Inside the University 437 - Avoiding Pressure

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Focusing on a common mistake he sees his students making, Gustavo shows how some are crunching their bodies up and actually creating more pressure on themselves. Instead, they should be basing on their elbow and extending their body away from their opponent. Then he has the leverage to straighten his arm and bring his hips high in the air and turn to recover his guard.

Inside the University 436 - Finding Space Under the Head

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Answering a student's question about what to do when your opponent buries his head in your chest and doesn't give the space to make a collar grip, Gustavo just pushes the shoulder to defend the pass, and eventually his opponent will move and open the space. It is important, however, that he doesn't push his opponent's head. This will only make passing the guard easier for him.

Inside the University 435 - Defending the Leg Squeeze Pass

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Professor Gustavo's opponent has both of his legs squeezed and is trying to pass his guard, so first Gustavo bases up on his elbow and reaches his other hand in for a cross collar grip and extends his arm. Pushing the edge of his foot off the floor, Gustavo raises his hips off the mat and turns facing down with his butt high in the air. As soon as he feels his opponent readjust his position, he turns back and replaces his guard.

Saulo and Xande - How to Beat My Brother's Game 6 - Birth of the Knee Shield

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Xande is successful using his arm to block the crossface, but now when Saulo brings his arm over Xande's head, he also switches his base to smash with his hips. This is when Xande can punch his knee in between them and start shielding. Here he can start to extend his body away and push off Saulo's hips to create the space he needs to bring his leg all the way through and replace the guard.

Saulo and Xande - How to Beat My Brother's Game 4 - Blocking the Armpit to Replace Guard

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Xande is in his guard and protecting his head against the cross face as before, so now Saulo brings his arm over Xande's head, looking to settle in a strong position. Immediately Xande uses his other arm as a shield in Saulo's armpit to block him. Now with his hand that was protecting his face, Xande pushes away at Saulo's hip or knee to keep the space open where he can slide his knee back through and replace his closed guard.

Saulo and Xande - How to Beat My Brother's Game 2 - Blocking Saulo's Cross Face

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After continually getting cross faced and dealing with heavy shoulder pressure, Xande began to train with his hand on his head and his forearm protecting his face. Now when Saulo goes to cross face, Xande is able to block it and focus on replacing his guard. This is a great drill to practice or use in live training.

Inside the University 378 - Replacing Guard when Opponent Stuffs Your Leg to Headquarters

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Now Xande's opponent stuffs his leg inside and steps over to headquarters position. Right away, Xande turns his hips to the opposite side his opponent stepped to. He pulls the collar and kicks his foot in the butt to make his opponent fall to the side and base. Now he kicks the far leg away, and from here he has many options to either replace his guard or set up different sweeps.

Inside the University 377 - Replacing Guard after Opponent Passes to the Side

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Xande has his collar sleeve guard and once again his opponent stands up and backs away to pass. Xande sits up and lets go of the sleeve grip and posts his hand on the mat, and his opponent gets around his legs and to his side. Xande lowers his body, bending over to the side of his post, and pushes off his hand to escape his hips away. Now he has the space to square up and replace his guard.

Inside the University 376 - Guard Retention when Opponent Stand Up to Pass

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Xande is playing the collar and sleeve guard, and his opponent stands and backs away, looking to pass. Xande sits up, keeping the collar grip, but letting go of the sleeve grip so he can post his hand on the mat. When his opponent tries to go around, Xande pushes off his posted hand and follows, staying square to him. From here he has many options, but one of his favorites is to use the momentum and go for the collar drag.

Inside the University 374 - Collar and Sleeve Guard Retention

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Xande sets up his collar and sleeve guard with both feet on the hips and his knee shield in place. In the first scenario, his opponent pushes the shield down, so Xande immediately escapes his hips a little and replaces the shield. Next his opponent pushes the shield down and steps over. Xande extends his body and pulls the arm, then replaces both feet on the hips and his knee shield. Finally, his opponent pushes the shield and steps to knee cut. Again, Xande extends and pulls, replaces his feet on the hips and squares up to his opponent.

Xande's Classic Collar and Sleeve Guard 4 - Closing the Guard

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Now Xande's opponent uses the same two methods of smashing the shield and stepping over as previously shown, but rather than just recovering the classic guard, Xande wishes to close his guard. So following the same steps in the previous drills, once Xande recovers his first foot back on the hip, instead of setting up his knee shield, he straightens his leg, bites down on the back and closes his guard.

Xande's Classic Collar and Sleeve Guard 3 - Retention when Opponent Steps Over

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Another common situation when Xande is playing the classic guard, is his opponent stepping over Xande's leg and then smashing his shield. Xande's first reaction is to trap his opponent's other leg in the half guard, and straightens his shield leg to create some space while extending his upper body and pulling the sleeve. Now he brings his bottom foot back to the hip, pushes off to escape his hips, and resets his knee shield.