Half-Guard Escape

A Technique from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
By BJJ.Org Featured Contributor Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti.

These techniques should only be practiced with the supervision of an experienced instructor.

Practicing the moves incorrectly could result in serious bodily injury or death.

This information was originally published on www.alliancebjj.com, and is reproduced on BJJ.Org with express permission.

Beginning in the half-guard position, Jacare, seen on top, places his thumb deep inside the collar of his opponent.

He then positions his shoulders to put the opponent's back on the floor again.

Next, Jacare positions his hips side-ways to block his opponent's legs from coming underneath.

He puts himself close and tight with his arm inside his opponent's arm and his hips blocking the opponents legs.

The trapped leg is pulled close to the hips of the opponent.

Once the trapped leg is close, Jacare then moves to push the opponent down.

He then works to bring his knee on the opposite side into the arm pit of his opponent bringing the opponent's hips to the side with his trapped leg that is close to the hips.

Now Jacare has his opponent close and tight to him. His opposite leg is in the opponent's armpit and his trapped leg is close to the hips. He is pressing the opponent downward with his bodyweight and his arm wrapped around the neck of the opponent.

Next, Jacare places his hand in the hip of the opponent and pushes outward with his elbow against the opponent's leg close to the knee.

As he pushes outward with the elbow, Jacare then begins to bring his knee over the leg of the opponent.

As Jacare tries to place his knee on the floor, the opponent many times will try to push his leg back, so, Jacare comes underneath his opponent's arm and pushes upwards towards the opponent's head.

Once he pushes his arm up, Jacare starts to put pressure on the opponent as he brings his leg forward more.

If needed, Jacare will use his free leg to help release the trapped foot by hooking the opposite leg and pulling outward.

Once the foot is free, Jacare is then mounted on his opponent and able to move on to various armlocks and chokes. If this was a street fight, he could begin to punch the opponent.