My instructors view on half guard lockdown

[ErikLavigne]

During our roll sessions today, my instructor saw me pull half guard to lockdown and addressed it after class. He said I am limiting myself because I'm pulling the person on me and forcing lockdown that can be easily defeated by sitting on your hip opposite the lockdown and turning towards the lockdown to use your hands to break free. He stated once you sit your hip/butt cheek down, the lockdown is basically defeated.

I didn't want to argue with him and explain about getting double under hooks so they can't do that. He's the teacher I listen. But, he gave an option. He said since I seem to be a fair half guard player, he wants to work with it and teach me deep half/ open half(I beleive he means Z guard). He stated lockdown should be my last option from half guard. Keep the weight of my opponent off me unless I have no choice. I can see the logic behind this. I am very happy he seems to want to work with my half guard game even though he is not a fan. He stated he'll work to give me a well rounded half guard instead of just the lockdown.

What is your thoughts on defeating lockdown by simply laying the hip opposite of lockdown side on the mat?

[Joe Mayall]

If someone puts their hip on the ground transition to the dog fight. That means there weight is off you. As far as your instructor, mine does not like the lockdown as well, but it's tough to argue good results. That being said, learn what he teaches you and practice it. There is no downside to learning different forms of half guard. In fact you're probably going to need traditional half and z guard as people learn you like the lockdown and try to stop you from getting there

[ErikLavigne]

If someone puts their hip on the ground transition to the dog fight. That means there weight is off you. As far as your instructor, mine does not like the lockdown as well, but it's tough to argue good results. That being said, learn what he teaches you and practice it. There is no downside to learning different forms of half guard. In fact you're probably going to need traditional half and z guard as people learn you like the lockdown and try to stop you from getting there

I agree, but I don't think he understands the philosophy of getting double underhooks. This is a Gi school so I am not sure he is getting the concept of what and why I do things the way I do. I'm not there to try and make him understand either. When he appears more receptive due to my results I will start maybe explaining the logic. Dog fight is a great idea but he doesn't even consider the double underhooks, he only explains from having an over under, thus his explanation makes sense.

[Joe Mayall]

That confuses me, as double underhooks is best with or without lockdown. Lucas Leite, one of the best half guard players does not use the lockdown and is all about double underhooks. In fact I remember Eddie giving him props for it, can't remember what MTS though.

[ErikLavigne]

I am confused as well but my instructor is all about using the Gi for leverage and gripping your opponent. I Need to explain to him that in my line of work (police), I don't have the luxury of always having a Gi, so I focus on no gi grips. I try to apply most of my JJ to how it works in the field. The lockdown is killer with my work boots on, of course that is worse case scenario if I'm on my back.

[Joe Mayall]

One thing I will say about real world fights is that the lockdown, or any half guard is TERRIBLE for self defense. In MMA, you are not allowed to hit to the back of the head, which is why the lockdown with a double underhooks clinch is so effective. In a street fight, you are going to eat elbows to the back of the head, which is going to be detrimental. And I'm absolutely no Combatives expert or anything, but I would be focusing on creating distance using an open guard, and getting back to your weapons (handgun, taser, pepper spray, etc.). The last thing I would want in an altercation is a suspect reaching down an pulling my weapon while I have him in a lockdown. I would suggest looking into Gracie Survival Tactics, it's designed for law enforcement and military, with emphasis on not only protecting your self from strikes, back protecting your weapons from being used against you. Again, I'm no expert.

[ErikLavigne]

Lockdown is worst case scenario. I am actually one of our control tactics instructors so yes we work from distance. Lock down is used for control in a fight where you are out matched. It's made to be used as a stall until back up can get there. The idea I've developed for officers is you've been surprised knocked off your feet, doesn't matter the reason but you're on your ass and your bad guy has fighting experience. He's getting past your guard what do you do? Lockdown will get you through until help arrives. Double underhooks will help keep him off your tool belt, especially your weapon side.
He won't advance to mount, just keep his posture broke down and rest, he's the one that has to do the work. I would like to think bad guy will feel uncomfortable enough to reach back and try to pry the lockdown at which point you can reach a weapon.

[ErikLavigne]

Of course we teach to try and get back to a position of advantage to maintain distance, but it doesn't always work that way and moving around on the ground with a gun belt on is not as easy as rolling on a mat.

[Elisha J Baker]

Yeah, lockdown's pathetically easy to counter with a simple hip turn. Royler proved that at Metamoris once and for all.

[Arman Fathi]

It's not so much of a bad thing to pull lockdown if you're constantly attacking. Where I can see people getting annoyed a little bit would be if you just got it to prevent their pass and make their life difficult rather than attack and transition to other half guards or even full guard. Think of guards and points of contact as lines of defense, and lockdown as a tool that can bail you out of a desperate situation while also giving you some attack options. It shouldn't be the first line of defense. Start with full guard, work out to butterfly guard, de la riva, reverse de la riva, x-guard, you name it. Basically any guard that utilizes the feet as the line of defense. After that, there would be knee-shield game. You could swim for underhooks, build the pyramid, get triangles/armbars, and always recover to earlier lines of defense. There no shame in that. If he's more than progressed past your feet and he's coming past your knees, then you can start entering half-guard, deep-half, and lockdown game. Think of each layer of your game though as lines of defense. If you're not that good at any one particular thing, butterfly or closed guard for example, you identify that as a hole in your game, you review resources, drill it out a little bit, try it in rolls, and analyze. But it can understandably be frustrating if a guy is always pulling lockdown and it takes up the majority of the round. It should be used liberally on the offensive front, and defensively only to get on your side and to generate movement, but sometimes it's even ok to let it go in non-competition simply to generate more movement and collaboration.

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