How To Block Punches From The Jiu Jitsu Guard Position: Part 4

Posts In This Series

1. How To Block Punches From The Jiu Jitsu Guard Position: Part 1
2. How To Block Punches From The Jiu Jitsu Guard Position: Part 2
3. How To Block Punches From The Jiu Jitsu Guard Position: Part 3
4. How To Block Punches From The Jiu Jitsu Guard Position: Part 4
5. How To Do The Technical Stand Up In Jiu Jitsu
6. How To Block Punches From The Jiu Jitsu Guard Position: Part 5

How block punches from the guard when the opponent stands and leans in to strike you

To use jiu-jitsu effectively on the street, you MUST be adept at blocking punches from the guard. Bad guys don’t typically know fancy guard passes or foot locks, they are just going to try to punch your face.

This is why distance management is so important for the guard. The person who controls the distance will control the damage. And since there are various distances that can occur in the guard, we have different punch block techniques to handle these various ranges.

Let’s assume that you have your partner in the guard, and you have the range 1 punch block position where you are controlling his head and one arm.

Suddenly, he breaks free and is able to stand up. If you don’t do anything he is going to come down on you with all of his body weight and give you a punch across the face. Considering all of the power he will have behind his punch in this situation it could be devastating for you!

This is where range 4 of the punch block series comes in.

Step 1: Controlling the Distance

Again, the first thing you need to be concerned about when your partner breaks away from you is controlling the distance. In this case, immediately put your feet on his hips to block him from getting close.

Keep your hands up in this position just in case a punch slips through, but the biggest thing protecting you right now is your legs.

Step 2: Use Your Feet On His Hips To Keep Your Face Safe

No matter how hard he tries, he cannot reach your face when your legs are keeping a strong contact with his hips. Your feet on his hips will prevent him from reaching you with his fists. It is important to maintain this position.

Step 2: Return To The Range 1 Position As Soon As Possible

Like I mentioned before, you need to get back to range 1 as soon as you can. The range 1 position offers you the most control over your opponent’s strikes. The farther out your opponent is, the less control you have. As soon as you bring him back to Range 1, you have complete and total control over him. So, look for openings to bring your partner back to Range 1 as soon as possible.

Do this by simply relaxing your legs by bending your knees and bring the opponent to you in a controlled manner. Let your legs collapse in a controlled fashion and put him back into closed guard.

Keep your guard up during this process in case a punch or headbutt slips through. Lower him down like you would on a leg press machine and wrap him up in the range 1 punch block position.

Summary Tips For The Range 4 Punch Block Position

Whenever your partner breaks your range 1 grip and stands up, immediately press your feet against his hips to stop him from getting any closer and hitting your face.

Keep your hands up at all times just to be on the safe side.

As soon as you see an opportunity, lower him and open your legs to bring your opponent back to the range 1 position. The less space you give him the more control you have.

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