No-Hands Top Half Guard
Mat mode
3:00
Tell the roomKeep the bottom player's free leg from entering between the hips.
Rules — position, constraints, win
TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Hip-to-hip and chest-to-chest in tight half guard. Hands may touch the mat for base only.
OBJECTIVE
Keep the bottom player's free leg from entering between the hips. Block butterfly hooks, knee shields, and a full bottom-leg escape.
CONSTRAINTS
Hands may only touch the mat for base. Do not manipulate the opponent's legs with the hands. Use hip rotation, body tilt, and walking. Reset when either side scores a three-second hold. Default rounds 2–4 minutes. Role rotate after each reset.
WIN CONDITION
Hold the no-leg-between-hips chest-to-chest half-guard connection for three continuous seconds without conceding a butterfly hook, knee shield, or free bottom leg.
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
Bottom of tight half guard, hip-to-hip and chest-to-chest under the top player.
OBJECTIVE
Rebuild a frame between the hips — butterfly hook, knee shield, or free the trapped bottom leg toward closed guard.
CONSTRAINTS
Same start and reset. Win requires a three-second hold of the rebuilt structure.
WIN CONDITION
Establish at least one butterfly hook or knee shield, or fully free the bottom leg and rebuild toward closed guard, held for three continuous seconds.
Reference video
Open video · Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu
More — series, chips, coach notes
Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu, 5 Half Guard Constraint Games for Rapid Improvement (LetsBJJ writeup of the free video).
Problem
Hip-to-hip and chest-to-chest in tight half guard.
Tell the room
Keep the bottom player's free leg from entering between the hips. Block butterfly hooks, knee shields, and a full bottom-leg escape.
Setup
Hip-to-hip and chest-to-chest in tight half guard. Hands may touch the mat for base only. Bottom of tight half guard, hip-to-hip and chest-to-chest under the top player.
Score
Hold the no-leg-between-hips chest-to-chest half-guard connection for three continuous seconds without conceding a butterfly hook, knee shield, or free bottom leg. Establish at least one butterfly hook or knee shield, or fully free the bottom leg and rebuild toward closed guard, held for three continuous seconds.
Rules
- Hands may only touch the mat for base.
- Do not manipulate the opponent's legs with the hands.
- Use hip rotation, body tilt, and walking.
- Reset when either side scores a three-second hold.
- Default rounds 2–4 minutes.
- Role rotate after each reset.
- Same start and reset.
- Win requires a three-second hold of the rebuilt structure.
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