Cross Collar Grip From Guard

BJJ Technique - Cross Collar Grip From Guard
Technique Set Up: 

The Cross Collar Grip From Guard is used primarily to set up an attack (e.g. choke) and/or to break an opponent's posture when they are inside your Closed Guard.

Technique Description: 
  1. Open your opponent's lapel with the same side hand to make room for your grip 
  2. Pull your opponent's collar down with your same side hand to make the collar/lapel taught, which enables your opposite side hand to slide up the lapel/collar easier
  3. Feed your opposite side hand up your lapel/collar as deep as possible stopping only when your hand is behind your opponent's neck
  4. When the Cross Collar Grip is in place correctly, your hand will be behind your opponent's neck with the blade of your wrist along side your opponent's neck (generally, the deeper the better)
Technique - Other Options: 
  • When your opponent prevents you from gripping deep enough, you can grip lower than recommended and then inch your grip up slowly until it is deep enough to perform your follow up technique.
  • Another technique to get your grip deep is to grip your opponent's lapel a few inches under their neck with the same side hand and push up.  Gis are generally so stiff that it creates space to fit your opposite hand inside.