Reverse Guard
Reverse guard is a facing-away guard position — the bottom player's back is toward the opponent.
Adapted from InGrappling, Reverse Guard. System Games did not invent this curriculum.
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Reverse guard is a ground position where the bottom player is facing away from the opponent — their back is oriented toward the opponent rather than their chest. The bottom player controls the opponent’s near leg from this facing-away configuration. It is used as a guard position, a leg entanglement entry, and a recovery position when conventional guard recovery is not available.
The position is unusual in that the bottom player cannot use conventional guard frames and grips (which depend on facing the opponent) — instead, the attack is entirely leg-based, using the captured leg and hip position to create submission access. The outside heel hook is the primary threat: the facing-away position naturally exposes the opponent’s near heel to the attacker from behind.
Reverse guard appears in three contexts: as a deliberate entry from seated guard (facing away intentionally), as a landing position after a back escape or turtle recovery when full guard has not been re-established, and as a transitional position within the outside ashi garami and 70/30 attack sequences.
Elevated RiskReverse Guard is an elevated risk technique. The facing-away orientation exposes the opponent’s near heel directly, which is why the heel hook is the position’s primary threat. The orientation is also what makes it dangerous to drill: the attacker’s back is to the opponent, so a verbal or tapped signal is harder to see and slower to register than in any face-to-face entanglement. Both players must agree on the tap before rolling this position. Serious injury can occur Rotational, within a small number of degrees — and the tap may register late because of the facing-away orientation..
If you are new to this technique: read this section before anything else. Understanding the danger is part of understanding the technique.
The person applying the technique is responsible for releasing immediately.
Communicate before drilling. Know your partner's experience level with this position.