K-Guard Entry From Reverse De La Riva

Transition

A transition from Reverse De La Riva guard into K-Guard by threading the RDLR hook leg across the opponent's body to establish the K-Guard knee shield configuration. This is used when the top player begins to address your RDLR hook, giving you the window to reclassify your guard into the more offensive K-Guard position for leg lock and sweep entries.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Use your RDLR hook as a pivot point to redirect your knee across the opponent's centerline toward their far hip.
  • · Maintaining strong sleeve or ankle grips throughout the transition prevents the opponent from backing away or smashing through.
  • · Hip escape away from your opponent as you thread the knee across to create the necessary angle and space for K-Guard insertion.
  • · Timing the entry when the opponent drives forward or steps laterally makes the knee thread significantly easier.
  • · Keep your shoulders off the mat by posting on your elbow or hand to maintain upper body mobility during the switch.

Execution

  1. 1 From RDLR, grip the opponent's same-side sleeve or ankle and hip escape to create angle away from them.
  2. 2 Retract your RDLR hook and immediately drive that knee across the opponent's body, aiming your shin across their hip line toward the far side.
  3. 3 Thread your foot to the far hip while keeping your other foot framing on their near hip or bicep to maintain distance.
  4. 4 Secure the K-Guard position by locking your knee shield configuration with your top knee pointing across their centerline and controlling their posture with grips.
  5. 5 Settle into K-Guard bottom by ensuring your hips are underneath them and your frames are actively preventing them from smashing or backing out.

Common mistakes

  • × Trying to thread the knee across without first hip escaping to create angle, resulting in the leg getting stuck or pinned against the opponent's body.
  • × Releasing all grips during the transition, allowing the opponent to simply disengage, stand up, or pass before K-Guard is established.
  • × Staying flat on the back instead of posting on the elbow, which kills hip mobility and makes it nearly impossible to complete the knee thread across the body.

Do it from

Positions and situations where the K-Guard Entry From Reverse De La Riva shows up.

Reverse De La Riva Guard Bottom

Where it lands

The position you end up in.

K-Guard Bottom