The Reverse De La Riva Guard is one of BJJ’s most important positions. It allows you to transition into many more dominant positions, such as Mount and Side Control. Likewise, you can attack from it to gain the upper hand in the fight and the tap.
This article is a resource that will help you learn to use the Reverse De La Riva Guard properly. Likewise, it’ll teach you how to finish from it. Lastly, we’ll go over the fundamentals of this position, so you’ll be able to start seeing results using it.
I’m confident that you’ll be able to use this prominent guard to get more taps after reading this article. Knowing how to use it will add another brush to your pallet. And the more colors you have, the more options you have when fighting.
So now, I want to introduce you to the Reverse De La Riva Guard. Let’s dive into the 1st part of this article: What is it and how to use it properly.
How to Reverse De La Riva Guard
The first part of this article will review the basic steps to performing the Reverse De La Riva Guard. This is going to provide you with the most basic understanding concerning this position.
Before I explain what it is and how to perform it properly, I want to emphasize a critical point. You must start with the basic rules to advance to the more advanced material. It’ll be worth it to start with the fundamentals, and once you finish, continue to the more advanced moves, such as submissions and escapes.
So, what is the Reverse De La Riva Guard and what does it look like?
The Reverse De La Riva Guard (RDLR) is a variation of the standard De La Riva Guard, which utilizes an inside leg hook instead of an outside one. This position, in the eyes of many BJJ coaches, is more effective and dominant than the standard DLR Guard.
You perform it by hooking your inside leg around the opponent’s right leg (cross-side) while placing your left leg on his hip. It’ll be worth it to try and get hand grips as well, especially on the opponent’s collar. This will give you more control and more options.
Here’s a visual aid:
Reverse De La Riva Guard Fundamentals
Alright. So this part of the article will be entirely about the fundamentals of the RDLR Guard. You want to ensure you know and fully understand these, as they’re the core of this position.
Without them, there are no sweeps and no submissions. Thus, it’ll be worth it to invest the time into understanding these fully. I know you might think it’s too basic for you. But trust me, you want to read the following sections, as they’ll shorten your learning period by a bunch.
So without further chit-chat, let’s dive in!
#1 – Your opponent can still attack you
The first thing you want to understand is that your opponent can still attack you. Realize it or not, dominant doesn’t mean invulnerable. The fact that you have control over your opponent does not mean you can’t be attacked.
Let me give you a very common example of an attack on the RDLR Guard. This attack utilizes the opponent using his other hand, which is further away from you, to underhook your head and gain Side Control. You want to avoid that at all costs.
How do you avoid that? The best way you can go for is to block his arm with your right and left arms. Once you execute a sweep or submission, you can release your block.
#2 – Be on your side, not flat on the mat
The 2nd fundamental is to be on your side, and not flat on the mat. From which position do you have more control, when you’re on your back or your side?
The correct answer, in most cases, is when you’re on your side. Therefore, when you’re going for an attack or just in your standard Reverse De La Riva, twist to the side and lean on your ribs, and not on your back.
#3 – A great Knee Cut (Guard Pass) defense
The following fundamental we’ll review is that the RDLR is a fantastic Knee Slice defense. If you’re unfamiliar with the Knee Slice (Cut) Pass, follow this link to see how it works.
But in short, when you’re in De La Riva Guard, the opponent can slice your belly with his knee and attain Side Control. The best way to avoid that is by transitioning from the De La Riva to the Reverse De La Riva Guard.
You also want to get your arm under your leg. That way—you’ll have a better chance of blocking and trapping the opponent’s knee.
#4 – Your inside foot wraps his hamstring
The 4th thing you must understand about the RDLR Guard is that you wrap your inside foot around his hamstrings. Your foot should eventually be on his hip, giving you a lot of control.
Your inside leg will serve as the primary force you possess. Therefore, treat it with respect and tighten your wrap. That way—you’ll trap the opponent further.
#5 – Place your free foot on his hips
The last fundamental we’ll review is to place your other foot on his hips. That’s in case your opponent is either standing or leaning on his foot.
But if the opponent is leaning on his knee, it’ll be better to place your free foot on his collarbone. That’s the best position you can use to find the most control.
So experiment with these foot positions to see which one is most suitable for you. You might have longer legs, and, as a result, the most optimal foot placement for you will be his collarbone.
These are the five fundamentals you must know to continue into the following sections. Next up, we’ll review submissions, sweeps, and escapes from the Reverse De La Riva Guard! I hope you’re ready!
Best Submissions From Reverse De La Riva Guard
You can execute many submissions from the Reverse De La Riva Guard. However, you want to focus on a few, especially in the beginning. Learning these will allow you to start getting more taps using this position, which will further motivate you.
Here are the best submissions you want to learn from the Reverse De La Riva Guard position:
- Armbar
- Triangle Choke
- Heel Hook
- Kneebar
- Back attack to Rear Naked Choke
Reverse De La Riva Guard Sweep
The penultimate part of this article will cover one sweep you want to know about. This is perhaps the most basic and uncomplicated sweep you can learn, especially if you don’t have as much BJJ experience.
Here’s how it goes:
You first begin in the Reverse De La Riva Guard and push the opponent to the right. Then, you wait for him to post his hands and return to his base. Once he does that, utilize his current momentum to flip him to the left, using your legs and a collar grip.
From here, you’re in the Knee on Belly position. And now, you have endless options to go for. If you want to learn more about specific attacks from the Knee on Belly position, follow this link!
How to Escape the Reverse De La Riva Guard
This is going to be the last part of this article. You now should be familiar with some ways to submit the opponent from the RDLR Guard position. You also are familiar with its fundamentals, which is excellent. The one thing we have left to cover is the other side of the coin.
Or simply, how to pass the opponent’s Reverse De La Riva Guard. There’s one way that rises above all, and we’ll review it right now.
The best way to pass the opponent’s Reverse De La Riva Guard is by first clearing his far leg (not the one that hooks your hamstrings) by pushing it away. Then, you’re going to create down pressure with your knee and wrap your arm around the opponent’s head, leading to Side Control.
Finally, you minimize the space between you and the opponent by lowering your body while kicking your far leg up and gaining Side Control.
Final Words
So you know how to use this fantastic position properly. There’s one thing left, however. That thing is real practice. There’s no better way to skyrocket your BJJ experience than to start getting real experience.
Therefore, you now want to take everything we’ve covered and practice it repeatedly. Don’t think that you now know how to use the Reverse De La Riva Guard; because you don’t, and that’s fine.
Nevertheless, you want to experiment with everything you’ve learned here, which is why I encourage you to bookmark this article for easy access in the future.
The Reverse De La Riva Guard isn’t the most effective guard type, however. If you want to boost your guard game, follow this link to learn which guard types are most effective and how to use each one properly!
And here are other articles you’d enjoy reading:
X-Guard – BJJ 101 (How to Use and Finish)
BJJ 101: Spider Guard (The Proper Way)
BJJ 101: De La Riva Guard (Sweeps & Submissions)
BJJ 101: Butterfly Guard (Lots of Sweeps & Submissions)
Closed Guard 101 – Complete BJJ Guide
Pull Guard BJJ – Everything You Need to Know
13 Best Submissions From Closed & Open Guard (BJJ)
11 Best Half Guard Submissions From Top and Bottom
BJJ 101: Half-Guard (And How to Finish From It)