Butterfly Half Guard
Position
Also known as:
Half Butterfly
Half Butterfly Guard
Butterfly Half Guard is a hybrid guard position where the bottom player retains one leg in half guard while inserting a butterfly hook (instep) with the free leg between the opponent's thighs. It combines the sweeping power of butterfly guard with the leg control of half guard, creating a versatile offensive platform for sweeps, submissions, and transitions.
Quick Reference
Key principles
- · The butterfly hook must be active and wedged deep between the opponent's legs to generate lifting and off-balancing power.
- · Maintaining an underhook on the same side as the butterfly hook is critical for controlling posture and enabling sweeps.
- · The half guard leg should act as an anchor to limit the opponent's ability to backstep or disengage.
- · An upright seated posture with head pressure into the opponent's chest prevents them from flattening you out.
- · Anticipate the opponent posting or whizzering by switching between sweep directions and submission entries.
Execution
- 1 From half guard bottom, free your inside leg and place the instep as a butterfly hook against the opponent's inner thigh while keeping the outside leg in half guard.
- 2 Secure an underhook on the butterfly hook side and grip the far arm or collar to control distance and posture.
- 3 Sit up into the opponent, driving your forehead into their chest or shoulder to establish an upright base.
- 4 Use the butterfly hook to elevate and off-balance the opponent while steering them with your grips toward sweep, triangle, armbar, or ankle lock entries.
- 5 If the opponent resists the sweep by posting, transition to submission attacks on the exposed limb or re-angle for a different sweep direction.
Common mistakes
- × Lying flat on the back instead of sitting up into the opponent, which removes all butterfly hook leverage and allows the top player to smash and pass.
- × Placing the butterfly hook too shallow on the knee instead of deep on the inner thigh, resulting in weak elevations and easy hook removal.
- × Neglecting the underhook and relying only on the hook for sweeps, allowing the opponent to crossface and flatten you to the mat.
From the bottom
What the bottom grappler is working toward from Butterfly Half Guard.
Butterfly Half Guard Back Take
transition
Butterfly Half Guard To Deep Half
transition
Butterfly Sweep
sweep
8 less common
Butterfly Guard To X-guard
transition
Knee Tap
sweep
Triangle Choke
submission
Underhook Sweep From Half Guard
sweep
Waiter Sweep
sweep
Armbar
submission
Kneebar From Guard
submission
Straight Ankle Lock
submission
On top
The top grappler's options against Butterfly Half Guard.
Chains & Sequences
Commonly taught paths through the graph that feature this technique.
Butterfly Half Folding Pass to Mount
