BJJ Graph

Rubber Guard

Jun 15, 20255 min read

Rubber Guard

bjjstateguard10thplanetcontrol

State Properties

  • State ID: S043
  • Point Value: 1 (Slight advantage)
  • Position Type: Specialized control guard
  • Risk Level: Medium
  • Energy Cost: High
  • Time Sustainability: Short to Medium

State Description

The Rubber Guard is a specialized guard position developed and popularized by Eddie Bravo within his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system. This position builds upon the closed guard by adding a high degree of upper body control through a series of complex leg and arm configurations. At its core, the Rubber Guard involves the bottom player using their leg to trap the opponent’s arm against their own chest, typically by bringing one leg high across the opponent’s back and securing the shin or foot with the opposite arm. This creates exceptional posture control and provides unique attacking opportunities, particularly for triangles, omoplatas, and various 10th Planet-specific submissions. The position is especially effective in no-gi grappling and MMA contexts where it can neutralize the opponent’s striking while setting up submissions.

Key Principles

  • Establish and maintain strong posture control
  • Create a high guard position with extreme hip flexibility
  • Use leg positioning to isolate and control opponent’s arm
  • Maintain proper shoulder and neck alignment to prevent injury
  • Coordinate grip configurations for optimal control
  • Apply systematic progression through position variations
  • Manage energy expenditure through efficient tension application

Prerequisites

  • Exceptional hip and hamstring flexibility
  • Strong closed guard fundamentals
  • Understanding of posture control mechanics
  • Knowledge of specialized grip configurations

State Invariants

  • Closed guard base with elevated leg position
  • Control of opponent’s arm against practitioner’s chest
  • Shin or foot secured with opposite arm
  • Opponent’s posture compromised
  • Connection between practitioner’s leg and upper body

Defensive Responses (When Opponent Has This State)

Offensive Transitions (Available From This State)

Counter Transitions

Expert Insights

  • Danaher System: Generally focuses on other guard configurations but acknowledges the Rubber Guard’s effectiveness for certain body types and scenarios. Emphasizes understanding the mechanical principles that make the position effective while noting the flexibility requirements and potential limitations against certain body types or when flexibility is compromised.
  • Gordon Ryan: Rarely employs Rubber Guard in his own game but recognizes its utility in specific contexts, particularly for practitioners with exceptional flexibility. When addressing the position, focuses on systematic defensive approaches, especially posture management and grip fighting strategies to defeat the position.
  • Eddie Bravo: As the primary developer and proponent of Rubber Guard, considers it the cornerstone of his 10th Planet system. Emphasizes the position’s value in MMA contexts for nullifying striking while creating submission opportunities. Has developed an extensive progression system with named positions (Mission Control, New York, Williams, etc.) that form a methodical attacking framework.

Common Errors

  • Insufficient flexibility → Positional strain and ineffectiveness
  • Poor shoulder positioning → Potential injury risk
  • Inadequate closed guard foundation → Loss of base control
  • Overreliance on leg strength → Energy depletion
  • Neglecting proper grip sequences → Technical inefficiency

Training Drills

  • Rubber Guard entry and control maintenance against progressive resistance
  • Transition flows between Rubber Guard variations (Mission Control, New York, etc.)
  • Flexibility development exercises with gradual progression
  • Defensive recognition and counter drills
  • Energy management exercises with controlled tension

Decision Tree

If opponent postures strongly:

Else if opponent keeps elbows tight:

Else if opponent attempts to stack:

Else if opponent pushes arm through:

Position Metrics

  • Success Rate: 60% control effectiveness (competition data)
  • Average Time in Position: 20-60 seconds
  • Submission Setup Probability: 55%
  • Sweep Probability: 30%
  • Position Loss Probability: 25%

Optimal Paths

Triangle path: Rubber Guard → Mission Control → New York Control → Triangle from Rubber Guard → Triangle Control → Triangle Finish → Won by Submission

Omoplata path: Rubber Guard → Mission Control → Rubber Guard to Omoplata → Omoplata Control → Omoplata Finish → Won by Submission

Gogoplata path: Rubber Guard → Mission Control → New York Control → Gogoplata Setup → Gogoplata Control → Won by Submission

Historical Context

The Rubber Guard was developed and popularized by Eddie Bravo in the early 2000s as a central component of his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system. Initially met with skepticism from traditional BJJ practitioners, the position gained wider recognition when employed effectively in high-level MMA competition, particularly by fighters like Ben Saunders and Tony Ferguson. The Rubber Guard represented a significant innovation in guard play, creating a system specifically optimized for no-gi and MMA contexts where traditional gi-dependent guards were less effective. Over time, the position has evolved into a comprehensive technical system with numerous variations and specialized attacks.

Computer Science Analogy

The Rubber Guard functions as a “constraint satisfaction system” in the BJJ state machine, where multiple physical variables (arm positioning, posture control, leg elevation) must be simultaneously optimized to create an effective control state. This implements a form of “greedy optimization algorithm” where each incremental positional advancement (from Closed Guard to Mission Control to New York, etc.) represents a locally optimal step toward the global optimum (submission). The position’s complexity creates a significant decision space complexity for both players, with branching possibilities that increase exponentially with the technical depth of the practitioners.

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