X Guard Sandwich
guard
Grapplers Collective, X Guard Sandwich. 4-5 min rounds.
Problem
Converting an X guard into a back-take that finishes in the seatbelt sandwich, with the top player escaping or pinning chest-to-chest.
Tell the room
From X guard, the bottom off-balances into a back-take and finishes the sandwich. Top escapes to neutral standing or passes to a chest-to-chest pin. The sandwich holds for 2 seconds, the pin for 3.
Setup
Start in X guard. Bottom supine with one foot hooked inside the standing partner's lead knee and the other on the far hip. Partner upright, hands free.
Score
Hold the finished position.
- Bottom — sandwich: chest-to-back behind the shoulders, seatbelt locked, head trapped, 2 seconds
- Top — disengages fully to neutral standing with no contact
- Top — passes any guard to a chest-to-chest pin, 3 seconds
Rules
- Keep the legs connected. Bottom holds the X until a hand commits to the chest-to-back grip.
- Sandwich only. No leg locks or other submissions score for the bottom.
- The pin must be chest-to-chest. North-south or knee on belly does not score for the top.
Adjust
Easier
Drop the head requirement — chest-to-back with a seatbelt grip held for 3 seconds scores for the bottom.
Harder
Require the bottom to keep at least one X hook engaged until the seatbelt is locked.
If it stalls
If the bottom keeps sweeping straight to top, ask: "Where is their hip going?" Follow it toward the back.
TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Bottom supine with one foot hooked inside the standing partner's lead knee and the other on the far hip. Partner upright, hands free.
OBJECTIVE
From X guard, the bottom off-balances into a back-take and finishes the sandwich. Top escapes to neutral standing or passes to a chest-to-chest pin. The sandwich holds for 2 seconds, the pin for 3.
CONSTRAINTS
Keep the legs connected. Bottom holds the X until a hand commits to the chest-to-back grip. Sandwich only. No leg locks or other submissions score for the bottom. The pin must be chest-to-chest. North-south or knee on belly does not score for the top.
WIN CONDITION
disengages fully to neutral standing with no contact; passes any guard to a chest-to-chest pin, 3 seconds
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
Bottom supine with one foot hooked inside the standing partner's lead knee and the other on the far hip. Partner upright, hands free.
OBJECTIVE
From X guard, the bottom off-balances into a back-take and finishes the sandwich. Top escapes to neutral standing or passes to a chest-to-chest pin. The sandwich holds for 2 seconds, the pin for 3.
CONSTRAINTS
Keep the legs connected. Bottom holds the X until a hand commits to the chest-to-back grip. Sandwich only. No leg locks or other submissions score for the bottom. The pin must be chest-to-chest. North-south or knee on belly does not score for the top.
WIN CONDITION
sandwich: chest-to-back behind the shoulders, seatbelt locked, head trapped, 2 seconds