BJJ Closed Guard Concepts: Control, Submissions, and Sweeps

BJJ Wiki · Updated 2026-03-16

The closed guard is one of the most fundamental and effective positions in BJJ. Understanding its concepts — rather than just memorizing techniques — allows you to adapt fluidly to whatever your opponent gives you.

Contents

The Primary Goal: Break Posture

Everything in closed guard starts with posture control. An opponent with good posture (upright spine, head up, base out) can resist and escape. Your first job is to break that posture — pull them forward and down, collapsing their spine. Grips to the collar and sleeve, combined with a hip-out hip position, accomplish this. A broken-posture opponent is now vulnerable to armbars, triangles, and chokes.

Hip Movement Is Everything

Closed guard is an active position. Static closed guard gets stacked and opened. Continuous hip movement — hip escape left to attack the right arm, hip escape right to create triangle angle — keeps the top player reactive rather than proactive. Master the hip movement before the submissions.

💡 Key Concept: In closed guard, you have two weapons: your legs (to break posture and create angle) and your upper body (to control grips and create submission setups). Use them together rather than independently.

Submission Hierarchy

From broken posture: the triangle choke (leg over the near arm, lock the triangle), the armbar (hip out to the arm side, break posture further, extend the arm), and the guillotine (when they shoot or post on the mat) are the primary submissions. Cross-collar choke works when the collar is accessible. These four cover 90% of closed guard submission opportunities.

The Sweep-Submission Connection

Sweeps and submissions work together. When your opponent defends the triangle by posturing up — sweep them with scissor or hip bump. When they sprawl against the sweep — triangle or armbar. This toggle between submission and sweep threats is what makes closed guard formidable. Neither attack succeeds alone against a skilled defender; together, they create constant dilemmas.

Opening the Guard

Understanding how your guard gets opened helps you prevent it. The opponent wants to: stand up (gravity defeats the closed guard), break your grips (removing control), and stack your hips. Counter: maintain hip angle, control their posture aggressively, and always have a submission in play when they attempt to stand.

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