Inside or Outside the Elbows vs Stand and Open
Mat mode
3:00
Tell the roomKeep your hands on their body, get your posture, and stand up to open the legs.
Show full gameHide full gameRules · how to win · video
TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Kneeling in your partner's closed guard with your hands on their body.
OBJECTIVE
Keep your hands on their body, get your posture, and stand up to open the legs.
CONSTRAINTS
No sweeps and no submissions for either player. Switch roles every time somebody wins. Play a 5-minute round.
WIN CONDITION
Stand up and break your partner's legs open.
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
On your back with your closed guard locked and your partner's hands on your body.
OBJECTIVE
Get their hands off your body, then get your body inside their elbows or outside them.
CONSTRAINTS
No sweeps and no submissions. Inside control means your body is inside their elbows with your hands connected (double unders or head and arm, for example). Outside means you have pulled an arm across and your body is outside their elbows, like a side closed guard. Switch roles every time somebody wins.
WIN CONDITION
Hold inside-elbow control with your hands connected, or the outside-elbow position, for 3 seconds.
Reference video
Open video · The Grapple Lab
The Grapple Lab, 4 Tasked Based Games To RAPIDLY Improve your Closed Guard (free video on The Grapple Lab YouTube channel).
Problem
Kneeling in your partner's closed guard with your hands on their body.
Tell the room
Keep your hands on their body, get your posture, and stand up to open the legs. Get their hands off your body, then get your body inside their elbows or outside them.
Setup
Kneeling in your partner's closed guard with your hands on their body. On your back with your closed guard locked and your partner's hands on your body.
Score
Stand up and break your partner's legs open. Hold inside-elbow control with your hands connected, or the outside-elbow position, for 3 seconds.
Rules
- No sweeps and no submissions for either player.
- Switch roles every time somebody wins.
- Play a 5-minute round.
- No sweeps and no submissions.
- Inside control means your body is inside their elbows with your hands connected (double unders or head and arm, for example).
- Outside means you have pulled an arm across and your body is outside their elbows, like a side closed guard.
guard