Open Guard

Attribution: This lesson plan was taken from coach Greg Souders’ Foundations at Standard Jiu-Jitsu YouTube video.

Game 1

Attribution: This game was originally created by coach Greg Souders at Standard Jiu-Jitsu.

Top Player:

  • Position: Standing disconnected from your partner near their feet.
  • Objective: Use hands to keep your partner's connections broken and your feet free.
  • Constraints: Stay as close to your partner as possible.
  • Win Condition: None

Bottom Player:

  • Position: Lying on your back with your knees retracted to your chest and elbows in near your knees.
  • Objective: Make and maintain connections to the inside of your partner's legs using your hands and feet. Get both feet in between your partners legs as well as both hands on legs. Retain position as long as possible.
  • Constraints: No sweeps allowed
  • Win Condition: None

This game is continuous.

Game 2

Attribution: This game was originally created by coach Greg Souders at Standard Jiu-Jitsu.

Top Player:

  • Position: Standing disconnected from your partner near their feet.
  • Objective: Clear the line of the feet and advance to the line of the knees either outside or inside your partner's legs. Hold this position for as long as possible.
  • Constraints: Stay as close to your partner as possible.
  • Win Condition: None

Bottom Player:

  • Position: Lying on your back with your knees retracted to your chest and elbows in near your knees.
  • Objective: Make and maintain connections to inside position using your hands and feet and then use those connections to destabilize your partner.
  • Constraints: None
  • Win Condition: Off balance your partner forcing them either onto their hands or their butt. If they land on their butt immediately reset and continue. If they land on their hands hold them in that position for as long as you can.

Reset if bottom player wins.

Game 3

Attribution: This game was originally created by coach Greg Souders at Standard Jiu-Jitsu.

Top Player:

  • Position: On top of your partner with chest to chest contact lying perpendicular to their torso.
  • Objective: Focus on isolating one or more of your partner's limbs or achieving chest to back contact in preparation for applying a submission.
  • Constraints: None.
  • Win Condition: Achieve a figure four grip from top side control, an extended arm connected to your partner's head while in mount, or an exposed back with solidified chest to back contact with an over/under grip (seatbelt).

Bottom Player:

  • Position: On your back with your partner on top of you lying perpendicular to your torso with chest to chest contact.
  • Objective: Create space and movement in order to allow improvement of your position.
  • Constraints: None.
  • Win Condition: Bring your feet between you and your partner or reverse the position.

Reset if either player wins.