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GuardFundamentalGiNo-Gi

Z-guard

Also called Knee shield, Knee shield half guard

A half guard with your top knee braced across their chest or hip as a shield. The shield keeps their weight off you while your bottom leg traps their leg.

Videos

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Key steps

  1. Trap one of their legs with your bottom leg from half guard.
  2. Slide your top knee across their chest or hip, shin angled like a shield.
  3. Frame on their head or collar with one hand and grip a sleeve or wrist with the other.
  4. Stay on your side and keep the shield up as they try to flatten it.
  5. Use the space to recover full guard, sweep or take the underhook.

Key details

  • Once they flatten the shield, the half guard turns into a crossface and a pass.
  • Lying flat lets them pin the shield and settle their chest, so stay on your side.