Sit-up Guard to Single-Leg Wrestle-Up Study: Tainan Dalpra, Lucas Lepri, BJ Penn
Today’s blog will be looking at variations of sit-up guard single-leg wrestle-up as performed by Tainan Dalpra, Lucas Lepri, and BJ Penn.
Check out the video detailing these techniques:
When performing the single-leg wrestle-up from sit-up guard, the attacking player must:
Make a solid attachment to their opponent’s lead leg. This is typically achieved by moving to De La Riva guard.
Disrupt the top player’s base and move weight off of their lead leg. This can be done by kicking the inside of the top player’s far thigh; pulling on their collar, sleeve, or belt; and/or kicking them under the butt with a sumi gaeshi/butterfly kick. The top player may also proactively move themself into a postured position where their weight is off of the bottom player in response to other attacks or grips from the bottom player.
Sit up and control their opponent’s lead leg. Once the top player’s base is compromised and their weight is in a less advantageous position, the bottom player must sit up and make a strong attachment to the top player’s lead leg. The position where the bottom player has sat up and is controlling the top player’s lead leg is often referred to as “sit-up guard.” Often times, the bottom player will feed one of the top player’s lapels, belt tails, or far sleeve under their lead leg to reinforce the single-leg grip, “drape” their opponent into a position where their hips are hinged and they are less likely to defend the wrestle-up, and to free up their outside arm for strong off-balances and takedown finishes when they stand up with the single-leg. It is critical during this portion of the technique that the bottom player continues to keep weight off of their opponent’s lead leg and ensure that the top player does not flatten them out. This can be done by using inside-of-thigh kicks and posts on the top player’s far leg and sumi gaeshi/butterfly kicks under the top player’s butt.
Stand up with the single-leg. Once the bottom player has effectively controlled the top player’s leg in sit-up guard and ensured that the top player’s weight remains in a compromised position, the bottom player can execute a technical stand to stand up with the lead leg controlled. To execute the technical stand efficiently, the bottom player often back steps their inside leg instead of driving directly upwards or forwards into their opponent’s torso, a much less efficient and weigh-bearing movement. The bottom player may also post their inside arm to aid in the technical stand.
Off balance the defender and finish the single-leg. Once the bottom player has stood up with the single-leg, they must off-balance their opponent and bring them to the mat. One of the most common finishes to this sequence in the gi is the “running the pike/pipe” finish.
About the featured athletes:
Tainan Dalpra is a black belt under Guillerme Mendes. He is a multiple-time IBJJF adult majors winner at the colored belts, a 2023 IBJJF Pans Champion, and was 60-0 in 60 consecutive BJJ matches before losing to Jansen Gomes in the 2023 IBJJF World Championships. He is widely regarded as one of the pound-for-pound best gi practitioners in the world.
Lucas Lepri is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend. He is a six-time IBJJF adult gi world champion, three-time IBJJF adult no gi world champion, and two-time ADCC World Championship silver medalist. He is widely considered one of the greatest BJJ practitioners in history.
BJ Penn is a legend in the world of Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts (MMA). He was awarded his black belt in an astoundingly quick three years and four months and won the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Championships at black belt, commonly referred to as the “Mundials,” in 2000. He is also a former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion, defeating MMA standouts such as Matt Hughes, Renzo Gracie, Takanori Gomi, and Sean Sherk.
Ben Cherrington is a 2006 NCAA Division 1 national wrestling champion for Boise State University at 157 lbs.
Mark Ironside is a two-time NCAA Division 1 national wrestling champion and Hodge Trophy winner for the University of Iowa where he held a 127-10 record. He is widely known for his tenacious and unrelenting wrestling style and, along with Dan Gable, Terry and Tom Brands, Troy and Terry Steiner, Royce Alger, and Brent Metcalf, embodies the “Iowa style” of wrestling. His match against Cary Kolat at the 1996 All-Star Classic is considered one of the greatest wrestling matches and comebacks of all time.
-OGA Staff
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