Guard Pulling Is Not Cowardice: The Case for the Bottom Game

The Contrarian Truth: Pulling Guard Is a Legitimate Strategy

I'm tired of the “guard puller” insult. In every gym, there's the wrestler who sneers at the guard puller, claiming it's a coward's move. But I've watched countless wrestlers get swept and submitted by guard players who were simply smarter, not stronger. The guard is not a defensive shell; it's an offensive platform. The data backs me up: a 2021 study of 1,140 athletes found that submissions were the most frequent cause of injuries (29.7%), not takedowns (26.4%) (Hinz 2021 BJJ injury study). That tells me the guard is where the action is. In this article, I'll compare the guard and the takedown across four criteria: scoring, risk, skill development, and competition strategy. And I'll make a bold recommendation: you need both, but if you're a hobbyist over 30, learn to pull guard before you learn to shoot.

Scoring: The Numbers Don't Lie

Under IBJJF rules, a takedown scores 2 points, same as a sweep. But here's the twist: a guard pass scores 3 points, and mount or back control scores 4 each. So if you pull guard and sweep, you're up 2-0, but if you then pass to mount, you're up 6-0. A takedown alone gets you 2 points, and you still have to pass the guard to get to a dominant position. The points system rewards the guard player who sweeps and passes. In fact, the IBJJF explicitly states that points are cumulative: a guard pass (3) plus mount (4) adds up to 7 points. That's a lot of points from a position that many consider “defensive.”

Risk: The Injury Data Should Change Your Mind

Let's talk injuries. A 2025 global study of 881 practitioners found that the knee was the most injured body part (25% of injuries), and the shoulder was second (13%) (Stegerhoek 2025 BJJ injury study). Takedowns are a major culprit—they were the second most frequent cause of injury in the 2021 study (26.4%). Pulling guard, when done correctly, eliminates the impact of a takedown. You're already on the ground, so you avoid the high-impact landing that wreaks havoc on knees and shoulders. In my opinion, for the over-30 crowd, protecting your joints is more important than scoring 2 points. The data doesn't lie: injuries are common, with 59.2% of practitioners reporting at least one injury over six months in a 2019 survey (Moriarty 2019 BJJ injury study). I'd rather pull guard and live to train another day.

Skill Development: The Guard Makes You a Complete Grappler

Here's where I'm most opinionated: the guard develops a deeper understanding of Jiu-Jitsu than top game alone. The guard teaches you balance, leverage, and submission setups from your back. It forces you to think several moves ahead. The famous Gracie family—Helio Gracie refined the system to rely on leverage over strength (BJJ historical record)—understood that the guard is a great equalizer. By contrast, a takedown is a single move that puts you on top, but it doesn't teach you the intricate dance of guard recovery and sweeping. If you only learn takedowns, you're one-dimensional. If you learn guard, you can play guard, sweep, and pass—you become a threat from every position. That's why I recommend that beginners spend their first year mastering the guard before worrying about takedowns.

Competition Strategy: When to Pull Guard and When to Takedown

In competition, the decision to pull guard or attempt a takedown depends on the score and time. If you're up by 2 points with a minute left, pulling guard might be smart to avoid the takedown. But if you're down, you might need the sweep. The IBJJF also rewards advantages for near-sweeps and near-passes, so even a close sweep attempt can win you the match. And remember, in ADCC (the most prestigious submission grappling event), the rules allow most submission attacks, including heel hooks, which are illegal in IBJJF for lower belts. That changes the game—guard players have more weapons. My specific recommendation: if you're a white belt in an IBJJF tournament, pull guard early to avoid the takedown-clinch, because white belt matches are only 5 minutes long (IBJJF). You don't have time to waste. For black belts, the matches are 10 minutes, so you can be more patient.

Quick tip: If you're going to pull guard, do it deliberately, not by falling to your knees. The IBJJF awards no points for a takedown when both athletes pull guard simultaneously—the one who gets top position first gets an advantage point. So pull guard with control.

The Verdict: Guard Wins, But You Need Both

So, who is the guard for? Everyone, but especially the hobbyist who wants to train into old age. The takedown is for the competitor who wants to control the pace and score early. But if I had to pick one, I'd pick the guard. It's safer, it scores more, and it's more fun. The most important thing to remember is this: Jiu-Jitsu is about leverage and technique, not strength. The guard is the ultimate expression of that principle. Master the guard, and you'll never be out of the fight.

Sources

• IBJJF - https://ibjjf.com/
• BJJ historical record - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu
• BJJ terminology - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu
• Moriarty 2019 BJJ injury study - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31288212/
• Hinz 2021 BJJ injury study - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34988235/
• Stegerhoek 2025 BJJ injury study - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40092168/
• ADCC official - https://adcombat.com/about-abu-dhabi-combat-club/