Deep half guard is the half guard where you slide under your partner, head and shoulders beneath their hips, their trapped leg held to your chest. From there their base is gone and sweeps come in every direction.
- History: bjjheroes.com lists the deep half guard among the variations developed by Roberto Correa, known as Gordo, and notes it became common in no-gi and MMA.
- In BJJ: a sweeping position. The waiter sweep, the homer simpson sweep and the back take all start from here.
- The key: your body sits under their centre of gravity, so they are kneeling on top of a ball that moves.
What is deep half guard?
From regular half guard you dive under, so your partner's trapped leg ends up hugged to your chest with your head beside their hip. Your outside leg still hooks their leg, and your inside knee is folded under their thigh. Their weight is now on your shoulders and legs rather than on your chest, and they have nothing to pass.
The position trades the underhook for depth. You give up the half guard frames in exchange for taking their base away completely.
How do you play deep half guard?
- From half guard, when they sit back or raise their hips, dive under them with your head toward their far hip.
- Hug the trapped leg to your chest with both arms, elbows tight, so the knee cannot pull out.
- Keep your outside leg hooked over their calf and your inside knee under their thigh, so your legs hold the same leg from below.
- Turn onto your side and look at their far leg. Flat on your back under them is the one way to get smashed.
- Sweep with the roll: pull the leg across your body as you turn, come up to your knees and take the back or the top.
The most common mistake is hesitating halfway. Half under your partner is where they drop their weight and crossface you back into a flat half guard. Commit to the dive, or stay in regular half guard.
How do you score from deep half guard?
Under the IBJJF Rules Book a reversal from half guard held on top for three seconds scores the sweep, 2 points, and the top player scores the 3-point pass only once past the legs into side control or north-south.
How do you train deep half guard safely?
Your partner's weight is over your neck and shoulders here, so keep your chin tucked and come out when they sit heavily on your head. Our BJJ training gear has the kit for the rounds.
Sources
- Bjjheroes.com lists, BJJ Heroes
- IBJJF Rules Book, IBJJF
Related terms
Half guard, Lockdown, Z-guard / knee shield, Sweep, Back control / rear mount.