Half Guard Bottom — Traditional Half Guard

The Lesson

Traditional half guard lives and dies on one thing: the underhook. Everything this week — the back take, the Roll Under Sweep, the Old School Sweep — starts from that same position. If your underhook is solid, the position feels solid. If you're fighting for it, nothing else works.

The goal isn't to force any of these techniques. It's to establish your side, get your underhook, and stay calm inside the position. When you're calm and connected, the top player's reactions become readable — and those reactions are what open each of these three paths.

The underhook from half guard is a powerful tool. Not because it's aggressive, but because it's controlling. It keeps you tight, guides you where you want to go, and limits what the top player can do. Let it work. Stay patient, stay on your side, and trust that a well-placed underhook will give you everything you need.