Master the BJJ Rubber Guard: Technique Guide & Submissions

1. From Closed Guard, open your guard and swim one arm underneath your opponent's arm, securing an overhook on the same side. 2. Bring the leg on the same side as your overhook over your opponent's shoulder, securing it tightly around their neck and shoulder with your foot. 3. Use your free hand to grab your shin or knee of the leg around their head, pulling it tight to break their posture down towards you. 4. With their posture broken and your leg secured high, use your free hand to grab your opponent's wrist on the overhook side, establishing "Mission Control." 5. Maintain a tight core and keep your leg cinched to their head, preventing them from posturing up or escaping the position.

1. While flexibility helps, proper technique and hip movement are more crucial for maintaining the position effectively. 2. The primary goal of Rubber Guard is to completely break and control your opponent's posture, making it difficult for them to defend or escape. 3. Don't force the position if your opponent is strong and postured; instead, use hip escapes and angles to create space first. 4. The power of Rubber Guard comes from the constant threat of submissions, forcing your opponent to react and open up opportunities.

1. Gogoplata: A shin choke often set up directly from Mission Control, attacking the opponent's neck. 2. Omoplata: An armlock that attacks the shoulder, frequently initiated when the opponent tries to posture out or defend the Gogoplata. 3. Invisible Collar: A grip using the non-overhooking arm to control the opponent's far lapel, enhancing posture control and submission setups.

This technique works best from closed guard as an excellent follow-up when an opponent tries to posture up or create space. It's highly effective against taller opponents, as the leg control over the head helps neutralize their reach and height advantage. Rubber Guard is ideal when seeking submissions, as it creates a dominant controlling position for a wide array of chokes and arm locks, and can be quickly established during scrambles to regain control and initiate attacks.

1. Posture Up Aggressively: Try to stand tall and rip the leg off your head, even if it means sacrificing an arm momentarily to create space. 2. Underhook the Leg: Create an underhook with your arm on the side of their controlling leg to pull it down and disrupt the position. 3. Clear the Knee: Drive your shoulder into their knee and try to push it off your head, creating space to pass or escape the head control.