Outside the Elbows: Back Take or Sweep
Mat mode
3:00
Tell the roomGet back to the center, then stand up and out or step over into half guard.
Show full gameHide full gameRules · how to win · video
TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Inside your partner's closed guard with one arm pulled across their body and their body already outside your elbows.
OBJECTIVE
Get back to the center, then stand up and out or step over into half guard.
CONSTRAINTS
Same top goals as the chest-to-chest rung: half guard counts after 3 seconds. Switch roles every time somebody wins.
WIN CONDITION
Stand up and out of your partner's legs, or step over their legs into half guard and hold it for 3 seconds.
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
On your back with closed guard, body outside your partner's elbows. Start with their arm pulled across: a sleeve grip in the gi (or the wrist in no-gi) and your other hand on their far lat, so they can't rip the arm out on go.
OBJECTIVE
Get your head and hips high to climb to the back, or sweep toward the side where you control their base if they drive back to the center.
CONSTRAINTS
Start with the arm-across grip already set. Switch roles every time somebody wins.
WIN CONDITION
Take your partner's back, or sweep them.
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
Inside your partner's closed guard with one arm pulled across their body and their body already outside your elbows.
Tell the room
Get back to the center, then stand up and out or step over into half guard. Get your head and hips high to climb to the back, or sweep toward the side where you control their base if they drive back to the center.
Setup
Inside your partner's closed guard with one arm pulled across their body and their body already outside your elbows. On your back with closed guard, body outside your partner's elbows. Start with their arm pulled across: a sleeve grip in the gi (or the wrist in no-gi) and your other hand on their far lat, so they can't rip the arm out on go.
Score
Stand up and out of your partner's legs, or step over their legs into half guard and hold it for 3 seconds. Take your partner's back, or sweep them.
Rules
- Same top goals as the chest-to-chest rung: half guard counts after 3 seconds.
- Switch roles every time somebody wins.
- Start with the arm-across grip already set.
guard