Also known as: Half Mount · Meia-Guarda · Lockdown (variation)
The bottom player controls one of the top player’s legs between their own. Once a purely defensive last stop before a pass, modern half guard is an attacking platform: the underhook turns it into sweeps, back takes, and deep half entries, while the top player hunts the cross-face and knee-cut.
Gi & No-gi · Category: Guards
What can you do from Half Guard?
Half guard player (positional score -2/10)
Sweeps
Old School Sweep — The foundational half guard sweep: get to your side with an underhook, come up to your elbow, grab their far ankle, and drive them over their own trapped foot.
Back Takes
Back Take from Half Guard — When your underhook makes them whizzer, limp-arm free and slide behind them — bottom half guard converts directly to the best position in the sport.
Transitions
Deep Half Entry — Dive from regular half guard underneath their hips, hugging one thigh with your whole body — trading the pressure war for the sweeping leverage of deep half.
Knee Shield Entry — Slide your top knee across their chest or hip line to convert flat half guard into z-guard — the frame that buys back the space pressure passing takes away.
Top player (positional score +2/10)
Guard Passes
Half Guard Pass (Cross-Face & Underhook) — The top-half formula: win the cross-face and far underhook, flatten them, then free your trapped knee with a hip switch or knee slice — pressure first, pass second.