The Spider Guard is a very diverse position. Normally you start with the Double Feet on Biceps variation, but after that there are a TON of variations (including the Leg Lasso, de la Spider, Reverse de la Spider, Spider X, Collar-Spider, and Collar-Sleeve variations).
Of all these Spider Guard Variations the Collar-Spider is probably my very favourite.
We’ll go into more detail about it in a second, but basically you’ve got one grip on his sleeve and one grip on his opposite lapel. One of your feet is on the biceps of the arm you’re controlling, and the other foot can be in any number of different positions.
I really like this position for several reasons…
- The gripping in the Collar-Spider is easier on the hands than conventional Spider Guard, so your fingers get less mashed up,
- It’s an unexpected position, so people you’re sparring with probably won’t have ready-made solutions for it,
- Because only one foot is tied up on the biceps the other foot can post, push, pull, hook, and destabilise your opponent. It’s like all of a sudden getting an extra limb to work with,
Today I want to share TWO videos with you.
The first is an introduction to the Collar-Spider. It takes you through the position, where to grip, how to position your legs, and how it can be used to move your opponent around. If you’re into BJJ then it’s 2 1/2 minutes well spent:
The next video really illustrates the advantages of having one leg free in the Collar-Spider (which was reason #3 that I liked this position so much)
It’s an incredibly powerful set for the triangle choke in which your free leg kicks his base out so that he basically falls right into your triangle trap. (You could use the exact same setup for an omoplata finish too if your triangle choke isn’t the greatest yet).
Check it out:
If you already use the Spider Guard but haven’t played around with the Collar-Spider variation then I strongly encourage you to give it a try. This is a position from the bleeding edge of jiu-jitsu, and I don’t think it’ll go away anytime soon.
And if you’ve written off the Spider Guard – if it was just too damaging on your finger joints, or if you just couldn’t get it to work – then don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Give the Collar-Spider a try: it may just be the variation you needed to get the Spider Guard working for you again!
Stephan Kesting
Grapplearts.com
P.S. Both of these videos are from the new app called ‘Next Level Spider Guard Part 2,’ in which you’ll get a complete gameplan, techniques and strategies for the Collar-Sleeve Spider Guard, Spider-Collar Guard and Reverse de la Riva Guard!
Click here for more info about this brand new app.
