Playing Lasso Guard Bottom requires sophisticated understanding of leverage mechanics, grip control, and dynamic movement patterns. From the bottom position, you thread your shin across the opponent’s tricep while controlling their sleeve, creating a powerful lever that restricts their mobility and creates constant off-balancing threats. This position fundamentally alters the passing game by removing the opponent’s ability to effectively use their trapped arm for base, pressure, or grips.
The strategic value of Lasso Guard Bottom lies in its asymmetric control system. By dominating one side of the opponent’s body completely, you force them into predictable defensive patterns. They must address the lasso control before attempting meaningful passing sequences, which creates opportunities for proactive attacks. The position excels at neutralizing larger, stronger opponents by using mechanical advantage rather than strength-on-strength confrontation.
Successful execution demands constant attention to grip fighting and positioning adjustments. Your sleeve grip must remain tight and extended to maintain the lasso’s effectiveness. Your non-lasso leg serves multiple functions: posting on the hip to control distance, hooking the opposite leg to prevent circling, or establishing spider guard pressure on the free arm. Hip positioning is critical - maintaining a perpendicular angle to the opponent maximizes your sweep vectors while minimizing their passing angles.
The offensive arsenal from Lasso Guard Bottom includes numerous high-percentage sweeps that exploit the opponent’s compromised base. Triangle sweeps work when they attempt to posture up, omoplata sweeps target their attempts to pull their arm free, and various hook sweeps become available when they try to move around the position. Each defensive response from the opponent opens specific attacking opportunities, creating a true dilemma situation.
Submission opportunities emerge naturally from proper positioning. As the opponent struggles with the lasso, their posture often breaks forward, creating triangle and omoplata entries. If they manage to clear the lasso but remain close, armbar and kimura opportunities present themselves. Understanding these submission chains transforms Lasso Guard from purely a sweeping position to a complete attacking system.
Defensive awareness remains essential even from this controlling position. Common counters include the opponent stepping over the lasso leg, driving their knee through to smash passing, or using aggressive stacking pressure. Recognizing these passing attempts early allows you to transition to retention strategies or alternative guard positions before losing the position completely. The ability to abandon the lasso when necessary and recover to other guard systems separates intermediate practitioners from advanced competitors.
Training Lasso Guard Bottom develops several fundamental skills that transfer across multiple guard positions: grip endurance, hip mobility, off-balancing timing, and the ability to maintain control while remaining mobile. These attributes make Lasso Guard valuable not just as an isolated position, but as a foundational element in developing comprehensive open guard systems.
Position Definition
- Your shin must be threaded across the opponent’s arm between their elbow and shoulder, creating the characteristic lasso control
- You maintain a tight sleeve grip on the lassoed arm with your hand on the same side as your lasso leg
- Your hips remain mobile and angled perpendicular to the opponent to maximize leverage and sweep angles
- Your non-lasso leg actively manages distance through hip posting, leg hooks, or secondary guard connections
Prerequisites
- Solid understanding of open guard fundamentals including hip movement, distance management, and grip fighting principles
- Developed grip strength and endurance to maintain extended sleeve control against breaking attempts
- Hip flexibility to thread the leg deeply across the opponent’s arm while maintaining control angles
- Basic knowledge of spider guard and De La Riva guard mechanics to understand related control systems
- Experience with sweep timing and off-balancing mechanics from other guard positions
Key Defensive Principles
- Extend the lasso leg fully to create maximum leverage against the opponent’s shoulder while pulling the sleeve grip toward your chest
- Keep your hips active and mobile, constantly adjusting angles to prevent the opponent from settling their weight or establishing stable passing grips
- Use your non-lasso leg dynamically to post on the hip when they pressure forward, hook the leg when they attempt to circle, or create spider pressure on the free arm
- Maintain constant tension on all grips to prevent the opponent from freeing their arm or establishing superior controlling positions
- Chain attacks together fluidly, transitioning between sweeps, submissions, and guard recoveries based on the opponent’s defensive reactions
- Recognize when to abandon the lasso early if the opponent successfully counters, recovering to alternative guard positions before losing control completely
Available Escapes
Lasso Guard Sweeps → 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 → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Spider Guard Sweeps → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
X-Guard Sweep → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Armbar from Guard → Armbar Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Kimura from Guard → Kimura Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent maintains upright posture and attempts to break the sleeve grip while staying at distance:
- Execute Lasso Guard Sweeps → Mount (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Triangle Setup → Triangle Control (Probability: 55%)
If opponent drives forward with pressure attempting to smash or stack the guard:
- Execute Omoplata Sweep → Omoplata Control (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Butterfly Sweep → Mount (Probability: 45%)
If opponent stands tall and attempts to disengage or pass from standing:
- Execute De La Riva Sweep → Back Control (Probability: 55%)
- Execute X-Guard Sweep → Mount (Probability: 50%)
If opponent successfully begins to free their arm from the lasso control:
- Execute Spider Guard Sweeps → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Armbar from Guard → Armbar Control (Probability: 45%)
If opponent circles around the lasso leg toward your non-lasso side:
- Execute Lasso Guard Variations → De La Riva Guard (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Kimura from Guard → Kimura Control (Probability: 40%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Lasso to Triangle Chain
Lasso Guard → Triangle Setup → Triangle Control → Triangle Choke
Lasso to Omoplata Progression
Lasso Guard → Omoplata Sweep → Omoplata Control → Omoplata
Lasso to Back Attack
Lasso Guard → De La Riva Sweep → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Lasso to Armbar System
Lasso Guard → Spider Guard Sweeps → Mount → Armbar from Mount
Lasso to Kimura Trap
Lasso Guard → Kimura from Guard → Kimura Control → Kimura
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 40% | 35% | 15% |
| Intermediate | 60% | 55% | 30% |
| Advanced | 75% | 70% | 45% |
Average Time in Position: 45-90 seconds before transition to sweep, submission attempt, or position change
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The lasso guard represents a sophisticated application of lever mechanics in grappling. The critical element is understanding that the position creates a perpendicular force vector against the opponent’s arm that compromises their ability to generate forward pressure or establish stable base. Your control isn’t just about holding the sleeve - it’s about creating a geometric relationship where their arm becomes a liability rather than an asset. The most common error is treating lasso as a static holding position rather than a dynamic platform for constant off-balancing attacks. Superior practitioners maintain relentless pressure on the opponent’s equilibrium, forcing defensive reactions that create the actual scoring opportunities. The position demands exceptional hip mobility because your ability to maintain perpendicular angles while the opponent circles determines whether the lasso functions as intended or becomes merely a temporary inconvenience they can systematically address.
Gordon Ryan
Lasso guard is a competition-proven position that works at the highest levels when executed with proper aggression and attack mentality. I use it primarily as a transitional control rather than a destination position - establish the lasso, immediately threaten a sweep or submission, and flow into whatever opportunity presents itself. The key is never letting the opponent settle and work their passing game methodically. If they start making progress on clearing the lasso, I’m already transitioning to X-guard, De La Riva, or inverting underneath before they complete the pass. Against standing opponents, the lasso becomes particularly effective because you can combine it with De La Riva hooks or single leg X entries, creating multi-layered threats they must address simultaneously. In modern no-gi, I adapt the concept using overhook control instead of sleeve grips, maintaining the same geometric principles while adjusting for the lack of gi friction. The competitive value is in creating chaos and forcing reactions rather than achieving perfect positional control.
Eddie Bravo
Lasso guard is incredible for creating unconventional angles and entries into the 10th Planet system. I love combining it with lockdown principles and rubber guard concepts - using the lasso to control one arm while working missions on the other side. The position naturally leads to inverted attacks and corkscrew movements that fit perfectly with our no-gi approach. When teaching lasso, I emphasize the importance of staying dangerous with constant submission threats - triangles, omoplatas, armbars all become available when you maintain active pressure. The flexibility required for effective lasso work also develops the hip mobility needed for other advanced positions in our system. One unique variation we work is using the lasso as a entry mechanism into truck positions and twister attacks - when they try to clear the lasso by stepping over, you can often capture the leg and transition directly into the twister system. The creative potential is enormous if you think beyond traditional sweeping applications and explore the submission chains available from these angles.