Tech / tips to get from standard half-guard to lockdown

[Joshua Jarboe]

Hey y'all,

Maybe a stupid question. I frequently find myself in half guard with my legs triangled, sort of like this except for with me looking a bit more weak and miserable.



I want to get to lockdown so I can be strong and awesome. But that means I have to uncross my legs (weak) and cross one leg over (even weaker). In that moment, I'm finding it difficult to put the lockdown in.

Is there a technique that makes this easier? Or am I just missing something obvious like "put a hand on their knee" or something?

help a noob out so I can represent.

~Joshua

[Wancarlos]

I don't know the answer to this, but I'm sure you will read the word "stomp" in this thread plenty.

[Joshua Jarboe]

I don't know the answer to this, but I'm sure you will read the word "stomp" in this thread plenty.

Right? I'm a total noob so after watching a whole bunch of 1/4 guard drills involving the quarter clinch, I started thinking "mini-stomp??" when I was in half guard. My next thought was something like "Wait, what?" Third thought was "Oh, he's giving me deep-half, I'm good with that."

I have this funny feeling that you're just supposed to be fast. Or maybe there's a stomp for that ;D

[Wancarlos]

I just grabbed this from the tech guide pinned on the top of the boards

Black Mamba MTS47 1:11:38 Forcing the Lockdown

Mini Stomp MTS02 4:15 Forcing the Lockdown

Mini Stomp MTS11 5:10 Forcing the Lockdown

Mini Stomp MTS13 18:21 Forcing the Lockdown

Mini Stomp MTS33 20:43 Forcing the Lockdown

Mini Stomp Variation MTS05 8:01 Forcing the Lockdown

[Brent Smith]

Sometimes guys will tuck their foot under their butt to prevent the lockdown if they know that's what you want. There's some tricks you can do but it would be difficult to explain via text. I'll see if I can film something (if I remember that is). I play between traditional half to lockdown all the time. I tend to prefer traditional half so I can get to deep half more. Something I can say though, don't triangle your legs. It's not helping you at all. As long as you dominate the inside space he won't pass with just a basic leg curl from your bottom leg.

[Amir Allam]

Stomp is always a great option. If you have the underhook you can come right up to dogfight and skip the lockdown. If you can get your left knee (going by the picture) in between yourself and your opponent, you can play Z guard. You can also hold your opponent's leg in place by doing a leg curl with your right leg in the crook of his knee; this will allow you to cross your right leg over for the lockdown without giving up position. In my opinion, the underhook (with your left arm) is more important than anything else in this position. If you can't get it, don't let your opponent get it. If he does get it, jaws of life or stomp quick.

[Joshua Jarboe]

Wow, lots to think about. Thanks everyone!

[Joshua Jarboe]

You can also hold your opponent's leg in place by doing a leg curl with your right leg in the crook of his knee; this will allow you to cross your right leg over for the lockdown without giving up position. In my opinion, the underhook (with your left arm) is more important than anything else in this position. If you can't get it, don't let your opponent get it. If he does get it, jaws of life or stomp quick.

I think this is going to have to do. I've reviewed what's been said here and there's not a lot I can do about sucking at getting the lockdown other than to be faster and stronger and to try to find a good halfway point between the two like you've described. The Stomp looks cool though. I'm eventually going to want to channel this flow into my full guard / butterfly guard game.

[Joshua Jarboe]

Something I can say though, don't triangle your legs. It's not helping you at all. As long as you dominate the inside space he won't pass with just a basic leg curl from your bottom leg.

O.o

Any tips on how to dominate the inside space? Maybe it's just basic noobishness / a weak squeeze but if I'm not either in lockdown or halfguard with my legs triangled, I have only a few short seconds until I'm mounted or side-mounted.

I get the feeling that I want to get as close to perpendicular as I can so that my legs aren't parallel to his. But how to instill strength in that? Underhooks? Underhook the leg?

[Tim Bruhn]

MTS 69. Mini Stop, push, pull, lockdown.

Eddie doesn't chant that shit like a drill sergant for nothing