Sperry guard posture question

I just saw the advertisement video clip for Mario Sperry's Submission Grappling Guard Passing video on www.groundfighter.com. I haven't seen the video, but Sperry apparently uses a form of posture when he's in the guard of someone that I haven't seen before. I'm sure many of you have seen it, but I haven't.

He puts one hand on his opponent's throat, like he's going to choke with one hand, and the other hand on the ground. The hand on the ground is probably for extra mobility, because if I understand the clip correctly, he "chases" his opponent's hips if his opponent tries to turn his hips for the armbar or triangle.

This seems to be a form of posture modified for no-gi, because if you push on the solar plexus, it's easy for your opponent to pull that arm off. It's harder to remove the throat grip. Also, there is no belt to grab, so by putting only one hand on the hip, you are in grave danger of the triangle choke.

Have you guys tried this posture? Anyone want to comment on this? It sounds like a good alternetive to the hands on biceps posture for no-gi.

Seeing that I want to get my guard passing game to a higher level, is this posture in the "Passing the guard" book by Ed Beneville and Tim Cartmell?

Jonpall, that other hand if I remember correctly is to push his hips down. I have the tape at home so if you don't get a proper answer in a couple of days i'll review it and post.

this posture is not covered in the book to which you refer. i have never thought of using a hand on the throat. it seems really aggressive. but i guess you use it to make a guy freak a little and open his legs to move away. then you pop your knee up or stand and attack. perhaps.

flip

I have the tapes and tried his method but was never that sucessfull with it.

I don't know the reasoning behind Sperry's way of passing guard, but I use my forward hand to push on the throat of my opponent when I stand. Say my right hand is gripping both of his lapels, I use my right fist to push into his throat when I stand because it counters him pulling me forward to break my balance.

He does it because it gives a nice bit of posture UNTIL they open their legs to try to armbar the fully extended arm. You then pass guard.

I think it's a pretty advanced way and personally I see Mario using the hands on stomach pass more often.

Sperry's Passing the Guard tape is really good, you should definitley get it. Another great Passing the guard tape is Chris Brennans. Both tapes compliment each other well.

Royler's new book, and Machado's new book show some really good guard passes.

The posture you are referring to is just what estanmilko said, a method for getting the legs open. This posture, I believe, is only referenced at the beginning of the tape, and plays a very small role in what the tape has to offer.

Personally, I rarely, if ever grab (or push down on) my sparring partners throats. It just seems wrong.

A cool way to get your partners legs open is shown in Tony Cecchine's Lost Art of Hooking series. It's actually a submission...and it works.

While in your partners guard, look behind you to see which of his legs in wrapped 'on top'. Lets say his left leg is on top.

Use your right hand to hold his left hip firmly in place (put pressure in the general area of where his thigh and waist meet)

Turn to your left and reach back and around with your left arm. Place your left forearm over your partners left foot (hooking it).

Now make pressure with your right hand while at the same time arching your lower back outward. Pull with your left arm. This puts a lot of pressure on his left shin area. It hurts. You'd be suprised at how many guys you can tap with this....at least once.

Doug



this is mario sperry writing from jonpall's address. you are all silly men to question my guard posture. the arm on throat is to make my opponent my bitch, to use arcane brazilian technical terms and even my mother could prevent armbars with it.

Maybe I should ask my instructor Roger Gracie how much of a bitch it made him? :)