BJJ Graph

Squid Guard Bottom

Dec 09, 202514 min read

Squid Guard Bottom is an advanced asymmetrical open guard position characterized by one leg threading through the opponent’s legs while maintaining upper body control through lapel manipulation. This unique guard creates unusual angles and off-balancing opportunities that confuse traditional passing responses. The position gets its name from the tentacle-like leg and lapel configuration that wraps and controls the opponent.

The Squid Guard excels at creating dilemmas for the top player through its unconventional structure. Unlike traditional open guards that rely on bilateral symmetry, the Squid Guard’s asymmetrical nature forces opponents into unfamiliar defensive patterns. This position is particularly effective against pressure passers who rely on standard passing sequences, as the leg configuration and lapel control disrupts their base and creates opportunities for sweeps and back takes.

While technically demanding and requiring significant flexibility, coordination, and lapel manipulation skills, the Squid Guard offers a high ceiling for advanced practitioners. The position integrates well into modern guard retention systems and provides unique pathways to dominant positions that bypass traditional guard passing exchanges. Success in this position depends on maintaining active leg tension, controlling lapel grips, and recognizing the timing windows for attacks.

Position Definition

  • Bottom player on their back or side with one leg threaded between opponent’s legs from inside position, creating asymmetrical control with the threading leg’s foot hooking behind opponent’s far knee or thigh
  • Bottom player controls opponent’s lapel, typically wrapping it around opponent’s leg or body, creating restrictive control that limits mobility and posture while preventing forward pressure
  • Non-threading leg positioned outside opponent’s body, typically controlling opponent’s near hip or creating distance with foot on hip or bicep, maintaining spatial control and preventing opponent from settling into passing position
  • Upper body grips established on opponent’s sleeve, collar, or lapel with at least one strong grip point, providing steering control and preventing opponent from achieving dominant grips or posture
  • Opponent standing, kneeling, or in combat base position attempting to pass, with their base disrupted by the threading leg’s tension and lapel restriction

Prerequisites

  • Opponent in standing or kneeling passing position
  • Space created to thread leg between opponent’s legs
  • Access to opponent’s gi lapel for gripping and manipulation
  • At least one upper body grip established on sleeve, collar, or lapel
  • Hip mobility and flexibility to maintain asymmetrical leg configuration
  • Understanding of guard retention principles and angle creation

Key Defensive Principles

  • Maintain constant tension with threading leg to disrupt opponent’s base and prevent them from settling into stable passing position
  • Use non-threading leg actively to control distance and create angles, never allowing it to become passive
  • Coordinate upper body lapel grips with leg movements to create compound control that limits opponent’s options
  • Keep hips mobile and ready to transition, using hip movement to generate sweeping power and adjust angles
  • Recognize opponent’s weight distribution and attack when they commit weight forward or backward
  • Combine off-balancing with lapel and grip control to create sweep opportunities
  • Use asymmetry as advantage by creating unfamiliar angles that bypass opponent’s trained passing responses

Available Escapes

Kiss of the Dragon → Back Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 65%

X-Guard Sweep → X-Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Single Leg X Sweep → Single Leg X-Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 68%

Berimbolo Entry → Back Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 20%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 60%

De La Riva Sweep → Side Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 48%
  • Advanced: 65%

Technical Stand Up → Standing Position

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 58%
  • Advanced: 72%

Omoplata Sweep → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 22%
  • Intermediate: 38%
  • Advanced: 55%

Triangle Setup → Triangle Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 20%
  • Intermediate: 35%
  • Advanced: 55%

Omoplata to Back → Back Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 60%

Opponent Counters

Counter-Attacks

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent maintains upright posture with weight distributed evenly:

If opponent drives forward with pressure attempting to stack:

If opponent turns away from threading leg to escape tension:

If opponent attempts to disengage and create distance:

Common Defensive Mistakes

1. Allowing threading leg to become passive without maintaining constant tension

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent easily extracts their leg and passes to side control, eliminating all guard advantages
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain active tension with threading leg throughout, constantly adjusting pressure to disrupt opponent’s base and prevent extraction

2. Releasing lapel tension during transitions

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent regains posture and can establish passing pressure or clear the guard entirely
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain constant tension on the lapel throughout all movements, treating it as a non-negotiable control point that anchors your guard structure

3. Neglecting upper body grip control and relying solely on leg position

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent achieves dominant grips and uses them to control distance and passing angles, neutralizing leg configurations
  • ✅ Correction: Coordinate upper body grips with leg movements, ensuring at least one strong grip that prevents opponent from establishing their preferred grips

4. Remaining static in position without creating angles or movement

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent stabilizes their base and systematically breaks down guard structure with methodical passing
  • ✅ Correction: Keep hips mobile and constantly adjust angles, using movement to create off-balancing opportunities and prevent opponent from settling

5. Overcommitting to sweep attempts without proper setup or timing

  • ❌ Consequence: Failed sweep leaves guard open and vulnerable to immediate pass, often resulting in scrambles that favor top player
  • ✅ Correction: Wait for opponent’s weight commitment before initiating sweeps, using grips and leg tension to create clear opportunities rather than forcing attacks

6. Failing to protect against leg attacks when threading leg is exposed

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent capitalizes on threading leg exposure to enter leg entanglement positions or secure leg locks
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain awareness of threading leg vulnerability and adjust position immediately if opponent shows leg lock threats, transitioning to safer guard variations

Training Drills for Defense

Squid Guard Entry Flow Drill

Partner starts in standing position. Practice entering Squid Guard from various open guard positions (Spider, De La Riva, Seated), focusing on smooth leg threading, lapel feeding, and grip establishment. Emphasize maintaining guard structure through transitions. 5 minutes continuous flow, alternating entry methods.

Duration: 5 minutes

Sweep Chain Repetition

From established Squid Guard, drill sequences of sweeps with compliant partner. Focus on De La Riva sweep to X-Guard sweep to back take chain. Partner offers realistic resistance to grips but allows sweeps to complete. Build muscle memory for transition timing. 10 repetitions per side.

Duration: 10 minutes

Progressive Resistance Guard Retention

Maintain Squid Guard while partner attempts to pass with increasing resistance levels (30%, 50%, 70%). Focus on using leg tension, lapel control, hip movement, and grip control to prevent passes. Reset to Squid Guard after each passing attempt. Develops retention skills under pressure. 3-minute rounds.

Duration: 3 x 3 minute rounds

Asymmetrical Control Maintenance

Hold Squid Guard position with partner attempting to extract threading leg and clear lapel entanglement. Bottom player focuses solely on maintaining guard structure without attacking. Develops endurance and positional awareness. 2-minute holds.

Duration: 5 x 2 minute rounds

Escape and Survival Paths

Triangle Path via Hook Control

Squid Guard Bottom → Triangle Setup → Triangle Choke

Back Attack Path via Berimbolo

Squid Guard Bottom → Berimbolo Entry → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke

Back Attack Path via Kiss of Dragon

Squid Guard Bottom → Kiss of the Dragon → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke

Armbar Path via Sweep

Squid Guard Bottom → X-Guard Sweep → Mount → Armbar from Mount

Omoplata Path

Squid Guard Bottom → Omoplata Sweep → Omoplata

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner30%35%15%
Intermediate50%55%30%
Advanced70%70%50%

Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds

Expert Analysis

John Danaher

The Squid Guard represents an evolution in guard theory that exploits asymmetrical control to create mechanical disadvantages for the passer. The threading leg functions as a destabilizing lever that continuously disrupts the opponent’s base geometry, while the lapel control creates a binding effect that multiplies the effectiveness of the hook by preventing them from simply stepping out. From a biomechanical perspective, the key technical element is maintaining constant tension on the lapel while using the hook to off-balance the opponent in the opposite direction, creating a push-pull dynamic that disrupts their base. What makes this position particularly interesting from a systematic perspective is how it forces the opponent into decision-making scenarios where all available responses create vulnerabilities. The asymmetrical nature means traditional bilateral passing solutions fail, requiring the top player to develop position-specific responses they may not have trained extensively. This guard exemplifies modern BJJ’s movement toward positions that create confusion and force errors rather than relying solely on superior technique execution.

Gordon Ryan

In competition, the Squid Guard is a high-level position that can completely shut down traditional pressure passing systems. I’ve used variations of this guard to neutralize opponents who rely on standard over-under or knee cut passing sequences, specifically against pressure passers because it neutralizes their primary weapon - forward pressure - and turns it into a liability. The lapel control shuts down their ability to establish strong grips or posture, and when they inevitably try to drive forward to clear the guard, you have immediate access to kiss of the dragon or berimbolo entries. The key to making it work at the highest level is understanding that it’s not just about holding the position—it’s about using it to create immediate attacking opportunities that force your opponent into defensive reactions. When they defend the sweep, you attack the back. When they defend the back take, you attack the submission. The guard creates a problem-solving situation where the top player is constantly reacting rather than implementing their game plan. Against elite competition, this psychological and strategic advantage is often more valuable than the technical position itself.

Eddie Bravo

The Squid Guard fits perfectly into the 10th Planet philosophy of using unconventional positions to create confusion and opportunities. What I love about this guard is how it completely violates the opponent’s expectations of what a guard should look like. They’re programmed to deal with symmetrical threats, so when you throw this asymmetrical configuration at them, their pattern recognition fails. The beauty of this position is how it combines the technical sophistication of modern lapel guards with the fundamental effectiveness of De La Riva mechanics. When you’re in squid guard, you’re controlling multiple points on the opponent’s body with minimal effort, using the gi itself as an extension of your limbs. The position has natural synergy with rubber guard concepts and our emphasis on active guard retention through constant movement. We’ve integrated Squid Guard variations into our system as part of the guard retention flow, especially when traditional Spider or De La Riva positions aren’t working. The key is not getting stuck in the position—use it as a dynamic platform for attacking rather than a static defensive structure. Keep moving, keep threatening, and don’t let them settle into any predictable pattern.