Inverted Lasso Guard Top represents one of the most challenging defensive positions in modern sport jiu-jitsu, requiring excellent balance, grip fighting skills, and systematic understanding of counter-mechanics. When opponents invert with a lasso hook, they create geometric advantages that make traditional pressure passing ineffective, forcing top players to employ specialized defensive strategies.
The primary challenge from top position is that standard passing responses become counterproductive. Driving forward pressure, which works against upright guards, actually feeds into the bottom player’s sweep mechanics when they’re inverted. Similarly, backing away to create space opens berimbolo entries. Top players must thread a narrow path between these extremes, maintaining connection while preventing the rotational movement that makes inverted lasso dangerous.
Successful top play begins with recognizing the inversion early and responding immediately. The window to counter effectively is very short - once the bottom player completes the inversion and establishes their angle, defensive options narrow significantly. The best defense is either preventing the inversion entirely through grip control and pressure timing, or countering mid-inversion by following their movement with a cartwheel or counter-rotation.
Three primary defensive strategies exist: arm extraction (removing the lassoed limb to eliminate the position entirely), pressure passing (establishing heavy control to prevent hip mobility), and counter-inversions (following the bottom player’s movement with cartwheels or back steps that neutralize the angle advantage). Each strategy has optimal timing and risk profiles. Top players must develop pattern recognition to identify which approach suits each specific situation.
Advanced top players learn to create dilemmas in reverse - making the inverted position itself uncomfortable enough that bottom players must abandon it or risk exhaustion. This involves strategic pressure application on the inverted shoulders, controlling the hips to prevent rotation, and threatening submissions or passes that force a return to upright guard. The goal is making inverted lasso untenable as a holding position, converting it from an offensive threat to a desperate defensive attempt.
Position Definition
- Top player’s arm remains threaded through opponent’s leg with their sleeve gripped, creating the lasso connection that defines the position - maintaining awareness of this trapped arm’s position is critical as it determines available defensive options and movement patterns
- Bottom player is inverted with shoulders on mat and hips elevated, using their lassoed leg as a fulcrum point - recognizing this inverted posture immediately is essential as it signals the shift from standard passing approaches to specialized inversion counters
- Top player maintains upright or forward-leaning posture while managing balance against rotational forces from inverted opponent - balance and base are constantly challenged by angular momentum, requiring dynamic weight adjustments rather than static positioning
Prerequisites
- Bottom player has established lasso hook with leg threaded through top player’s arm
- Bottom player has initiated inversion, rolling onto shoulders with hips elevated
- Top player’s sleeve is controlled by bottom player’s grip on lassoed side
- Top player is in standing, kneeling, or combat base position above inverted opponent
- Sufficient mat space exists for both players to move through potential sweep or berimbolo sequences
Key Offensive Principles
- Recognize inversion immediately and respond within 1-2 seconds - delayed reactions allow bottom player to establish angle and initiate attacks
- Maintain forward pressure angle while preventing shoulder rotation - pressure must be directional, not purely downward
- Control opponent’s hips with free hand to limit mobility - hip control is the key to preventing berimbolo and overhead sweeps
- Extract lassoed arm systematically, not explosively - violent pulling typically fails and opens counter-attacks
- Use strategic weight shifts to make inversion uncomfortable - forcing bottom player to support your weight exhausts them rapidly
- Threaten counters that force opponent to abandon inversion - submission threats and pass attempts make holding inverted position untenable
- Stay connected rather than creating distance - space allows bottom player to reset and reinvert with better angles
Available Attacks
Lasso Guard Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 70%
Stack Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 65%
Arm Extraction → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 75%
Cartwheel Pass → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 60%
Pressure Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 65%
Knee Cut Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 70%
Smash Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 60%
Standing up in Base → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Decision Making from This Position
If bottom player commits to berimbolo rotation with leg threading behind back:
- Execute Cartwheel Pass → Back Control (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Pressure Pass → Side Control (Probability: 45%)
If bottom player extends lassoed leg for overhead sweep:
- Execute Stack Pass → Side Control (Probability: 65%)
- Execute Pressure Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
If lasso hook shows any looseness or bottom player adjusts grip:
- Execute Arm Extraction → Open Guard (Probability: 70%)
- Execute Knee Cut Pass → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
If bottom player remains inverted without initiating specific technique:
- Execute Pressure Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Smash Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
Optimal Submission Paths
Cartwheel Counter to Rear Naked Choke
Inverted Lasso Guard Top → Cartwheel Pass → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke → Won by Submission
Stack to Arm Triangle
Inverted Lasso Guard Top → Stack Pass → Side Control → Arm Triangle → Won by Submission
Extract to Knee Bar
Inverted Lasso Guard Top → Arm Extraction → Open Guard → Kneebar from Top → Won by Submission
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 40% | 30% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 60% | 50% | 15% |
| Advanced | 75% | 70% | 30% |
Average Time in Position: 10-30 seconds (until pass or sweep)
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
Defending inverted lasso guard requires understanding the mechanical disadvantage inherent in the position for the top player. When your opponent inverts with the lasso intact, they transform a perpendicular lever into an oblique fulcrum, increasing their effective force application by a factor of three or more. Standard pressure responses fail because you’re pushing into a fulcrum point rather than against a resistance. The systematic solution is to recognize that three elements must exist simultaneously for their attacks to work: the lasso lock itself, hip mobility enabling rotation, and proper angle relative to your base. Your defense must target these systematically. First priority is preventing hip mobility by controlling the hips with your free hand - this single control point eliminates berimbolo and significantly reduces sweep probability. Second is maintaining base angle that doesn’t feed into their sweep vectors - pressure must angle toward their shoulders, never straight down onto hips. Third, when opportunity presents, address the lasso lock by creating slack and extracting the arm. The most sophisticated defense is the cartwheel counter-rotation, which mirrors their berimbolo movement but in reverse, allowing you to take their back as they attempt to take yours. This requires understanding that rotational movements can be followed and matched rather than resisted. The key technical element is recognizing the inversion initiation immediately - every millisecond of delay exponentially increases their advantage. Train pattern recognition specifically for the shoulder drop and hip rotation that signals inversion, responding reflexively rather than reactively.
Gordon Ryan
From top, inverted lasso is definitely in their favor percentage-wise, but it’s not unbeatable. The key is recognizing it early and committing to your counter immediately - if you hesitate or try to feel it out, you’re getting swept or berimbolo’d. My primary response is aggressive hip control with my non-lassoed side hand, really grabbing their hip bone and preventing any rotation. This shuts down berimbolo completely and makes overhead sweeps way harder. If I get the hip control established, I can work on extracting my arm systematically. The mistake most people make is trying to rip their arm out - that almost never works. Instead, I’m creating angles and using my body position to create slack in the lasso, then sliding the arm out when space appears. Against really good inverted lasso players, sometimes I’ll actually accept going into a scramble rather than trying to pass cleanly. If they’re inverting constantly, I’ll cartwheel over and scramble for back position. Yeah, it’s risky, but so is sitting in their guard trying to pass while they attack constantly. In competition, I’ve found that putting heavy shoulder pressure on their inverted shoulders makes them want to come back up - it’s uncomfortable to support someone’s weight on your shoulders. So I’ll pressure there strategically, not to pass directly but to make them abandon the inversion. Once they come back to upright lasso, I’m back in my comfort zone for passing. The other thing is conditioning - maintaining good defense against inverted lasso for 10+ minutes is exhausting because you’re constantly balancing and adjusting. I make sure I’m in superior cardio shape so I can outlast their inversion attempts.
Eddie Bravo
Inverted lasso from top is where you really see the modern evolution of jiu-jitsu - it’s such a dynamic, movement-based position that traditional passing wisdom doesn’t apply. The way we approach it at 10th Planet is accepting that you’re in a scramble-based situation rather than a static pass. When someone inverts on you with lasso, you have to be willing to move with them, not just resist. The cartwheel counter is huge - following their rotation and trying to take their back as they try to take yours. It becomes this race where whoever completes the rotation first wins. We drill this scenario constantly because it shows up all the time in competition now. Another concept is that inverted positions are inherently exhausting for the bottom player. If you can make them invert multiple times without giving up the sweep, they’ll gas out and their technique will get sloppy. So sometimes the smart play is defending well and making them work rather than forcing a pass into their strengths. I also teach a variation where if they invert, you immediately step your non-lassoed leg over their inverted body and start working towards a leg drag position or even saddle entries. Their inverted position exposes their legs in interesting ways. The advanced game is turning their inversion into leg lock opportunities. One thing that helps is training inverted guard yourself - once you understand the position from bottom, you know exactly what they need to make it work and you can deny those elements specifically. It’s not a position you can just muscle through; you need technical understanding and willingness to engage in the scramble.