Words: Mike Velez | Photos: Carl Hyndman
Closed guard is often one of the first positions you learn in jiu-jitsu: on your back, legs wrapped around the opponent to keep them close. That sense of safety is useful from the bottom, but it means you will also spend plenty of time inside someone else’s closed guard. David Dunn shows how sound posture, deliberate grips, and a few well-timed changes of direction can open the legs and lead into a pass.
Training note: Work through these movements with a qualified instructor and a cooperative partner. Keep pressure controlled, protect the knees and neck, and stop immediately at a tap or sign of discomfort.
The Fundamentals
When you are inside closed guard, limit the other person’s attacks and work toward opening the legs. In David’s basic kneeling posture, three rules help preserve your base.