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A type of open guard, as shown in a USMC manual combatives manual.

The guard (in Judo sometimes referred to colloquially as do-osae¹, "trunk hold"^[1]; in Catch Wrestling, the "front body scissor") is a ground grappling position where one combatant has his or her back to the ground, while holding the other combatant using the legs. In pure grappling combat sports, the guard is considered an advantageous position, since the bottom combatant can attack with various joint locks and chokeholds, while the top combatant's priority is to transition into a more dominant position, a process known as passing the guard. In mixed martial arts competition or hand-to-hand combat in general, it is possible to effectively strike from the top in the guard, even though the bottom combatant exerts some control over the top one. There are various types of guard, with their own advantages and disadvantages.

The closed guard.

The closed guard is the typical guard position. The legs are hooked behind the back of the opponent, preventing him or her from standing up or moving away. The opponent needs to open the legs up to be able to improve positioning. The bottom combatant might transition between the open and closed guard, as the open guard allows for better movement, but also increased risk in the opponent passing the guard.

The open guard is typically used to perform various joint locks and chokeholds. The legs can be used to move the opponent, and to create leverage. The legs open allows the opponent to stand up or try to pass the guard, so this position is often used temporarily to set up sweeps or other techniques. Open guard is also a general term that encompasses a large number of guard positions where the legs are used to push, wrap or hook the opponent without locking the ankles together around them.

The butterfly guard being used during Judo training. The judogi of the top combatant is grabbed to prevent him from moving away.

The butterfly guard involves both of the legs being hooked with the ankles in between the opponents legs, against the inside of the opponents thighs. The opponent is controlled using both legs and arms. The butterfly guard is often short-lived since the opponent might be able to move quite freely. The leverage in the butterfly guard allows for powerful sweeps and quick transitions.

This position can be considered a type of spider guard.

The spider guard comprises a number of positions all of which involve controlling the opponents arms while using the soles of the feet to control the opponent at the biceps, hips, thighs or a combination of them. It is most effective when the sleeves of the opponent can be grabbed, for instance if the opponent is wearing a gi. The spider guard can be used for sweeps and to set up joint locks or chokeholds.

The x-guard is an open guard where one of the combatants is standing up and the other is on his back. The bottom combatant uses the legs to entangle one of the opponent's legs, which creates opportunities for powerful sweeps. The x-guard is often used in combination with butterfly and half guard. In a grappling match, this is an advantageous position for the bottom combatant, but in general hand-to-hand combat, the top combatant can attack with stomps or soccer kicks. This having been said, skilled use of the X guard can prevent the opponent from attempting a kick, or throw him off balance should he raise a leg. The X-guard was popularised by Marcelo Garcia.^{[citation needed]}

The De la Riva guard being used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training.

The De la Riva guard (also called the De la Riva hook and jello guard) is an open guard that was popularized in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by black belt Ricardo de la Riva Goded, who was very successful with it in competition. In it, one of the legs is wrapped behind the opponent's leg from the outside, the ankle held with one hand, and the other hand grips one of their sleeves. The De la Riva guard offers many sweeps, transitions and submissions, and is often used in combination with spider guard.

The turtle is primarily a defensive position, but can be used as an offensive position with recent jiu-jitsu pracititioners such as Eduardo Telles bringing it to the limelight. The turtle involves curling up on all fours. Defensively, one hand should be used to defend from chokes, and the other hand should be used to defend from the leg hook. The idea behind the turtle guard is that you can defend from your back, which was previously a dangerous position to give up in jiu-jitsu. With proper defense, the turtle guard can be transitioned to from your back, just as someone is passing your guard. In Jiu-jitsu competition, transitioning from your back to turtle guard just as your transitional guard is being passed, avoids points being scored on you from side control.

This is a position that keeps the opponent down in your guard. Popularized by Eddie Bravo, also the founder of many techniques from this position. By being flexible and using a leg to hold the opponent down, one arm is free to work on submissions, sweeps or to strike the opponent's trapped head. The rubber guard is set up like a branching path or choose-your-own ending story. There are six basic "levels" in the rubber guard, with one major option and two minor options along the way.

Levels:

1. Break opponent down in guard. Using one of many options and methods, you pull a posturing opponent down to your body.

2. Mission Control position. Mission control consists of gripping on leg, at the ankle, with the opposite hand. For instance, you would slide your left leg up to opponent's shoulder and neck, then slide right hand along the opponent's left shoulder, hooking your wrist behind your ankle, palm facing you, and lock your hand down to maintain control. The most important aspect here is that your other leg must use pinching motion, knee pushing into opponent's side, with your foot on the hip. From mission control you have both of the minor options: Retard Control and Crack Head Control. Both are used primarily to calm down an opponent who is fighting against Mission control. For Retard control, you will loop your free hand (left hand) up the right side of the opponent's neck and gable grip (palm to wrist grip) the hands together, thus strengthening the hold on your ankle. For Crack head control, you will kick off with free foot (right foot) and cross your legs behind the opponent's neck, right ankle on top as you look at it, maintaining the mission control position and holding the right foot in place with the left hand. A posturing opponent has little chance of escape and calms down after they figure it out.

3. New York. From Mission control, the object is to trap the opponent's hand to the mat. If they try to post up on either arm, you will trap that arm by hugging the knee on that arm side with your arm on that side, maintaining Mission control positioning as above. This is called New York. You should hug your knee tightly to keep the arm trapped, as most submissions depend on this. Keep in mind that at any point along thise series of "levels", you can go for any number of submissions.

4. Chill Dog. After trapping the arm, if you have not gone for a submission, you need to clear the arm in Mission Control over the neck to the opposite side. If you had used the right arm/left leg, trapping the opponent's arm with your left arm, then you pass the right arm over the neck and regrip the leg on the shin bone in the same manner as above, with wrist, fingers curled down to hold, palm facing you. You are now in Chill Dog, so named because once you get here you can "Chill, dog."

5. Invisible Collar. At this point, if you swing your free leg up as in Crack head control, pushing the opponent's free arm with it, you can submit many opponent's in a position called the Invisible Collar. It is so called because the legs and trapped arms put pressure on the opponent's carotid arteries in much the same way as the various collar chokes from Brazilian Ju Jutsu. If the opponent does not submit, we can move on to the last step in the Rubber Guard line.

6. Jiu Claw. You will pull the foot in Chill dog position up and over the head of your opponent, keeping a tight grip still on the trapped arm, and begin to push on the heel while;e simultaneously using your free foot to push the opponent's hip, sliding out to the side and pinshing your knees together. This position is the Jiu Claw, where you can go for the omo plata easily. The final step of the rubber guard itself, but not the final piece of the puzzle since you still need to submit your opponent or get into a better position such as mount or taking the back.

• Back mount
• Half guard
• Knee-on-stomach
• Mount
• North-south position
• Side control

• Jiu-Jitsu and Submission grappling Video Techniques
• Tutorials of BJJ techniques from closed and open guard
• The 'Basic' Butterfly Guard Sweep
• Butterfly Guard / X Guard Q & A
• Guard Passing Intro