RDLR Back Take
The RDLR back take in no-gi: from reverse de la riva, invert through the space under the opponent's hips and take the back.
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The RDLR back take is an inversion from reverse de la riva (RDLR) guard in which the bottom player rolls through the space under the opponent’s hips, arriving at the opponent’s back in a crab ride or seatbelt position. This sequence is the no-gi berimbolo — a rotation under the opponent’s base that takes the back by going beneath rather than around.
The RDLR hook (inside the opponent’s near leg, foot behind the knee or calf) provides the anchor for the inversion. The bottom player has a shin grip on the opponent’s near leg. The inversion rolls the bottom player’s hips under the opponent’s hips — the classic berimbolo rotation. In the gi version, a collar or belt grip aids the inversion. In no-gi, the shin or ankle grip replaces this and must be maintained precisely throughout.
The back take from RDLR is most reliable when the opponent is circling or stepping in a direction — their movement creates the space the inversion exploits. A stationary, heavy opponent is harder to go under. The back take reads the opponent’s footwork and uses their own movement as the opening.
INV-G05Invariant "The bottom player's hips must remain mobile. A flattened bottom player cannot generate the movement needed to recover guard, sweep, or attack."
Why it works hereThe RDLR back take is built on a 180-degree hip rotation under the opponent's centre of mass — there is no version of the technique that succeeds without that arc. Restricted hip mobility produces a partial inversion that leaves the bottom player on their shoulder beneath the passer with no position. The technique demands free rotation in both directions because the hips must lead the body through, with the leg hook and shin grip following the rotation rather than driving it.
See full invariant page → The RDLR back take is one of the most hip-mobility-dependent techniques in the guard system. The inversion requires the bottom player to roll their hips through a 180-degree arc — from facing the opponent’s front to facing the opponent’s back — while maintaining the leg hook and hand grip. Restricted hip mobility produces an incomplete rotation that leaves the bottom player exposed beneath the opponent with no position. The technique is available only to practitioners with genuinely free hip rotation.
The setup is established RDLR guard: inside hook on the near leg, shin grip on the same leg, bottom player on their side. The opponent is in a passing position — circling, stepping, or advancing — and their weight is not fully committed forward. The inversion window opens when the opponent’s near leg moves forward or their hip creates space underneath.