The butterfly guard is one of the best positions in BJJ grappling. It’s one of the first guards that any Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner should try. Furthermore, as a wise BJJ student, you should learn a variety of guards, such as the butterfly guard, closed guard, half guard, rubber guard, and so on. However, each guard variation has its own set of concepts and principles. So, I’m curious, when can I use the butterfly guard?
To get out of sticky situations, I’ll use the butterfly guard. As a result, a deft half-butterfly hook can get me out of a tight spot. For example, I feel that my half-guard is highly fragile and will be easily smashed. In this case, I’ll sneak a butterfly hook in, clear some space, and hang the butterfly guard.
If you’re a jiu-jitsu practitioner looking to build a savage game using the butterfly guard, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will help you understand and perform excellent butterfly guard submissions, transitions, etc. Keep an eye out!
BJJ Butterfly Guard Basics
The butterfly guard is a dynamic Brazilian jiu-jitsu guard position. Besides, many fighters play this type of guard, like Marcelo Garcia, Jean Jacques Machado, Renzo Gracie, Nino Schembri, Leonardo Santos, etc.
Throughout the following video, Marcelo Garcia teaches you essential principles of the BJJ butterfly guard for no-gi.
Butterfly Guard Meaning
The butterfly guard is among the basic guard types where the player sits up on his butt in an open guard position. Besides, he uses his shins and legs to control his opponent, where the legs stand like a butterfly.
Otherwise, the butterfly guard is a fantastic position that allows you to perform a variety of sweeps and submissions in both Gi and oNo-Gi grappling.
Gordon Ryan teaches you the butterfly guard concepts and fundamental principles throughout the following video.
Jiu-Jitsu Butterfly Guard Entry
A jiu-jitsu practitioner can enter the butterfly guard from the closed, half, and rubber guards.
In the following video, Saulo Ribiero teaches the most basic entrances to the butterfly guard.
Butterfly Guard Variations
The butterfly guard can be used from the kneeling position, closed guard, half guard, etc. So, there are many butterfly guard variations, like the one with double underhooks, with the arm drag, etc.
The next video teaches some variations of butterfly guard in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
BJJ Butterfly Guard Submissions
The BJJ butterfly guard is the entrance to many submission techniques, including guillotine, leg locks, kneebars, triangles, armbars, etc.
Performing attacks begins with a deep understanding of the fundamentals of the butterfly guard. You need good entries for submissions, but it isn’t the only thing you’ll need to be successful with them. You must also understand these entries or get into those attack positions.
Here is a list of some awesome butterfly guard attacks in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Gi and Nogi.
Triangle Butterfly Guard Choke
The triangle choke from the butterfly guard is an excellent submission in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. It’s a great move that can be used after a failed butterfly guard sweep.
Learn through the following video how to set up a butterfly guard triangle choke.
Related: The triangle choke is one of the most excellent attacks you should add to your BJJ arsenal. This firm chokehold is a must-know for any serious practitioner. Click here to learn more!
Butterfly Guard Guillotine Choke
The guillotine is a powerful attack that can be launched from the butterfly guard position. In the following video, you will learn how to set up the butterfly guard guillotine choke.
Here is a guide to help you understand the guillotine choke submission in greater depth: Click here
Butterfly Guard Armbar
The armbar technique is one of the most basic moves in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Here’s a great video showing setting up the inverted armbar from the butterfly guard position.
Related: Unleash the power of the armbar and elevate your BJJ game to new heights! This devastating armlock is a must-have technique for any serious practitioner. Click here to learn more!
Omoplata from Butterfly Guard
The omoplata from the butterfly guard is a fantastic BJJ grappling submission. Here’s a great video showing you how to set up the butterfly guard omoplata.
Butterfly Guard Leg Lock
If you enjoy leg lock submissions, you know how difficult it is to find those techniques. However, you should be able to find a leg attack from several guards or positions, including the butterfly guard.
The butterfly guard is an excellent entrance to the leg locks. You can transition and transfer to leg attack positions with few movements from this position. Learn throughout the following video how to leg lock from the butterfly guard.
Gogoplata from Butterfly Guard
If you’re flexible enough, the gogoplata can be a great submission from the butterfly guard. It’s an invisible and very effective submission, which can be entered from the rubber and butterfly guards.
Throughout the following video, learn how to set up a gogoplata attack from the guard.
Butterfly Guard to Heel Hook
Today is your lucky day if you like heel hook submissions. Finally, you can move from the butterfly guard to the heel hook with minimal steps.
The butterfly guard is an excellent entry into the heel hook. Throughout the following video, Garry Tonon teaches you how to perform the heel hook from the butterfly guard.
Kneebar from Butterfly Guard
If you enjoy the kneebar attack technique, today is your lucky day. You can transition from the butterfly guard to the kneebar submission in seconds.
The butterfly guard is a great way to get into the kneebar and other leg lock submissions.
Tom DeBlass demonstrates kneebar submission from the butterfly guard in the following video.
BJJ Butterfly Guard Sweeps
The Butterfly guard is one of the best guard types in BJJ grappling because it allows you to sweep your opponent in various ways, such as the Shoulder Crunch Sumi Gaeshi.
Here are some basic sweeps from the butterfly guard in jiu-jitsu.
Need more butterfly sweeps! Here is how to set up the shoulder crunch Sumi gaeshi by Gordon Ryan.
Best Jiu-Jitsu Butterfly Guard Transitions
The transition technique will assist the practitioner in transitioning from a miserable Brazilian jiu-jitsu position to a dominant one.
In addition, this will help you create the ideal environment for successful submission. Here are some nice BJJ transitions from the butterfly guard.
Butterfly Guard to Back Control
Back control is the top dominant position in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Thus, you’ll be unstoppable once you’re in the back take position.
Throughout the following video, you’ll learn three ways to take the opponent’s back from the butterfly guard.
Butterfly Guard to Single Leg X
The single-leg X guard is an essential BJJ guard usually taught to new members. It’s also an excellent place to start for various leg attacks, particularly straight ankle locks.
Throughout the following video, you’ll learn some cool transitions from the butterfly guard to the single X guard.
Butterfly Guard to X Guard
The X guard is a complicated guard type in jiu-jitsu grappling. It’s a problematic control that allows you to perform a variety of submissions, sweeps, and transitions.
Therefore, many advanced black belts in top champions use the X-guard position.
In the following video, you’ll learn some cool transitions from the butterfly guard to X.
Butterfly Guard Pass
Guard passing techniques are essential in any jiu-jitsu game. The BJJ player should have more than three-guard passes techniques because the first technique will be unsuccessful most times. Right?
The following video reveals some excellent jiu-jitsu butterfly guard passing techniques.
Conclusion
The Butterfly Guard is an excellent Brazilian jiu-jitsu guard position that every practitioner should try. This ideal BJJ position is accessible from several positions, including the closed guard, half guard, and rubber guard.
BJJ Butterfly Guard will help you diversify your game by introducing new techniques such as leg locks, guillotine, triangle variation, etc.
So, do you use the Butterfly Guard in BJJ grappling?
Related: Whether a novice or a seasoned practitioner, learning several types of guards is essential for pushing your BJJ game to the next level. I wrote an article offering a comprehensive list of jiu-jitsu guards that any practitioner should know. Click here to read more!
