CURRICULUM, WEEK OF May 25th

This week in CTA, we’ll wrap up our closed guard series with the scissor sweep—a highly effective and beginner-friendly technique that remains a staple at the highest levels of black belt competition. Starting Wednesday, we’ll shift our focus to side control. We'll dive into the essentials of guard retention and side control escapes, emphasizing framing and technical movement over strength. Expect to develop a solid foundation for staying safe and escaping efficiently from one of the most common control positions in BJJ.

This week in CTB, we’re continuing our focus on the half guard—an essential position to understand for progression in BJJ, and one you'll find yourself in almost every time you roll. We’ll cover how to control our opponent by switching our hips to prevent escapes, how to recover to a better guard from bottom half, and multiple passing strategies. Many high-level athletes favor getting to a solid half guard to initiate passes—it's one of the best positions for maintaining control and dictating the pace of the match.

This week in CTC, we’ll continue reviewing various aspects of the de la riva guard. We'll cover effective methods for passing the guard when you're on top, as well as how to attack from the bottom using sweeps and back takes. Whether you're playing offense or defense, mastering the de la riva guard will give you powerful options to control and outmaneuver your opponent.