heavily from there.

 

[bjjaz]

I didn't like all of their instructors equally, but you could just skip them. In particular, I think we really lose out by not having Nick's videos anymore.


It looks like they've had a few instructors leave recently (Rick Slomba to open his own school and Danny Stolfi) so maybe this hides that.

Nick and Danny both left? Or did they just take Nick's videos off?

 

[yetanother]

Nick and Danny both left? Or did they just take Nick's videos off?

They didn't remove the old videos, but a lot more superior quality Rafa and Gui videos are uploaded.

 

[bjjaz]

They didn't remove the old videos, but a lot more superior quality Rafa and Gui videos are uploaded.

Aww okay, that makes sense.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

i heard marcelo and mendes bro dont show half guard because they both dont believe its a strong position in jiu jitsu

i know everyone has there own style due to body type or attributes ect but i find that crazy being half guard is a go to position for danger its easy to snag a leg than trying to pull any other guard esp from escaping mount or side.

you do have to know the game well but thats grappling in general being able to get completely under a guys base its hard for him to attack you and you have so much leverage to sweep to come up on top i think for top players that should be your paradise trying to hit that single

With Marcelo at least, this statement and his one about not doing arm-in chokes gets egregiously lost in translation. He's saying "I don't do it because it's not a strong position for ME" but people think he's making some grand judgment about the overall efficacy of the position. After training against Bernardo Faria every day he wouldn't think half guard is a strong position?

 

[dimmyfinster]

Nick and Danny both left? Or did they just take Nick's videos off?

They don't have anybody else's new videos anymore so no Nick. Old videos are still there although it looks like they took down some from when they first changed the site.

A quick Google shows that Danny left to go back to NY. Rick left a maybe six months ago and opened a new school.

Those were my favorite of the student instructors.

 

[yetanother]

they took down some from when they first changed the site.

They lost them in the chaos. Their website was (is?) run by fully incompetent webdev team.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

Half guard is a valid position but there's two ways of looking at it.

1. You have a half of your guard.
2. You've already had half of your guard passed.

Both are right, its just a matter of perspective. I personally look at half guard as a glass half empty type situation. I only end up there if my opponent or transitional positioning finds me there and I don't try to hang out there for very long.

every serious half guard player i've known personally, and know of professionally, seems to have resigned themselves to roll after roll of being in uncomfortable positions, just for the penultimate moment where they grind out that sweep. it is definitely not where I want to hang out, but mad respect for the lucas leites, eddie bravos, and bernardo farias of the world for being able to muster that level of discipline.

 

[yetanother]

muster that level of discipline.

Transitioning out of being a half guard player is hard.
I do play de la riva and berimbolos and the Telles style turtle/half guard hybrid but that's still related.
Fully switching to a less half guardish approach sucks.

 

[knees_n_elbows]

every serious half guard player i've known personally, and know of professionally, seems to have resigned themselves to roll after roll of being in uncomfortable positions, just for the penultimate moment where they grind out that sweep. it is definitely not where I want to hang out, but mad respect for the lucas leites, eddie bravos, and bernardo farias of the world for being able to muster that level of discipline.

Of for sure. Text makes it hard for a nuanced conversation. I personally don't mind being in half guard, I don't pull it per say and I stay busy there.

Couldn't agree more with the uncomfortable position statement. Based on my skill level compared to who I'm sparring with I regularly let my training partners start in advantageous positions. Back control harness hold, mount 'say go when your ready', side control no posture etc.