Feet on Hips Guard Bottom

Jan 23, 20269 min read

Feet on Hips Guard Bottom is the guard player’s perspective in this fundamental open guard position, where you place both feet on the opponent’s hip bones while maintaining hip elevation and mobility. This position provides immediate defensive structure through leg frames while preserving maximum offensive options for sweeps, submissions, and guard transitions. The bottom perspective emphasizes active distance management, constant hip movement, and aggressive grip fighting to prevent the opponent from consolidating passing position. Success requires understanding that feet-on-hips is a transitional state rather than a static guard—you must constantly threaten attacks and transitions to prevent the opponent from systematically breaking down your frames. The position teaches essential guard retention skills including frame maintenance, hip mobility, and timing that form the foundation for all advanced open guard variations. Your primary objectives are maintaining distance through active leg frames, creating off-balancing opportunities through coordinated pushing and pulling, and transitioning to more controlling guards or sweep attempts before the opponent can establish dominant grips.

Position Definition

  • Both feet placed firmly on opponent’s hip bones (anterior superior iliac spine landmarks) with ball of foot contact creating maximum pushing surface and connection stability, preventing opponent from settling weight or closing distance
  • Bottom practitioner’s hips elevated off mat with lower back curved, creating space and mobility for hip movement and angle adjustment while maintaining defensive frame integrity and preventing opponent from flattening guard structure
  • Bottom practitioner’s shoulders remain on mat with head neutral or slightly tucked, maintaining base and preventing opponent from driving forward pressure to collapse frames or achieve chest-to-chest contact
  • Arms extended toward opponent’s upper body, sleeves, or collar for grip fighting, maintaining connection without being pulled forward or allowing opponent to control wrists while coordinating with leg frames
  • Opponent positioned at distance determined by leg extension (12-18 inches between torsos), unable to achieve chest-to-chest contact or settle weight into bottom player’s guard structure due to active pushing frames

Prerequisites

  • Guard opening from closed guard or initial guard pull position
  • Opponent standing or in combat base with hips elevated above bottom player
  • Successful foot placement on opponent’s hip bones before they establish dominant ankle or pant grips
  • Active hip elevation to create pushing frame with legs rather than passive barrier
  • Grip control on opponent’s sleeves, pants, or upper body to prevent diving attacks or frame breaking

Key Defensive Principles

  • Maintain feet on hip bones (not thighs or stomach) with ball of foot providing maximum pushing surface and directional control
  • Keep hips mobile and elevated to create constant angle adjustment and prevent opponent from settling weight or achieving static grips
  • Use legs as active pushing frames rather than passive barriers, constantly adjusting distance and breaking opponent’s posture attempts
  • Grip fight aggressively to prevent opponent from controlling ankles or pant legs, which would compromise the distance management system
  • Stay ready to transition to other guards (Spider, De La Riva, X-Guard) when opponent attempts to pass or creates openings
  • Create angles by walking hips laterally while maintaining foot pressure on hips, setting up sweeps and off-balancing opportunities
  • Combine pushing and pulling forces through coordinated leg extension and grip control to break opponent’s balance and posture

Available Escapes

Scissor Sweep → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 45%
  • Intermediate: 60%
  • Advanced: 75%

Pendulum Sweep → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Hip Bump Sweep → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Triangle Setup → Triangle Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Omoplata Sweep → Omoplata Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 55%

De La Riva Sweep → De La Riva Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

X-Guard Sweep → X-Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Single Leg X Sweep → Single Leg X-Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Elevator Sweep → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 38%
  • Intermediate: 53%
  • Advanced: 68%

Opponent Counters

Counter-Attacks

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent stands tall with upright posture and reaches for pant grips while maintaining distance:

If opponent drops to combat base attempting to control ankles or close distance:

If opponent commits weight forward to drive over frames with pressure:

If opponent circles laterally attempting Toreando pass or leg drag:

If opponent grabs both ankles and attempts to stack or control legs:

Common Defensive Mistakes

1. Placing feet on opponent’s thighs instead of hip bones

  • ❌ Consequence: Reduced leverage and pushing power, allowing opponent to easily control legs and initiate passing sequences
  • ✅ Correction: Focus foot placement specifically on bony hip landmarks (ASIS), creating maximum structural connection and pushing efficiency

2. Allowing hips to flatten to mat with lower back touching ground

  • ❌ Consequence: Loss of mobility and frame effectiveness, enabling opponent to settle weight and advance guard pass progression
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain constant hip elevation with active core engagement, creating curved spine position that preserves movement options

3. Extending arms rigidly without active grip fighting

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent easily controls wrists or sleeves, neutralizing upper body defense and creating passing opportunities
  • ✅ Correction: Keep arms mobile with constant grip fighting, breaking opponent’s grips while establishing your own advantageous connections

4. Failing to track opponent’s movement with hip rotation

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent circles to side or back, bypassing frames and achieving dominant passing angles
  • ✅ Correction: Walk hips continuously to face opponent squarely, adjusting foot pressure and angles to maintain centered defensive structure

5. Remaining static in feet-on-hips position without transitioning

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent eventually finds grip combinations or passing angles to defeat the guard through persistence
  • ✅ Correction: Use feet-on-hips as transitional position, constantly threatening sweeps, submissions, or guard changes to prevent opponent settling

6. Allowing opponent to control ankles without immediate response

  • ❌ Consequence: Loss of distance management capability and exposure to stack passes, leg weave passes, and other ankle-control-based attacks
  • ✅ Correction: React immediately to ankle grabs by retracting legs, changing angles, or transitioning to different guard configuration

7. Pushing with feet without coordinated pulling with hands

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent maintains balanced posture despite leg pressure, preventing effective sweeps or off-balancing
  • ✅ Correction: Synchronize pushing and pulling forces through simultaneous leg extension and grip manipulation to break opponent’s base

Training Drills for Defense

Feet-on-Hips Distance Management

Partner stands or kneels while bottom player maintains feet-on-hips position. Top partner attempts various grips and passing entries while bottom player focuses on maintaining optimal distance, hip mobility, and foot placement. Emphasize constant adjustment and prevention of ankle control. Start at 50% intensity and gradually increase resistance.

Duration: 3-5 minutes per round

Sweep Chain from Feet-on-Hips

Bottom player starts with feet on hips and cycles through scissor sweep, pendulum sweep, and hip bump sweep based on partner’s reactions. Top partner provides progressive resistance, creating realistic defensive responses. Focus on smooth transitions between sweep attempts without losing distance control or frame integrity.

Duration: 5 rounds of 2 minutes

Guard Transition Flow

From feet-on-hips position, bottom player flows through transitions to Spider Guard, De La Riva Guard, X-Guard, and back to feet-on-hips. Partner provides light resistance and attempts various passing approaches. Emphasize maintaining connection and distance throughout all transitions.

Duration: 4-6 minutes continuous flow

Grip Fighting from Feet-on-Hips

Partner attempts to establish passing grips (ankle control, pant grips, sleeve control) while bottom player fights grips and maintains feet-on-hips structure. Focus on breaking opponent’s grips immediately while establishing offensive grips for sweeps. Reset when either player achieves dominant grip position.

Duration: 3-minute rounds with 1-minute rest

Situational Guard Retention

Top partner starts with one ankle controlled. Bottom player must recover feet-on-hips position or transition to superior guard position within 30 seconds. Develops urgency and technical responses to common guard passing threats. Rotate through different initial disadvantages (both ankles controlled, stacked position, etc.).

Duration: 10 rounds of 30 seconds

Escape and Survival Paths

Triangle path from feet-on-hips

Feet on Hips Guard → Triangle Setup → Triangle Control → Triangle from Guard

Armbar path via sweep

Feet on Hips Guard → Scissor Sweep → Mount → Armbar from Mount

Omoplata path with sweep option

Feet on Hips Guard → Omoplata Sweep → Omoplata Control → Omoplata from Guard

Guillotine path from failed pass

Feet on Hips Guard → Guard Recovery → Closed Guard → Guillotine Choke

Kimura path via Spider Guard transition

Feet on Hips Guard → Spider Guard Sweeps → Spider Guard → Kimura from Guard

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner50%35%20%
Intermediate65%50%35%
Advanced80%65%50%

Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds before transition or pass attempt

  • Open Guard - Parent category - Feet on Hips Guard is fundamental open guard variation
  • Spider Guard - Common transition when grips are established on sleeves from feet-on-hips
  • De La Riva Guard - Natural progression when opponent attempts to pass to one side
  • X-Guard - Transition target when opponent steps in close or attempts ankle control
  • Butterfly Guard - Alternative guard when opponent drops to combat base between legs
  • Closed Guard - Recovery position when opponent drives forward into guard
  • Triangle Control - Primary submission threat when opponent reaches forward with arms
  • Scissor Sweep - High-percentage sweep when opponent commits weight forward
  • Pendulum Sweep - Alternative sweep utilizing same foot-on-hip mechanics
  • Guard Retention Concepts - Fundamental principle - feet-on-hips exemplifies distance management concept
  • Frame Management - Core concept applied through leg frames on hips
  • Distance Creation - Primary tactical objective of feet-on-hips position
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