Half Guard Shell

Establishing the Half Guard shell involves managing distance and staying inside the opponent's limbs. The goal is to prevent the opponent from passing the guard by keeping their arms and legs on the outside.

1. Focus on the opponent's shoulders and imagine an invisible line between them and yourself. Maintain something between that line and you to manage distance.
2. Use your knee to block one shoulder and your forearm to block the other, keeping your elbow angled high to rely on the structure of your arm for additional distance management.
3. Even if the opponent moves your knee, the structure of your arm allows you to manage distance and recover.
4. Keep one hand on the inside of the opponent's arm, working in both gi and no-gi situations.
5. Maintain your knee up in front of the opponent's hip to prevent them from closing the distance.
6. Avoid pushing the opponent away as it creates gaps; instead, stay close to control the space.
7. Without an opponent, your body should form a diamond shape between your elbows and knees, creating frames on the inside of all the opponent's grips.
8. By maintaining this structure, the opponent cannot enter the space between your knee and elbow, effectively preventing guard passes.