Defending the Reverse X to Back Take requires the top player to recognize the attack early and respond with precise timing before the guard player completes their inversion. The most dangerous moment occurs when you begin to backstep or widen your base in response to sweep threats from Reverse X-Guard, as this backward weight shift is exactly what the guard player needs to initiate the back take. Successful defense depends on understanding that the technique exploits your own defensive reactions, so the counter is not simply to avoid moving but to move in ways that deny the inversion while still addressing the sweep threat.
The defender’s primary strategy centers on denying the space required for the inversion by maintaining forward pressure and hip position. Rather than retreating from sweep threats, the top player should address the guard player’s hooks and grips directly through controlled pressure passing or systematic hook removal. When the back take is already in motion, the defender must immediately focus on preventing chest-to-back connection and seatbelt establishment, as these two control points determine whether the back take succeeds or fails. Early intervention during the inversion phase is far more effective than attempting to escape fully established back control.
Opponent’s Starting Position: Reverse X-Guard (Bottom)
How to Recognize This Attack
- Guard player increases pull on your near sleeve or wrist while simultaneously elevating their hips higher than normal sweep positioning
- Guard player’s shoulders begin rotating away from you toward their far shoulder, indicating the start of the inversion motion
- You feel the guard player’s primary hook shifting from an upward lifting direction to a lateral pulling direction behind your knee
- Guard player’s hips begin threading underneath your base rather than pushing you backward as in a standard sweep attempt
Key Defensive Principles
- Recognize that your own backstep or base widening triggers the back take - avoid reflexive retreat from sweep pressure
- Maintain forward hip pressure rather than pulling away when you feel elevation from the guard player’s hooks
- Control the guard player’s near sleeve or wrist to prevent them from establishing the grip needed to pull you into the inversion
- Keep your center of gravity low and driving forward so the guard player cannot create space underneath you for the inversion
- If the inversion begins, immediately turn toward the guard player rather than away to deny chest-to-back connection
Defensive Options
1. Drop hips and sit back immediately to deny inversion space
- When to use: At the earliest recognition of inversion initiation, before the guard player’s shoulders have rotated past the midline
- Targets: Reverse X-Guard
- If successful: Guard player is unable to complete the inversion and remains in Reverse X-Guard bottom, allowing you to re-establish passing posture
- Risk: Sitting back too aggressively can compromise your own base and make you vulnerable to the original elevation sweep
2. Post near hand firmly on the mat and turn aggressively to face the guard player
- When to use: When the inversion is already in progress but the guard player has not yet established chest-to-back connection
- Targets: Half Guard
- If successful: You face the guard player directly, denying back control and forcing a scramble where you can establish top position in half guard or side control
- Risk: If guard player maintains sleeve control, posting is impossible and the turning motion may actually assist their rotation to your back
3. Drive forward with heavy chest pressure to flatten the guard player before inversion completes
- When to use: When you recognize the back take attempt early and can commit forward pressure before the guard player has rotated past 90 degrees
- Targets: Half Guard
- If successful: Guard player is flattened and unable to complete the inversion, often resulting in a scramble favorable to the top player ending in half guard or side control
- Risk: If the guard player has already committed to the inversion, your forward drive provides momentum that accelerates their rotation to your back
4. Strip the near sleeve grip and immediately backstep to disengage completely
- When to use: When you recognize the sweep-to-back-take setup before the guard player initiates the inversion, as a preemptive measure
- Targets: Reverse X-Guard
- If successful: Without sleeve control, the guard player cannot execute the inversion effectively and you reset to a neutral passing position
- Risk: Breaking the grip while under hook pressure may temporarily compromise your balance, creating a brief sweep window
Best-Case Outcomes for Defender
→ Reverse X-Guard
Deny the inversion by sitting hips down and driving forward pressure before the guard player can rotate underneath you. Strip their sleeve grip to remove the pulling control they need for the inversion. You return to Reverse X-Guard top where you can resume passing.
→ Half Guard
If the inversion is partially completed, turn aggressively to face the guard player while posting your near hand. Drive your weight forward to flatten them and work to extract your legs from their hooks. Establish crossface and begin standard half guard passing sequences.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the most common mistake that triggers the Reverse X to Back Take? A: The most common trigger is reflexively backstepping or widening your base when you feel sweep pressure from the Reverse X-Guard hooks. This backward weight shift is exactly what the guard player needs to initiate the inversion. Instead of retreating, you should drive your hips forward and address the hooks directly through controlled pressure, grip strips, or systematic passing that maintains your forward position.
Q2: You feel the guard player beginning to rotate underneath you - which direction should you turn? A: You should immediately turn toward the guard player, not away from them. Turning toward them denies the chest-to-back connection they need to complete the back take. By facing them directly, you force a scramble situation where your top position and weight advantage work in your favor. Turning away is the worst possible response because it exposes your back and actually assists their rotational momentum toward back control.
Q3: What grip should you prioritize stripping when you recognize the back take setup? A: Prioritize stripping the guard player’s near sleeve or wrist grip. This grip is the primary control mechanism that allows them to pull your upper body into the inversion path and prevent you from posting your hand to stop the rotation. Without this grip, the guard player loses their steering ability and cannot effectively execute the inversion. Use your free hand to peel their grip while maintaining your base and forward pressure with your hips.
Q4: Your opponent has already started inverting and their shoulders are rotating - is it too late to defend? A: It is not too late if they have not yet established chest-to-back connection. You have a critical window between the start of the inversion and the completion of back control. Immediately post your near hand on the mat and turn aggressively to face them. Drive your weight forward to flatten their inversion attempt. If you can deny the chest-to-back connection, you can force a scramble even from a partially completed inversion. The defense only becomes extremely difficult once they have both seatbelt grip and chest connection established.
Q5: How does maintaining forward pressure help prevent the back take? A: Forward pressure denies the guard player the space they need underneath you to complete the inversion. The back take requires the guard player to thread their body beneath yours while rotating, which demands open space between your hips and the mat. By driving your weight forward and keeping your hips low, you compress this space and make the rotational movement physically impossible. Forward pressure also shifts your weight onto the guard player, making their hooks less effective for generating the elevation needed to initiate the movement.