The sports version of BJJ has many different moves that aren’t really applicable in the MMA or No-gi BJJ. You really need to be aware of the distinction. Many of the gi techniques can’t be applied to a person wearing clothes with short sleeves or with no sleeves at all. But if you’re aware that you’re learning BJJ mostly for the sports aspect, then you will do well to learn all the techniques that are effective. And one of these techniques and guards is the Collar and Sleeve Guard. Below you will find some more information about how to use this guard to your benefit in BJJ.
Setup of the Collar and Sleeve guard
The name of the guard speaks for itself. It’s logical to see the nature of the move – you will need to control your opponent’s collar and sleeve. So, the basic setup is as follows. You start sitting down and facing your standing opponent. You need to grab and hold your opponent’s sleeve on one of his arms and grab and hold his collar at the cross side. At the same time, you need to put one of your feet at his hip and your other foot should be used to control your opponent’s free arm. This is the basic setup for the Collar and Sleeve guard.
Attacks from the Collar and sleeve guard
Omoplata from Collar and Sleeve Guard
One of the best things about this guard is how versatile it is. You can use it for performing various submissions and sweeps that will give you a better position over your opponent. One of the most basic submissions that you can perform here with relative ease is the omoplata. All you need to do is slightly retract your foot from your opponent’s hip and then wrap your leg around his arm. At the same time, you need to close the triangle with your other leg. Sit with your torso elevated and then scoot back a little. This will finish the omoplata and result in a tap out.
Triangle Choke From Collar and Sleeve
You can also perform a triangle from this position. Your opponent may decide that freeing his other arm is the norm. This is the arm that you control with your foot at the biceps muscle. If he goes underneath your leg with his arm, then this is the perfect setup for a triangle. All you need to do is wrap your leg around your opponent’s neck and use your other leg to complete the triangle – while pulling your opponent’s sleeve in order to make space.
Collar and Sleeve Sweeps
As for the sweeps, you can try the collar and sleeve guard tripod sweep. You need to maintain the basic setup with your arms by holding your opponent’s sleeve and collar. What you will need to do is relocate your legs. You will need to relocate your bicep-controlling leg on your opponent’s nearer hip and you will need to relocate your other leg between your opponent’s legs and behind his far leg. Now you will need to do several things, all at once. You need to use your hip leg to push and your other leg to pull and trip your opponent. At the same time, you need to push with your collar arm and pull with your sleeve arm. This will result in your opponent falling down. Follow your opponent’s fall by standing up and by putting a knee in front of him. And this is the collar and sleeve tripod sweep.
Here’s one video demonstration of some of the Collar and Sleeve Guard attacks:
Dangers of the Collar and Sleeve guard
If you don’t know how to hold this guard properly, then you may end up in a bad position. The initial problem may be that you won’t be able to control your opponent’s free arm with your foot at his bicep. It’s not that easy to maintain pressure on the biceps with your toes wrapped around it. If your opponent releases his arm and you fail to close the triangle, then he will have options to pass your guard and escape from the collar and sleeve guard. So, we advise you to do some practice on the bicep control with your foot.
Also, there is a real risk that your opponent will do a leg lock if you’re not careful enough. Always make sure to control his bicep or to at least have a continuation if he releases his arm.
Also, you will need to work on the strength of your grip – this goes without saying. You will need to hold your opponent’s collar and sleeve very tightly in order to secure the collar and sleeve guard.
In conclusion
The Collar and Sleeve Guard is a somewhat advanced guard. It’s highly versatile and you can execute many attacks and sweeps from it. We hope that you will be able to make use of it in your BJJ game
Check also:
- Spider guard: What is it and Essential Techniques
- The De La Riva Guard: History and Basics
- Worm guard: what is it and fundamental techniques
- Deep Half Guard Basics you should know
