BJJ Graph

De La Riva Guard

Dec 09, 20259 min read

De La Riva Guard (DLR) is a sophisticated open guard variation where the bottom player hooks the opponent’s lead leg with their outside foot while controlling the ankle or pant with their hand on the same side. The other hand typically controls the opponent’s sleeve or collar, creating a structure that limits the opponent’s mobility and generates powerful sweeping leverage. This guard has become fundamental in modern BJJ, particularly for setting up berimbolo sequences, back takes, and creating connections to other guard systems.

Developed by Ricardo De La Riva in the 1980s as a counter to the traditional standing guard pass, this position revolutionized modern guard play by introducing a systematic approach to controlling the opponent’s base from an off-angle relationship. The DLR hook creates a powerful mechanical advantage that disrupts the opponent’s weight distribution and limits their passing options, forcing them into predictable responses that can be exploited through sweeps, back takes, or transitions to other guard systems. The position’s effectiveness lies in its ability to create constant threats while maintaining defensive security, making it a cornerstone of contemporary competitive BJJ at all belt levels.

The De La Riva system offers exceptional versatility for practitioners of all levels. Beginners can learn fundamental off-balancing principles and basic sweeps that work at percentage rates around 35-40%. Intermediate practitioners develop sophisticated berimbolo entries and guard retention strategies that increase success rates to 50-60%. Advanced competitors master the full DLR ecosystem, including kiss of the dragon variations, seamless transitions to X-Guard and Single Leg X, and leg entanglement systems that achieve success rates of 65-75% in competition. The position’s adaptability to both gi and no-gi contexts, combined with its direct pathways to dominant positions like back control and mount, makes it an essential component of any modern BJJ game plan.

Key Principles

  • Control opponent’s lead leg with both foot hook and hand grip, creating a two-point connection that limits their mobility and establishes the foundation for all DLR attacks

  • Maintain active grip on sleeve or collar to disrupt posture and prevent opponent from generating forward pressure or establishing balanced passing positions

  • Create and manipulate angles constantly to keep opponent off-balance and vulnerable to sweeps, using hip movement to generate leverage and create attacking opportunities

  • Keep hips mobile and elevated to prevent opponent from smashing through or establishing heavy top pressure that neutralizes the guard’s effectiveness

  • Use hook tension actively rather than passively to control opponent’s weight distribution and base, pulling and extending dynamically to create off-balancing reactions

Top vs Bottom

VariantBottom RiskTop RiskBottom EnergyTop EnergyKey Difference
De La Riva GuardMediumMediumMediumMediumDynamic hooks trade static frames for leverage
Reverse De La Riva GuardMediumMediumMediumMediumInverted hook creates rotational off-balancing

Playing as Bottom

→ Full Bottom Guide

Key Principles

  • Maintain constant tension on the De La Riva hook by pulling your knee toward your chest and driving your hooking foot into the back of their knee

  • Create diagonal control by combining the hook with a strong cross grip to break down their posture and prevent them from squaring up to you

  • Use your non-hooking leg actively to manage distance - placing it on their hip, knee, or bicep to prevent them from closing distance and smashing forward

  • Keep your hips mobile and shoulders slightly off the mat to enable quick angle changes, inversions, and transitions to other positions

  • Constantly off-balance your opponent by pulling with your grips while extending and retracting the De La Riva hook to disrupt their base

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Allowing the De La Riva hook to go slack or releasing tension on the opponent’s trapped leg

    • Consequence: Opponent can easily step back and clear the hook, eliminating your primary control mechanism and allowing them to pass
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain constant pulling pressure with your hooking leg by keeping your knee pulled toward your chest and actively driving your foot into the back of their knee

  • ❌ Losing the cross grip on the opponent’s far sleeve or collar

    • Consequence: Without the diagonal control system, opponent can square up their posture, establish better base, and pass with pressure
    • ✅ Correction: Fight aggressively for the cross grip and if broken, immediately re-establish it or transition to a different guard position

  • ❌ Allowing your non-hooking leg to be controlled or trapped by the opponent

    • Consequence: Losing your free leg makes it nearly impossible to maintain distance, change angles, or execute sweeps and transitions
    • ✅ Correction: Keep your non-hooking leg active and mobile, constantly repositioning it on their hip, bicep, or knee to maintain control of distance

  • ❌ Staying static in one configuration without threatening attacks or changing angles

    • Consequence: Opponent can settle into a defensive position, work on clearing your hooks methodically, and eventually pass your guard
    • ✅ Correction: Constantly chain attacks together, move your hips to create new angles, and threaten multiple techniques to keep opponent reactive

  • ❌ Flattening your back completely to the mat and losing hip mobility

    • Consequence: Cannot execute inversions, berimbolo entries, or quick angle changes that make De La Riva guard effective
    • ✅ Correction: Keep your shoulders slightly elevated off the mat and maintain active hip movement to enable dynamic transitions

Playing as Top

→ Full Top Guide

Key Principles

  • Posture Maintenance: Stay upright with chest elevated and hips back to prevent forward sweeps and maintain balance against the DLR hook’s off-balancing attempts

  • Grip Fighting: Strip or control the ankle or pants grip that powers DLR control, as this grip combined with the hook creates the primary sweeping mechanism

  • Hook Removal: Neutralize the DLR hook through pressure, leg positioning, or strategic movement to remove the bottom player’s primary control point

  • Hip Control: Don’t allow bottom player to maintain optimal hip angle perpendicular to you, as this angle maximizes their sweeping power and berimbolo entries

  • Pressure Application: Once hooks are neutralized, apply passing pressure immediately to prevent guard recovery

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Leaning forward over opponent with poor posture and head position ahead of hips

    • Consequence: DLR guard’s primary threat is off-balancing you forward using the hook and grip combination. Poor posture makes these sweeps high-percentage, resulting in you being swept and guard player achieving top position or back take
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain upright posture with chest up and hips back. Your head should be over or slightly behind your hips, not leaning forward. Think about sitting back into their guard rather than leaning over them. Strong core engagement prevents being pulled forward

  • ❌ Allowing opponent to maintain perpendicular hip angle throughout passing sequence

    • Consequence: DLR guard is most effective when bottom player’s hips are angled perpendicular to you. This angle creates maximum sweep leverage and berimbolo entry opportunities. Allowing them to maintain it makes passing extremely difficult
    • ✅ Correction: Flatten their hips by pressuring their non-hooked leg toward the mat, or control their hips directly with hand grips. Force them to face you more squarely, which nullifies much of DLR’s sweeping power. Their hips should be flat or at least not perfectly angled

  • ❌ Ignoring grip fighting and allowing opponent to maintain strong ankle or pants grips

    • Consequence: The ankle or pants grip combined with the DLR hook creates a powerful control system. Without addressing grips, even perfect posture won’t prevent sweeps or off-balancing
    • ✅ Correction: Immediately strip the ankle grip using your free hand, or secure a counter-grip on their collar or lapel to break their posture. If you can’t strip it immediately, use your grips to control their upper body and limit their ability to use the ankle grip effectively

  • ❌ Standing too close to opponent and allowing them to maintain compact guard structure

    • Consequence: DLR is most dangerous at mid-range where the hook and grips create optimal leverage. Standing too close allows them to maintain this ideal distance while limiting your passing options
    • ✅ Correction: Create distance first by backing away and extending their legs, or close distance completely by smashing into them. Avoid the mid-range danger zone where DLR thrives. Either make them extend (weakening their structure) or collapse the space entirely (removing hook effectiveness)

  • ❌ Using tentative, half-committed passing attempts without full commitment to direction

    • Consequence: DLR rewards patient guard players who can read telegraphed movements. Tentative passing gives them time to adjust, reset grips, and execute sweeps or transitions
    • ✅ Correction: Once you’ve chosen a passing direction, commit fully with explosive movement and proper grips. If you’re going to pass right, drive hard right. If you’re going to backstep, backstep decisively. Hesitation in the middle of a pass is when you’re most vulnerable

  • Reverse De La Riva Guard - Complementary guard system using opposite-side hook for alternative off-balancing angles and sweep entries

  • X-Guard - Primary transition target from DLR when opponent maintains upright posture, sharing similar off-balancing mechanics and sweep principles

  • Single Leg X-Guard - Natural transition option when opponent attempts to extract hooked leg or stands to disengage from DLR control

  • Spider Guard - Alternative open guard with similar distance control principles that can be combined with DLR for hybrid control systems

  • Lasso Guard - Can be combined with DLR hook for powerful hybrid control systems that restrict opponent’s mobility and posture

  • Open Guard - Parent category containing DLR as specialized variation within the broader open guard family

  • Butterfly Guard - Related open guard system with different hook mechanics that serves as alternative when DLR is compromised