As the top player escaping from Hindulotine control, the bottom player’s angular hip position gives you a significant structural advantage during their recovery attempt. The Hindulotine’s rotational mechanics leave the bottom player’s hips turned with one side of their back partially exposed - this exposed flank is your primary target for passing advancement. Your objective is to exploit this angular weakness by circling toward the exposed side, preventing hip realignment, and advancing to side control or back take before the bottom player can square up and establish functional guard structure. The key is recognizing that the bottom player must complete a hip realignment before their guard becomes structurally sound, and your job is to prevent that realignment.
Opponent’s Starting Position: Hindulotine (Bottom)
How to Recognize This Attack
- Bottom player’s Hindulotine grip loosens and their choking arm begins transitioning to an overhook or collar grip position
- Bottom player’s near-side knee begins rising toward your midsection, indicating knee shield insertion on the exposed side
- Bottom player’s hips begin rotating from the angular Hindulotine position toward squaring up, signaling the start of hip realignment
- Bottom player’s far leg starts moving to establish a secondary barrier, indicating they are mid-sequence in the guard recomposition
Key Defensive Principles
- Exploit the angular hip position by circling toward the exposed back side rather than engaging the bottom player’s strong-side guard
- Prevent hip realignment by maintaining pressure on the turned hip, denying the rotation needed for guard recomposition
- Capitalize on the grip transition window when the bottom player converts from choking grip to guard grips
- Control the near-side knee to prevent knee shield establishment on the exposed side, eliminating their first defensive barrier
- Drive forward during the transition rather than creating distance, as the angular position favors close-range pressure passing
- Time your advancement to the moment of grip release when the bottom player’s arms are neither choking nor effectively framing
Defensive Options
1. Circle rapidly toward the bottom player’s exposed back side before hip realignment completes, advancing past their guard structure to side control or back control
- When to use: Immediately when the Hindulotine grip releases and before the bottom player establishes a knee shield on the exposed flank
- Targets: Side Control
- If successful: You advance to side control on the exposed flank with the bottom player’s guard completely bypassed, consolidating with crossface and underhook
- Risk: If the bottom player reads the circling movement early and establishes the knee shield, you may end up stuck against their strongest guard angle
2. Pin the bottom player’s near-side hip with your hand or knee to prevent the rotation needed for hip realignment, maintaining the angular weakness
- When to use: When the bottom player begins hip rotation but has not yet completed squaring up to face you
- Targets: Hindulotine
- If successful: The bottom player remains stuck in the angular position unable to complete guard recomposition, giving you time to set up a more deliberate pass
- Risk: Dedicating a hand to the hip pin reduces your upper body control options and may allow the bottom player to establish grips
3. Drive heavy crossface pressure toward the exposed side to flatten the bottom player and collapse their frame structure during the grip transition
- When to use: When the bottom player has released the Hindulotine but has not yet established leg barriers or completed grip conversion
- Targets: Side Control
- If successful: You flatten the bottom player and consolidate side control before they can establish any guard structure
- Risk: If the bottom player still has partial Hindulotine grip control, driving into them may allow them to re-lock the choke
4. Strip the overhook conversion and posture up aggressively to create distance and establish passing grips before the bottom player can recompose guard at range
- When to use: When the bottom player successfully converts to overhook and you cannot immediately advance through the angular opening
- Targets: Hindulotine
- If successful: You break all upper body connection and establish a passing stance with grip advantages against an incomplete guard structure
- Risk: Creating distance gives the bottom player space for hip realignment, potentially eliminating the angular advantage entirely
Best-Case Outcomes for Defender
→ Side Control
Circle to the exposed back side during the grip transition window before the bottom player completes hip realignment, driving crossface pressure to flatten their structure and consolidating side control with underhook and crossface
→ Hindulotine
Pin the bottom player’s hip to prevent rotation and strip their transitional grips, maintaining the angular disadvantage that prevents them from establishing structurally sound guard
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What specific structural advantage does the Hindulotine position give you as the top player during guard recovery? A: The Hindulotine’s rotational mechanics leave the bottom player’s hips angled with one side of their back partially exposed rather than square to you. This angular displacement creates a structural weakness in their guard on the exposed side that does not exist in standard guillotine recovery. You can exploit this by circling toward the exposed flank where their guard has no structural integrity, advancing to side control or back take before they can rotate their hips to face you.
Q2: Why is preventing hip realignment your primary defensive objective during Hindulotine guard recovery? A: The bottom player’s guard cannot become structurally sound until their hips rotate to face you squarely. While their hips remain at the Hindulotine angle, there is a persistent weakness on the exposed side that allows passing advancement. Preventing hip realignment - by pinning their hip, driving pressure on the turned angle, or advancing past the exposed side - maintains this structural advantage indefinitely and makes their guard recovery attempts ineffective regardless of their grip work or leg positioning.
Q3: The bottom player successfully establishes a knee shield on the exposed side before you can circle past - what is your adjusted strategy? A: If the knee shield establishes on the exposed side, switch to pressure passing by driving crossface into the knee shield to flatten their angle and prevent the far leg from completing guard recomposition. You can also redirect the near knee across their body with your hand while driving your hip past it. If the shield is fully established and stable, consider resetting to a passing stance and engaging the guard from a standard passing position rather than continuing to fight the angular advantage.
Q4: What is the optimal timing for your advancement attempt relative to the bottom player’s grip transition? A: The optimal window is the moment the bottom player begins releasing the Hindulotine choking grip but before they complete the conversion to overhook or collar control. During this grip transition, their arms are neither choking nor effectively framing, creating a brief period where they have minimal upper body control. This window typically lasts one to two seconds and represents your highest-percentage moment for advancement because the bottom player cannot resist your circling movement with their arms in transition.
Q5: Your circling attempt is blocked by a knee shield but the bottom player’s hips are still angled - how do you maintain your advantage? A: Even with the knee shield blocking your primary circling path, the angular hip position still provides an advantage because the bottom player’s far leg cannot yet complete the guard structure. Drive your chest pressure into the knee shield while using your near hand to control their far knee or hip, preventing the second leg from establishing guard. Work to push the knee shield across their body using your hip pressure, which collapses their barrier without requiring you to circle around it. The angular hips mean they cannot generate full rotational power to resist your crossface pressure.