Move of the Day
X-Guard Sweep to Technical Stand-Up
Off-balance from X, stand through their base, and finish on the single.
X-guard is a lifting entanglement. Your feet make an X behind one of their legs; your hands control the other leg or the sleeve. The high-percentage finish for most people is not a flashy helicopter — it is a technical stand-up that puts you standing on a single-leg they already donated.
The steps
- 01From butterfly or DLR, enter X: one foot on the far hip, one behind the near knee, hips under their center.
- 02Elevate so they are light on the trapped leg. Control the free ankle or sleeve.
- 03Kick the top foot to tilt them, then post a hand and technical stand-up.
- 04Keep the trapped leg as you stand — you are now on a single.
- 05Run the pipe or dump to the back if they hop. Do not release to reset guard.
Details that matter
- If you cannot lift, you are too far from their hips. Scoot in before you sweep.
- Watch the knee-on-your-chest smash. Frame the near hip the moment they drop their weight.
- X-guard without a stand-up plan is just a fancy closed guard they will pass.
Phone walkthroughs will land on the BJJ Everyday YouTube when they are filmed. The written steps above are the complete drill.
Related moves
- Triangle from Closed Guard
Isolate one arm, climb the legs, and finish with angle — not calf strength.
- De La Riva to Technical Stand-Up Sweep
Hook the lead leg, off-balance the passer, and stand up on top of their base.
- Berimbolo Entry from De La Riva
Spin under the lead leg, take the back, and keep your hooks honest.
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