Entering The De La Riva From Standing Position

Entering the De La Riva guard from a standing position begins with grip awareness. It's crucial to prevent the opponent from establishing their preferred grips while securing your own. Once grips are established, you can safely pull guard without giving up points for a takedown or foot sweep.

1. Keep your distance and hips back to avoid takedowns and maintain the ability to pull guard effectively.
2. Upon gripping, quickly sit to your butt, ensuring you're far enough to prevent the opponent from scoring a takedown.
3. With grips secured, pull the opponent towards you, breaking their posture down.
4. Control one collar and one sleeve to make it difficult for the opponent to posture up.
5. Establish a tight De La Riva hook with a flexed foot to prevent the opponent from escaping the position.
6. Place the opposite foot on the opponent's hip to manage distance and maintain control.
7. Balance the distance to keep the opponent neither too close nor too far, using the foot on the hip to adjust as needed.

Remember to keep the De La Riva hook tight and the foot on the hip to control the distance effectively. This will set the stage for a successful De La Riva guard game.