Practice · Reverse phase progression
Phase ladders.
A phase ladder is an ordered run of positional games that
covers one phase of a match, climbed finish-first: rung one is the won
position, the easiest, and each rung down adds a layer onto something already solved.
Every rung is played at full resistance. Reverse
phase progression is the method behind them.
Guard passing and retention
The standing-vs-seated exchange, by common estimate a large share of every match. Two ladders cover it, one for each player, and they meet on the neutral rung.
Passer The standing-vs-seated passing ladder
The passer's finish-first climb — from a pass that is already won down to passing while behind, against a guard that is attacking.
Run top to bottom — finish first, then climb down to the hardest start.
- 1
Finish from the j-point — only the pin remains.
Passer wins by Secure a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back control held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Foundations
- 2
Clear the knee line, then finish.
Passer wins by Clear the knee line and secure a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back control held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Foundations
- 3
Clear all three lines to the pin.
Passer wins by Pass from ankle control through the knee and hip lines to a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Developing
- 4
The real position, with a head start.
Passer wins by Pass to a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back control held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Developing Elevated
- 5
The real position, nothing given.
Passer wins by Pass to a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back control held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Proficient Elevated
- 6
Behind from the first second, against an attacking guard.
Passer wins by Pass to a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back control held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Advanced Elevated
Guard player The guard-retention ladder
The inverse — the guard player's finish-first climb, from a guard that is already winning down to recovering one from flat and disconnected.
Run top to bottom — finish first, then climb down to the hardest start.
- 1
The won exchange — wrestle up or upgrade the shin-to-shin.
Guard player wins by Wrestle up to top, or upgrade the shin-to-shin into a confirmed leg entanglement.
Developing Elevated
- 2
The neutral position, played from the guard player's side.
Guard player wins by Enter a confirmed leg entanglement, put the top player's hands on the mat, or wrestle up to top position.
Proficient Elevated Shared rung
- 3
Turn an elbow-and-knee frame into a connected guard.
Guard player wins by Build a meaningful connected guard — one that engages and threatens the passer — or a confirmed leg entanglement.
Developing Elevated
- 4
Flat and disconnected — build a guard from nothing.
Guard player wins by Re-face the passer and build a meaningful connected guard, or a confirmed leg entanglement.
Proficient Elevated
Back attack and defence
The back is the most decisive control in grappling. Its two ladders meet in the middle on the dogfight — the closest thing to a neutral 50/50 in this phase, where either player can climb to the back or come up — and again on the contested control positions, each rung scored for the side you are coaching.
Back attacker The back-attack ladder
The attacker's finish-first climb — from a strangle that is already threaded down to taking the back against someone defending it.
Run top to bottom — finish first, then climb down to the hardest start.
- 1
The strangle is threaded — finish before the hands strip it.
Back attacker wins by Force the tap by compressing the carotids.
Developing
- 2
Full back control — keep it and find the finish.
Back attacker wins by Force the tap by compressing the carotids from back control, or maintain back control with both hooks in continuously for 45 seconds.
Developing
- 3
The whole battle live — entry, retention, and finish at once.
Back attacker wins by Force the tap by compressing the carotids from back control, or maintain full back control (seatbelt plus at least one hook) continuously for 60 seconds.
Proficient
- 4
No back yet — take it from turtle or a stalled pass.
Back attacker wins by Establish seatbelt back control with chest-to-back contact confirmed.
Foundations
- 5
The 50/50 — win the dogfight scramble to the back.
Back attacker wins by Win the exchange to the back — climb to back control and establish the seatbelt.
Developing
Escaping player The back-escape ladder
The inverse — the escaping player's finish-first climb, from an escape that is nearly complete down to fighting out with the strangle live.
Run top to bottom — finish first, then climb down to the hardest start.
- 1
Almost out — complete the turn to face-to-face.
Escaping player wins by Complete the escape — turn in to a face-to-face position, or put the attacker's back on the mat and clear your hips free.
Foundations
- 2
Fought out to the neutral dogfight — win it up.
Escaping player wins by Win the exchange up — come up to top position, or break free facing your opponent.
Developing Shared rung
- 3
Controlled, no strangle yet — turn in against the seatbelt.
Escaping player wins by Achieve a face-to-face position — chest facing chest — and maintain it for three consecutive seconds.
Foundations
- 4
Escape while the strangle is live.
Escaping player wins by Achieve face-to-face top position with both players' feet on the mat, or stand up with a clear head and body separation for three consecutive seconds.
Developing Shared rung
- 5
Escape with the whole battle live.
Escaping player wins by Achieve face-to-face top position with hips off the mat, stand up and achieve clear separation, or recover to a guard position with the top player no longer behind them.
Proficient Shared rung
Leg entanglements
The leg-entanglement phase splits by which line you control — the inside or the outside of the opponent's leg — and both branches feed back to the neutral 50/50. Each runs finish-first, from the most dominant control down to where the position is even or lost. Goal at every rung: progress to a one-sided dominant entanglement, or force the lower-limb tap.
Inside attacker The inside-position ladder
Inside-line control, finish-first — from a sealed inside sankaku down through the saddle and 70/30 to the neutral 50/50, ending caught in the opponent's 70/30.
Run top to bottom — finish first, then climb down to the hardest start.
- 1
Inside sankaku, ankle gripped — the most locked-down inside control; finish or hold.
Inside attacker wins by Force a lower-limb tap — the foot-and-ankle line, or the knee line where heel hooks are agreed.
Advanced Elevated
- 2
The saddle, ankle gripped — finish or close the triangle.
Inside attacker wins by Force a lower-limb tap — the foot-and-ankle line, or the knee line where heel hooks are agreed — or close the triangle to inside sankaku and hold for five seconds.
Proficient Elevated
- 3
The saddle, feet free — win the grip and advance.
Inside attacker wins by Win the foot-and-ankle grip and force a lower-limb tap, or progress to a confirmed one-sided dominant entanglement and hold for five seconds.
Proficient Elevated
- 4
Dominant 70/30 — advance to a finishing inside entanglement.
Inside attacker wins by Force a lower-limb tap, or advance from 70/30 to a finishing inside entanglement (cross ashi or inside sankaku) and hold for five seconds.
Advanced Elevated
- 5
50/50, no grip — the neutral both branches share.
Inside attacker wins by Force the tap by attacking the foot-and-ankle line, or transition out of 50/50 to a dominant non-symmetric entanglement (outside ashi or ashi garami with confirmed hip control) and hold for five seconds.
Proficient Shared rung
- 6
Caught in the opponent's 70/30 — escape and reverse. The hardest.
Inside attacker wins by Hide the heel and escape the 70/30 to a neutral 50/50, or reverse to your own one-sided entanglement.
Advanced Elevated
Outside attacker The outside-position ladder
Outside-line control, finish-first — from game over down through the heist, outside ashi, butterfly ashi and single-leg X to the neutral 50/50.
Run top to bottom — finish first, then climb down to the hardest start.
- 1
Game over — the most dominant outside control; finish or take the back.
Outside attacker wins by Force a lower-limb tap, or take the back from game over and hold for five seconds.
Advanced Elevated
- 2
Outside heist, seated on the hips — advance to a finishing entanglement.
Outside attacker wins by Force a lower-limb tap, or secure a confirmed one-sided dominant entanglement (outside sankaku or game over) and hold for five seconds.
Proficient Elevated
- 3
Outside ashi, shotgun grip — close to outside sankaku.
Outside attacker wins by Force a lower-limb tap — the foot-and-ankle line, or the knee line where heel hooks are agreed — or close to outside sankaku and hold for five seconds.
Developing Elevated
- 4
Butterfly ashi — thread to a dominant entanglement.
Outside attacker wins by Thread to a confirmed one-sided dominant entanglement (outside ashi or ashi garami with hip control) and hold for five seconds, or force a lower-limb tap.
Developing Elevated
- 5
Single-leg X — the entry from underneath.
Outside attacker wins by From single-leg X, secure a confirmed one-sided dominant entanglement (outside ashi), come up to top, or force a lower-limb tap — and hold five seconds.
Developing Elevated
- 6
Feet pummel / 50/50 — the neutral both branches share. The hardest.
Outside attacker wins by Force the tap by attacking the foot-and-ankle line, or transition out of 50/50 to a dominant non-symmetric entanglement (outside ashi or ashi garami with confirmed hip control) and hold for five seconds.
Proficient Shared rung