Sit-Up Guard

Sit-up guard is a dynamic open guard where the practitioner sits upright, often with one or both legs engaged with the opponent’s hips or arms. This posture facilitates sweeps, submissions, and transitions while maintaining mobility and visibility.

It is particularly effective in no-gi, where grips are less reliable, as the upright position allows constant adjustment, hand-fighting, and control over the opponent’s posture. Sit-up guard often leads into X-guard, spider guard, or lasso systems depending on the grips and leg placement.

High-level competitors use sit-up guard to control distance, create off-balance situations, and launch a variety of attacks, making it a versatile and essential component of modern open guard strategy.