Butterfly Guard
Butterfly guard uses the insteps as hooks under the opponent's thighs so that any forward pressure can be redirected into a lift. It is central to modern no-gi because it links directly to X-guard, single-leg X and the back, and because it works against kneeling opponents who refuse to stand.
27 resources
Also called butterfly, hooks guard, seated butterfly, guarda borboleta.
Butterfly Guard Bottom
You are seated with hooks in. Control posture, get the underhook or arm drag, and lift.
- Posture and Grips Sitting up into the opponent, winning the underhook or overhook and keeping the hooks alive. 5
- Sweeps The classic butterfly (hook) sweep and its variations off the underhook, overhook and arm drag. 11
- Submissions Guillotines, arm-in guillotines, kimuras and triangles when the opponent drives into you. 3
- Entries to X-Guard, SLX and the Back When the sweep stalls, dropping under into X-guard or single-leg X, or spinning to the back off the arm drag. 5
- Retention Staying seated and keeping the hooks when the opponent tries to flatten you or step around. 5
Butterfly Guard Top
Kneeling or standing against seated hooks. Kill the hooks, control the head or hips and pass.