{"slug":"half-guard","name":"Half Guard","aliases":["meia guarda","knee shield","z guard"],"category":"guard","format":"both","level":"fundamental","summary":"A versatile guard family built around controlling one of the top player's legs while fighting for inside position, sweeps, or recovery.","overview":["Half guard describes a broad family of positions where the bottom player entangles one of the top player's legs. It ranges from chest-to-chest half guard to knee-shield, butterfly half, deep half, and modern underhook or wrestle-up systems.","The central battle is usually for head-and-arm position. The bottom player wants frames, an underhook, or a path underneath the hips; the top player wants to flatten the shoulders, win the crossface, and free the trapped knee."],"keyPrinciples":["Protect the inside space between your knees and elbows.","Stay on a side rather than accepting both shoulders flat.","Connect the leg entanglement to an underhook, frame, or off-balance.","Know when to sweep, wrestle up, or recover a more distant guard."],"entries":[{"label":"Guard recovery","description":"Capture one leg as the passer closes distance."},{"label":"Knee shield","description":"Place a shin frame across the torso to manage pressure and create an attacking lane."},{"label":"Butterfly half","description":"Add an inside hook to elevate or redirect the top player."}],"continuations":[{"label":"Underhook sweep","description":"Come onto the side, connect to the far hip, and build toward top position."},{"label":"Wrestle-up","description":"Use the trapped leg as a connection while rising to a single-leg or body lock."},{"label":"Back exposure","description":"Force the top player to post or turn while following the near hip."}],"defenses":[{"label":"Crossface and underhook","description":"Win upper-body alignment before attempting to free the knee."},{"label":"Knee-line recovery","description":"Progressively clear the trapped knee instead of twisting against a fixed entanglement."},{"label":"Base awareness","description":"Keep the free leg available to post against sweeps and wrestle-ups."}],"relatedTechniqueSlugs":["knee-cut-pass","butterfly-guard","wrestle-up","single-leg-takedown"],"athleteSlugs":["xande-ribeiro","gordon-ryan","saulo-ribeiro","craig-jones"],"rulesetNote":"Scoring and permitted grips vary by promotion and division. Check the current organizer rules before competing.","sources":[{"label":"IBJJF rule book and rules resources","url":"https://ibjjf.com/books-videos","type":"rules"}],"lastUpdated":"2026-07-25","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/half-guard","markdownUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/half-guard.md","jsonUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/api/public/techniques/half-guard","relatedTechniques":[{"slug":"knee-cut-pass","name":"Knee-Cut Pass","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/knee-cut-pass"},{"slug":"butterfly-guard","name":"Butterfly Guard","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/butterfly-guard"},{"slug":"wrestle-up","name":"Wrestle-Up","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/wrestle-up"},{"slug":"single-leg-takedown","name":"Single-Leg Takedown","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/single-leg-takedown"}],"associatedAthletes":[{"slug":"xande-ribeiro","name":"Alexandre \"Xande\" Ribeiro","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/xande-ribeiro"},{"slug":"gordon-ryan","name":"Gordon Ryan","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/gordon-ryan"},{"slug":"saulo-ribeiro","name":"Saulo Ribeiro","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/saulo-ribeiro"},{"slug":"craig-jones","name":"Craig Jones","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/craig-jones"}],"sourceSite":{"name":"Ossmeta","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com"}}