Blue belt · Guard · Core
Half guard bottom: knee shield & underhook
The defensive base of half guard bottom: on your side, knee shield up, fighting for the underhook. Get this right and half guard becomes a safe place to work from.
Step by step
- Never lie flat. Turn onto your side facing them.
- Knee shield: your top knee across their belly, foot on their hip.
- Frame on their neck or biceps with your top arm.
- Fight for the underhook on the side of your bottom leg: dig your arm deep under their armpit.
- If they crossface you, frame and shrimp to get the knee shield back.
Details that make it work
- The underhook decides half guard. Whoever wins it usually wins the position.
- Flat on your back in half guard, you're about to be passed.
Common mistakes
- Lying flat and letting them crossface.
- Hugging their head instead of fighting for the underhook.
Drill it
Underhook fight from half guard: 3 × 1 min.
If it fails, or what comes next
- Underhook to dogfight to single leg Sweep · Half guard
- Recover full guard from half Guard · Half guard
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