Seated Initiation

GuardGuard offenseBeginner

guard

Grapplers Collective, Seated Initiation. 3-5 min rounds.

Problem

Guard entry and connection establishment from seated against a standing opponent.

Tell the room

Start apart with no contact. The seated player attaches to the standing player with the legs first; the standing player flattens them. Every score holds for 3 seconds.

Setup

Start apart with no contact. Guard player seated with legs forward, hands on own knees, 1.5-2 arm lengths from a standing partner. No contact.

Score

Hold for 3 seconds.

  • Guard player — a 2-on-1 grip on one arm
  • Guard player — shin-to-shin with wrist control or a hook behind the knee
  • Guard player — a hook on the lead leg with a controlling grip
  • Standing player — flattens them free of grips and feet, or takes a dominant position

Rules

  1. No pre-contact grips. Both players start clean and solve the distance live.
  2. Guard player cannot stand. Connections come from shins, hips, and feet.
  3. Standing player engages within 5 seconds. No stalling at distance.

Adjust

Easier

Cut the starting distance to one arm length and let the standing player approach at walking pace.

Harder

Any approach speed, no 5-second clock, and the standing player may disengage and re-enter from new angles.

If it stalls

If the guard player reaches with the arms, cue "feet first, hands follow"; if they scoot back, shrink the mat.

Build a class from this

TOP PLAYER

POSITION

Guard player seated with legs forward, hands on own knees, 1.5-2 arm lengths from a standing partner. No contact.

OBJECTIVE

Start apart with no contact. The seated player attaches to the standing player with the legs first; the standing player flattens them. Every score holds for 3 seconds.

CONSTRAINTS

No pre-contact grips. Both players start clean and solve the distance live. Guard player cannot stand. Connections come from shins, hips, and feet. Standing player engages within 5 seconds. No stalling at distance.

WIN CONDITION

Hold for 3 seconds: Guard player — a 2-on-1 grip on one arm; Guard player — shin-to-shin with wrist control or a hook behind the knee; Guard player — a hook on the lead leg with a controlling grip; Standing player — flattens them free of grips and feet, or takes a dominant position


BOTTOM PLAYER

POSITION

Guard player seated with legs forward, hands on own knees, 1.5-2 arm lengths from a standing partner. No contact.

OBJECTIVE

Start apart with no contact. The seated player attaches to the standing player with the legs first; the standing player flattens them. Every score holds for 3 seconds.

CONSTRAINTS

No pre-contact grips. Both players start clean and solve the distance live. Guard player cannot stand. Connections come from shins, hips, and feet. Standing player engages within 5 seconds. No stalling at distance.

WIN CONDITION

Hold for 3 seconds: Guard player — a 2-on-1 grip on one arm; Guard player — shin-to-shin with wrist control or a hook behind the knee; Guard player — a hook on the lead leg with a controlling grip; Standing player — flattens them free of grips and feet, or takes a dominant position