Overview
One chain, every round
This block assumes you already know these positions. We are not learning them from scratch. We are putting them together and sharpening them, in live rounds, with one chain that stays the same for the whole block.
Why a chain? If you only play retention, your partner never gives you their legs. If you only play inside guards, you skip the fight to get there. The chain makes you work every stage in order: pull, retain, connect, go lower, get inside, sweep, pass, control. Then do it again.
First goal: land the whole chain consistently. One technique per link is fine. Variety comes later.
What to do
The round
Every live round runs this loop. Stay on it the whole time. Things will go off script because your partner is resisting. When they do, find the link you are in and carry on from there.
One round, start to finish
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1
Fast pullStart
Any grip, sit straight down. Beat them to the floor and get into the double-pull exchange.
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2
Open guard retention~30 s
No grips-based guards, no controls. Frames, feet, pushing them away. Just don't get passed.
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3
Upper body guards
Connect to the upper body and attack from there.
Spider, lasso, collar-sleeve
- LoopUpper and lower body swap both ways. Lower body shut down? Go back up and work down again.
- Slow pullFoot on the hip or pull to DLR / closed guard. Skips 2 and 3 and lands you straight in 4.
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4
Lower body guards
They defend the upper body by bringing their legs in. Use your sweep threats to get to their legs. The threat is the point, not the sweep.
DLR, RDLR, K-guard, closed guard
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5
Inside guards
Use the lower body guard to get inside their legs.
X-guard, SLX, waiter
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6
Sweep
Sweep from the inside position and come up on top.
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7
PassCurrent phase
Pass with this phase's two families only. Right now: Under + Outside.
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8
Control the next position~30 s
Pass, then take mount or take the back. Hold it. It should take you less than a minute.
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↺
Fall over, repeat
Roll over, reset, back to step 1.
What to do
Round rules
In
Out, or not recommended
What to do
Passing phases
Passing works by combining threats. Each phase pairs two families. Threaten one; when they defend it, the defence opens the other. The phase changes every 2 to 3 weeks. The guard chain does not.
Three families, three phases
Go under and stack. When they push you away and extend their legs to stop it, the legs are out to the side: go around. When they turn in to chase the outside pass, their legs come back in range: go under again.
Threaten the stack. When they bring their hips down and frame to stop it, step through: knee cut, smash, surfer. When they block the cut with a knee shield, their legs are up: go back under.
Move around the legs. When they turn to face you, the turn opens the knee line: cut through. When they square up to block the cut, go around again.
What counts in each family
What to do
Pulls: fast and slow
Two kinds of guard pull, and they lead to different places in the chain.
The modern pull. Grab any grip and sit straight down. There is no real connection yet, but you are on the floor first, ready for the double-pull exchange. This is the main start for the round.
The classic pull. Foot on the hip and pull to closed guard, both feet on the hips, or pull straight to DLR. You skip retention and upper body and land in the lower body guards.
Coming later
Takedowns
Not in this block's rounds. Here so you know what's coming and can start watching.
A good single leg is an absolute requirement for everyone in the stream.
Collar drag, double leg, a judo throw, whatever suits you. We start with two takedowns; ideally you end up with three. Plus a sprawl for takedown defence.
Where this fits
Season at a glance
Gi stream, block by block
Two weeks of peak and taper in late May, then IBJJF Worlds, early June 2027. Block dates may shift once the Worlds dates are announced.
Reference library
Videos for self-study
Secondary to everything above. Use these to research a link in your chain, not as the plan. Grouped in chain order; tap a group to open it. Watch one or two, then go and try it in the round.
The guard chain: retention
Open guard retention7 videos
The guard chain: upper body
Spider guard4 videos
Lasso3 videos
Collar-sleeve and lapel guards4 videos
The guard chain: lower body
De La Riva8 videos
Reverse De La Riva3 videos
K-guard2 videos
The guard chain: inside guards
X-guard3 videos
Single leg X (SLX)5 videos
Pulls
Fast pull1 video
Passing
Under the legs3 videos
Outside / around the legs5 videos
Through the legs5 videos
Combining families: passing systems5 videos
Takedowns: coming in a later block