Inverting from De La Riva into Grasshopper Guard is the bottom player’s answer to a passer who tries to disengage from the De La Riva hook. The attacker preserves the hook, drops their head beneath the opponent’s hip, and rolls onto the shoulders so the hips elevate and the legs can keep chasing the passer’s base. The goal is not to settle but to arrive in the inverted Grasshopper platform with a live leg connection from which kneebars, ankle locks, inside ashi, and elevation sweeps are immediately threatened.
The defining mechanic is timing the inversion to the opponent’s weight shift. When the passer back-steps or circles, their base momentarily lifts and rotates away; that is the window to commit the shoulders and granby-roll under. The De La Riva hook acts as the anchor that keeps you tethered to the leg throughout the roll, so you surface inverted but still attached rather than chasing empty space.
Done well, this transition turns an apparent guard-pass scramble into a leg-attack opportunity. Done poorly — inverting late, releasing the hook, or rolling without tracking the opponent’s hips — it gives up the back or stalls back into De La Riva. Treat the inversion as a committed, time-boxed action with a specific leg-attack target already in mind.
From Position: De La Riva Guard (Bottom)
Key Attacking Principles
What are the key principles for executing De La Riva to Grasshopper Guard?
- Keep the De La Riva hook live throughout the roll - it is the anchor that keeps you connected to the leg
- Time the inversion to the opponent’s weight shift as they back-step or circle, never force it from a static base
- Drop the head beneath the opponent’s hip line first; the shoulders and roll follow the head
- Elevate the hips as you surface so you arrive in a true Grasshopper platform, not flattened on your back
- Carry a specific leg-attack target into the inversion - inside ashi, kneebar, or ankle lock - rather than inverting aimlessly
- Protect the back during the roll by keeping a knee or shin across the centerline so the opponent cannot ride to back control
- Commit fully and quickly - a half-committed inversion stalls and lets the passer settle his pass
Prerequisites
What do you need before attempting De La Riva to Grasshopper Guard?
- Active De La Riva hook secured around the opponent’s near leg with foot connection behind the knee
- A grip or frame on the opponent’s far leg or ankle to maintain a second point of connection through the roll
- Recognition that the opponent is disengaging - back-stepping, leg-dragging, or circling toward the open side
- Adequate neck and thoracic flexibility to commit the shoulders to the mat safely
- Core engagement ready to elevate the hips immediately on surfacing from the roll
- Clear floor space beneath and behind the opponent’s hips to drop the head and rotate under
Execution Steps
How do you execute De La Riva to Grasshopper Guard step by step?
- Lock the De La Riva hook and read the disengage: From De La Riva Guard, ensure your hook foot is live behind the opponent’s near knee and you have a grip on their near leg or ankle. Watch their base: the moment they begin to back-step, leg-drag, or circle their weight away from your hook, you have the window to invert. If they stay heavy and square, do not invert yet - keep working the upright De La Riva.
- Drop the head and load the shoulders: As their weight lifts away, tuck your chin and drop your head down and underneath their near hip, looking back toward your own buttocks. Let your upper back and the point of one shoulder settle toward the mat. This head-led motion begins the granby-style roll and lowers your center of gravity beneath the opponent’s hip line, which is essential for getting under their base.
- Maintain the leg connection through the roll: Crucially, do not release the De La Riva hook as you roll. Keep your hooking foot threaded behind their knee and your grip on the far leg so you stay tethered to the opponent’s base. The hook is the anchor that ensures you surface still attached to the leg rather than spinning out into open space where the pass completes.
- Roll onto the shoulders and rotate under the base: Drive off your free foot and roll over your shoulders, rotating your hips up and over toward the opponent’s far side. Your body inverts so your shoulders and upper back become the base while your hips travel upward. Track the opponent’s hips with your eyes throughout so you rotate to where their base actually is, not where it was when you started.
- Elevate the hips and establish Grasshopper: As you surface from the roll, fire your core and push your hips toward the ceiling so they sit at chest height or higher relative to the opponent. Distribute weight across both shoulder blades for a stable inverted platform. You should now be in Grasshopper Guard: shoulders based, hips elevated, and at least one leg threaded toward or around the opponent’s standing base.
- Thread the legs and attack immediately: Do not pause in the inversion. Immediately shoot your legs to entangle the opponent’s near leg for an inside or outside ashi-garami, hunt a kneebar or ankle lock, or load an elevation sweep if their base narrows. Grasshopper is unsustainable, so convert the platform into a concrete leg attack or sweep within a few seconds of arriving.
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Grasshopper Guard | 55% |
| Failure | De La Riva Guard | 30% |
| Counter | Back Control | 15% |
Opponent Counters
How might your opponent counter De La Riva to Grasshopper Guard?
- Opponent sprawls and rides your rolling motion to take the back (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Keep a shin or knee across the centerline as you roll and re-pummel an inside hook the instant you feel them chase the back. If they commit to the ride, finish the inversion into a leg entanglement before they can clear their second hook, denying the back take by occupying their legs. → Leads to Back Control
- Opponent strips your De La Riva hook before you commit to the roll (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Abort the inversion and recover upright De La Riva rather than rolling into empty space. Re-establish the hook or switch to a Reverse De La Riva entry, then look to invert again once the connection is restored. → Leads to De La Riva Guard
- Opponent drops heavy hip pressure to flatten you before your hips elevate (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Use their downward pressure to load an elevation sweep or convert directly to inside ashi as you surface, redirecting their weight rather than fighting to lift it. If you cannot elevate, granby back out to De La Riva and reset. → Leads to De La Riva Guard
- Opponent pins your head to the mat to prevent the granby roll (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Frame on their hip with your near hand to create rolling space and rotate around the pinned head rather than through it. If the head is truly stuck, switch to a Reverse De La Riva recovery instead of forcing the inversion. → Leads to De La Riva Guard
Safety Considerations
What are the safety concerns for De La Riva to Grasshopper Guard?
The primary safety concern is the inversion itself: load the neck gradually and roll over the point of the shoulder rather than crunching directly on the cervical spine, and only attempt the granby roll once you have built the neck and thoracic flexibility for it. Beginners should drill the roll slowly and solo before adding a resisting partner. Because this transition feeds directly into kneebars, ankle locks, and heel hooks, apply all leg attacks with slow, controlled pressure and respect early taps, as rotational knee and ankle submissions injure with little warning. Communicate clearly during live drilling and never force the inversion into heavy opponent pressure that could compress the neck or back.