Fixing Common Rubber Guard

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Fixing Common Rubber Guard Problems

29 November 2006 149 views 6 Comments

I was going to save this for after I’d covered everything about my tournament, but I couldn’t resist the I was going to save this for after I’d covered everything about my tournament, but I couldn’t resist the urge to share it after receiving my copy of

urge to share it after receiving my copy of Mastering the Rubber GuardMastering the Rubber Guard by Eddie Bravo yesterday.by Eddie Bravo yesterday. From wh

From what Iat I’ve seen, ’ve seen, the most common problemthe most common problems with (and arguments againss with (and arguments against) rubber t) rubber guard are gettingguard are getting stacked, getting passed too ea

stacked, getting passed too easilsily, the dey, the demands on one’s flexibimands on one’s flexibility and the risk of injury. I’ve experienclity and the risk of injury. I’ve experienceded all of these problems mysel

all of these problems myself and had f and had mostlmostly givy given up on rubber en up on rubber guard because of tguard because of t hem.hem.

It wasn’t until I attended Eddie Bravo’s seminar that I gained renewed interest and faith in the rubber It wasn’t until I attended Eddie Bravo’s seminar that I gained renewed interest and faith in the rubber guard. He taught details that

guard. He taught details that handily fihandily fix most these problems. Sx most these problems. Seeing him eeing him teacteach it in person and heah it in person and hearingring him repeatedly stress certain points made me realize how I’d be doing it wrong all along. I was missing all him repeatedly stress certain points made me realize how I’d be doing it wrong all along. I was missing all the little det

the little details on the grips and posails on the grips and positions that are itions that are hard to hard to pick up from photogpick up from photographs.raphs. I now think most compl

I now think most complaints about the aints about the rubber guard come from people who are rubber guard come from people who are studyinstudying it out of picturesg it out of pictures in books and websi

in books and websites, like I was. It’s tes, like I was. It’s hard to leahard to learn the rn the rigright pressure to ht pressure to maintain whimaintain while doing rule doing rubber guardbber guard and you’ll miss little but important details without seeing and learning it in person.

and you’ll miss little but important details without seeing and learning it in person.

I’ve only just gotten into the book, but already I see that Eddie has devoted a lot of the book to breaking I’ve only just gotten into the book, but already I see that Eddie has devoted a lot of the book to breaking down these de

down these details and the tails and the strategies that strategies that are are mismissing sing from his previous book and online tutorials.from his previous book and online tutorials. Let’s see if I can’t offer something he didn’t with a couple little details I’ve worked out.

Let’s see if I can’t offer something he didn’t with a couple little details I’ve worked out.

A Common Problem

I want to open with a common problem I used to have with rubber guard, and one I suspect many others I want to open with a common problem I used to have with rubber guard, and one I suspect many others are still having

are still having. If you’ve . If you’ve played with rubber guard, you’ve probably had tplayed with rubber guard, you’ve probably had this happen more times than youhis happen more times than you care to count.

care to count.

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You’ve broken the

You’ve broken the ir posture and ir posture and gotten missgotten mission control.ion control.

Your opponent reac

Your opponent reac hes back. Oh boy, you ches back. Oh boy, you can feean feel your triangle cominl your triangle coming!g!

Fix

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But before

But before you get anywhere, he’you get anywhere, he’s blocked your leg wis blocked your leg with his elbow and is crushing th his elbow and is crushing it to the it to the mat. He’s notmat. He’s not out yet

out yet though, so mthough, so maybe theaybe there’s still hope for you.re’s still hope for you.

Oh no, now you’re screwed. He’s gotten

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Maybe you’ll catch them in a “half rubber guard” of sorts and try to work from there (as I’ve seen done, Maybe you’ll catch them in a “half rubber guard” of sorts and try to work from there (as I’ve seen done, and as Eddie shows in his book with moves like the Carni), but I’ll bet they’ll just keep driving through and as Eddie shows in his book with moves like the Carni), but I’ll bet they’ll just keep driving through and try t

and try to explode your groin.o explode your groin.

You’ll l

You’ll likely let go of your rubber guard because ikely let go of your rubber guard because of the paof the pain and pressure, and if you’re in and pressure, and if you’re lucky and theylucky and they don’t pass outright, you’ll end up in half guard.

don’t pass outright, you’ll end up in half guard.

The Fixes

In his book, Eddie devotes an e

In his book, Eddie devotes an e ntire chaptntire chapter ter to troubleshooting o troubleshooting common problcommon problems from rubber guard,ems from rubber guard, including what to do when you they’ve stepped over your free leg. But I’d rather just avoid the situation including what to do when you they’ve stepped over your free leg. But I’d rather just avoid the situation entirely.

entirely.

Fix

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I worked out t

I worked out these detahese details bils by experimenting wiy experimenting with what th what he showed at he showed at his semhis seminar, but I now see inar, but I now see hehe

describes them in the introduction to the rubber guard chapter of his book, in the section “Troubleshooting describes them in the introduction to the rubber guard chapter of his book, in the section “Troubleshooting Mission Control”. Consider this the pictorial companion to his words.

Mission Control”. Consider this the pictorial companion to his words. To start fixing thi

To start fixing this problem, we’ve got to move back ts problem, we’ve got to move back t o before weo before we’re eve’re even in rubber guard.n in rubber guard.

I’ve got a normal closed guard and I’m brea

I’ve got a normal closed guard and I’m breaking their posking their posture.ture.

I step with my right foot on the

I step with my right foot on the hip as I climb my other leg up the bachip as I climb my other leg up the back. This ik. This is actually where you stas actually where you startrt setting it up so he can’t pass over your leg. It’s hard to see, but you need to understand that I am

setting it up so he can’t pass over your leg. It’s hard to see, but you need to understand that I am squeezing

squeezing my knees together my knees together with constant prewith constant pre ssure, pinching ssure, pinching them to them to his sihis sides. I cdes. I call this the all this the “thigh“thigh master”.

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When I grab my foot and go to mission control, my free leg is still thigh mastering against his ribs. When I grab my foot and go to mission control, my free leg is still thigh mastering against his ribs. Compare this to the

Compare this to the first picture in this tutorial, paying special attention to first picture in this tutorial, paying special attention to the position of my knee, andthe position of my knee, and the relationship of his arm to my thigh. My knee is up under his armpit and my thigh is behind his triceps, the relationship of his arm to my thigh. My knee is up under his armpit and my thigh is behind his triceps, blocking him from behind his elbow or reaching back and pressing down on the inside of my thigh.

blocking him from behind his elbow or reaching back and pressing down on the inside of my thigh. Eddie stressed this point over and ove

Eddie stressed this point over and over again at his seminar, saying r again at his seminar, saying the ability to maintain this constantthe ability to maintain this constant squeezing

squeezing pressure with your legs is extremely important to pressure with your legs is extremely important to a ta tigight rubber ht rubber guard (or any guard (or any closed guard). Heclosed guard). He also said (and writes in his book) that it takes a while to build the endurance to keep the thigh master on also said (and writes in his book) that it takes a while to build the endurance to keep the thigh master on all that t

all that time, but it will pay off when you can.ime, but it will pay off when you can.

I’ve been trying to work the constant thigh master into my closed guard, and it’s one factor I attribute my I’ve been trying to work the constant thigh master into my closed guard, and it’s one factor I attribute my tournament wins to. If you kee

tournament wins to. If you kee p a cp a constant squeeze (aonstant squeeze (a s well as pulls well as pulling ing your heels to your buttyour heels to your butt), any high), any high guard g

guard game becomes drasticaame becomes drastically tiglly tighter ahter and harder tnd harder to posture out o posture out of. Once you’ve of. Once you’ve ggot your legsot your legs conditioned, it’s harder to high guard well w

conditioned, it’s harder to high guard well with loose legith loose legs because ts because they’ll be able to hey’ll be able to posture up and rip outposture up and rip out whenever they feel in danger. So putting in a little extra effort beforehand will prevent a lot of problems whenever they feel in danger. So putting in a little extra effort beforehand will prevent a lot of problems from arising later.

from arising later. I ca

I can cover n cover the bathe basics of defending the stacsics of defending the stack as well as minimik as well as minimizing zing flexibiflexibility abuse and lity abuse and joinjoint injury (whicht injury (which go hand in hand) at the same time.

go hand in hand) at the same time.

Fix

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(No Ratings Yet) (No Ratings Yet) Here is a view of mission control from the side.

Here is a view of mission control from the side. The first point to notice

The first point to notice is that I hais that I have my foot on tve my foot on the hip. This ihe hip. This is my firss my first defet defense to tnse to the stack, he stack, allowiallowing meng me to push them off when t

to push them off when they drive in. Sihey drive in. Simple enoughmple enough. Eddie covers c. Eddie covers counters to tounters to the stache stack in his book thatk in his book that actua

actually swlly sweep aeep and submind submit thet them.m. Thi

This foot on the s foot on the hip is alship is also what saves o what saves my joimy joints and reducents and reduces the demands on my flexibilis the demands on my flexibility. Even bety. Even before Ifore I use it to defend the stack, I can use my foot on the hip to tell if I’ll be able to easily get rubber guard or use it to defend the stack, I can use my foot on the hip to tell if I’ll be able to easily get rubber guard or not. If I

not. If I can’t can’t get my foot on the get my foot on the hip, I know my ghip, I know my guard is too low and I’ll have tuard is too low and I’ll have to pull mo pull my leg too higy leg too high toh to work rubber guard. I’ve

work rubber guard. I’ve seriouslseriously hurt y hurt my hip joimy hip joint before nt before by not keby not keeping this poieping this point in.nt in. Another way to

Another way to gauggauge this is by the position of his head relate this is by the position of his head relative to my stomach. If he ive to my stomach. If he is at my sternum or is at my sternum or above, I know I’ll have

above, I know I’ll have to reato really stretch to lly stretch to pull mpull my leg up for rubber guard. If his face y leg up for rubber guard. If his face is in mis in my stomach,y stomach, down by my hip

down by my hips, then I s, then I know I am higknow I am high enough that it won’t h enough that it won’t be hard tbe hard to get rubber guard. Look at o get rubber guard. Look at thethe angle between my back

angle between my back and my left leg, with my hiand my left leg, with my hip as the p as the corner. Itcorner. It’s nothing ’s nothing extreextreme, likme, like having toe having to bring

bring my foot to my facmy foot to my face, and te, and t his ihis is because I s because I made sure to get made sure to get my gmy guard high enouguard high enough that h that I could put myI could put my foot on the hip.

foot on the hip.

I know a lot of people have hurt their knees and even their ankles while trying rubber guard. I’ve never I know a lot of people have hurt their knees and even their ankles while trying rubber guard. I’ve never had problems wi

had problems with this, thankfully, and I tth this, thankfully, and I think it is because I have hink it is because I have always tried to bend always tried to bend at tat the hips morehe hips more than t

than trying to pull mrying to pull my knees y knees or feeor feet at around. When you’re round. When you’re goigoing for more demanding mng for more demanding moves like tightoves like tight omoplatas or gogoplatas, be careful with how much you pull your foot and how much stress is on your omoplatas or gogoplatas, be careful with how much you pull your foot and how much stress is on your knee, and try to get your leg into place by bending at the hips.

knee, and try to get your leg into place by bending at the hips.

Rubber guard does demand a degree of flexibility that most people have trouble with at first. Go easy at Rubber guard does demand a degree of flexibility that most people have trouble with at first. Go easy at first, and don’t tr

first, and don’t try it on anyone y it on anyone who’s gwho’s going to spaz out and thrash out oing to spaz out and thrash out of it. Work on your fof it. Work on your flexibilexibility;lity; Eddie’s stretching chapter

Eddie’s stretching chapter is gis great reat for this. Drill for this. Drill it for a it for a whilwhile to e to get the steget the steps and positionps and positions down.s down. If you want t

If you want to really get into the o really get into the rubber guard, I highrubber guard, I highly recommend picking ly recommend picking up a copy of up a copy of Eddie Bravo’sEddie Bravo’s book,

book, Mastering the Rubber GuardMastering the Rubber Guard. What I’ve shown here is just a couple little scraps of the complete. What I’ve shown here is just a couple little scraps of the complete game he’s designed.

game he’s designed.

6 C

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OldDog53

OldDog53 said: said:

Most excellent, although on my Training Log I’ve been banned from discussing or showing any Most excellent, although on my Training Log I’ve been banned from discussing or showing any interest in Rubber Guard

interest in Rubber Guard until I have lost my newbieness.until I have lost my newbieness. # 29 November 2006 at

# 29 November 2006 at 4:23 pm4:23 pm

Aesopian

Aesopian said: said:

You are

You are violviolating your parole.ating your parole. # 29 November 2006 at

# 29 November 2006 at 4:24 pm4:24 pm

OldDog53

OldDog53 said: said:

Thi

This isn’t a question about as isn’t a question about actual Rubber ctual Rubber Guard techniques, just the generaGuard techniques, just the general theory, so hopefullyl theory, so hopefully I’m not violating my parole.

I’m not violating my parole.

But IYHO (in your humble opinion) do you think Rubber Guard is principally no-gi, or do the But IYHO (in your humble opinion) do you think Rubber Guard is principally no-gi, or do the techniques work well with a gi?

techniques work well with a gi? We know thaWe know that Eddie’s big thesis it Eddie’s big thesis is that s that a lot of gi teca lot of gi techniques don’thniques don’t translate

translate well into no-gwell into no-gi because i because you lose your grippiyou lose your gripping poinng points, but ts, but is the opposite true is the opposite true as well, thatas well, that no-gi techniques l

no-gi techniques lose their eose their edge when you put the dge when you put the kimkimono back on ono back on because of because of all the addeall the added gripd grippingping points?

points?

(By Rubber Guard I don’t mean just Mission Control etc., but rather the whole flow-charted and (By Rubber Guard I don’t mean just Mission Control etc., but rather the whole flow-charted and interrelated

interrelated sequences Eddie shows in the new book, like Buttesequences Eddie shows in the new book, like Butte rfly Guard, Twirfly Guard, Twister Side Control,ster Side Control, Half Guard, the

Half Guard, the gigi-less gu-less guard passes, etard passes, etc.)c.) # 30 November 2006 at

# 30 November 2006 at 12:24 pm12:24 pm

Aesopian

It all works with the gi on. The friction is ju

It all works with the gi on. The friction is just different, st different, somsometimes for the etimes for the bettebetter, sometimes for ther, sometimes for the worse. You can eve

worse. You can eve n add gi gn add gi grips to most of his stuff to make it tighter, though your opponent carips to most of his stuff to make it tighter, though your opponent ca nn also use gi grips to defend it.

also use gi grips to defend it. # 30 November 2006 at

# 30 November 2006 at 12:27 pm12:27 pm

Dochter

Dochter said: said:

Continue discussi

Continue discussion hereon here:: http://www.aesopian.com/forum/general/topic-2/http://www.aesopian.com/forum/general/topic-2/

??

# 30 November 2006 at

# 30 November 2006 at 2:01 pm2:01 pm

Fix

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Aesopian

Here, actually:

Here, actually: http://www.aesopian.com/forum/techniques/topic-3/http://www.aesopian.com/forum/techniques/topic-3/

# 30 November 2006 at

# 30 November 2006 at 2:11 pm2:11 pm

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Fixing Common Rubber Guard