Marcelo’s Half to X-guard Transition
Leo Kirby showed me a way Marcelo gets x-guard from half that I found really interesting. It takes a movement that I never really liked doing from half guard (though sometimes do anyway when in the position) and gave it a good tweak.
You have half guard on their left leg. Your right hand is ready to defend the crossface. Your left arm is underhooking their right leg. Ideally, this would be really deep, with their leg on your shoulder, but realistically you’ll just get a hand under their knee.
When they go for the crossface, duck your head and swim your right hand under their armpit.
Shove their armpit and ribs to send their upper body away.
Big Important Step: Switch your hips in them hard, like you want to go between their legs and under to go behind them. This hip movement and the shoving of their chest throws their weight forward.
When they’re knocked forward, bring your left leg up behind them and step on their near hip.
Then bring your right leg up and step on the hip too. Use this to keep their weight off you.
They’ll likely stand and try to turn into you. This is like the one-legged guard shown above. Keep your feet on the hip and pinch your knees around his leg. Your right hand pushes on their far knee to prevent them from coming closer.
The left foot comes off the hip and hooks under their far leg, the start of x-guard hooking.
Then your right foot comes off the hip and hooks under their far knee. Presto chango, x-guard.