K Guard Defense: Knee Pinning and Scoops

Defending against K-guard involves recognizing when the opponent's knee is unsupported by their elbow, creating an opportunity to pass their legs. To exploit this, you can:

1. Throw the opponent's legs by, creating separation and preventing them from establishing a strong K-guard.
2. Use an X grip on the opponent's legs to block them from circling their foot in and re-establishing the K-guard.
3. Shelf the opponent's leg to force a leg drag position, which allows you to clear their legs and shut down the K-guard.
4. Hand fight to pass the opponent's leg across, while preventing them from circling their leg over the top by keeping one hand in place to block.
5. Push the opponent's leg by with your hips forward, establishing a good leg drag position with options to attack the heel or pass the guard.

It's crucial to prevent separation between your knee and elbow when taking a scoop grip, as this can lead to vulnerabilities in your defense. By maintaining this connection, you can avoid leg drag positions and instead transition to a side guard for better recovery options.