Alias · Guard
Shoulder guard
Also known as High Guard / Meathook — the canonical term used on this site.
Training background: describing the leg position across the back
Descriptive — guard with feet on opponent's shoulders
Shoulder guard is the descriptive name for the high guard — flagging the foot-on-shoulder configuration that distinguishes the high variant from the standard closed guard.
Etymology. “Shoulder” specifies the foot-contact point (the opponent’s shoulders); “guard” attaches the position-family. The compound predominates in instructional vocabulary that emphasises the structural-element-placement.
Mechanics. The shoulder-level foot position transfers the bottom player’s leg leverage into the opponent’s shoulder line rather than the hipline — the broken posture and the proximity to the head open setups for triangles, omoplatas, and sweeps.
Cross-reference. “High closed guard” and “meathook guard” are alternate names. Full mechanical coverage on High Guard.