Standing
Every match starts here. Grip fighting, takedowns, guard pulls and the defence that stops you being taken down.
44 resources · 2 variants
Positions
Every instructional on FiveStripe lives under a position, then a role (top, bottom or neutral), then a category such as escapes or submissions.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class at Camp Bondsteel. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Kameron Spencer. Public domain. Source
Standing
Guards
Closed Guard
Legs locked around the opponent's waist. The classic BJJ position - a fortress for the bottom player and a puzzle for the top player.
62 resources · 2 variants
Half Guard
One of the opponent's legs is trapped between yours. A crossroads position that both players pass through constantly.
76 resources · 5 variants
Butterfly Guard
Seated with both feet hooked inside the opponent's thighs. The best guard for lifting and sweeping a kneeling opponent, gi or no-gi.
23 resources · 2 variants
De La Riva Guard
Your outside leg wraps around the opponent's lead leg from the outside. The gateway to berimbolos, back takes and countless sweeps.
29 resources · 2 variants
Reverse De La Riva
Your inside leg hooks the opponent's lead leg from the inside while a knee shield keeps them off you. The no-gi answer to knee cut passers.
21 resources · 2 variants
Spider Guard
Feet on the opponent's biceps with sleeve grips. A gi guard that controls posture at range and feeds triangles, omoplatas and sweeps.
19 resources · 2 variants
Lasso Guard
One leg threaded over the opponent's arm and under their armpit with a sleeve grip. The stickiest gi guard for stopping passes and setting up omoplatas.
16 resources · 2 variants
Collar Sleeve Guard
A cross collar grip and a same-side sleeve grip with a foot on the bicep or hip. A simple, powerful gi open guard built around the triangle and omoplata.
16 resources · 2 variants
X-Guard
Underneath a standing opponent with your legs crossed around one of their legs and their other leg on your shoulder. A sweeping position that almost always ends on top.
28 resources · 2 variants
Single Leg X-Guard
Both legs controlling one of the opponent's legs with your outside foot on their hip. Equal parts sweeping guard and leg lock entry.
32 resources · 2 variants
K-Guard
A hooking leg behind the opponent's knee with your arm underhooking the same leg. The modern no-gi guard for entering the saddle, 50/50 and back takes.
22 resources · 2 variants
Lapel Guards
Open guards that wrap the opponent's own lapel around their leg. Slow, suffocating gi guards made famous by Keenan Cornelius.
18 resources · 2 variants
Open Guard
Everything that is not closed guard. The concepts of distance, frames, hooks and retention that every specific open guard relies on.
41 resources · 3 variants
Passing
Pins
Side Control
Chest to chest, perpendicular to the opponent. The first pin most passes arrive at, and the position everyone needs to be able to escape.
70 resources · 2 variants
Kesa Gatame (Scarf Hold)
Sitting beside the opponent with their head under your arm and their arm trapped. A judo pin that BJJ players love to hate - heavy, hard to escape and full of submissions.
17 resources · 2 variants
Knee on Belly
Your knee across the opponent's stomach with your other foot posted wide. A mobile, painful pin that scores points and forces reactions.
19 resources · 2 variants
North-South
Chest on chest with your head at the opponent's hips and theirs at yours. A stalling pin with one famous choke and a lot of kimuras.
22 resources · 2 variants
Mount
Sitting on the opponent's torso with your knees on the mat. The most dominant pin in the rules and the one every beginner must learn to escape.
68 resources · 3 variants
Back and crucifix
Back Control
Behind the opponent with hooks or a body triangle and the seatbelt grip. The most dominant position in jiu-jitsu and home of the rear naked choke.
44 resources · 2 variants
Crucifix
Behind a turtled opponent with one of their arms trapped between your legs and the other controlled by your arms. A back-take variant with brutal chokes and shoulder locks.
19 resources · 2 variants
