Leonardo “Tunico” – The wrapped-arm guard

The wrapped-arm guard
Controlling the distance to your opponent’s body, as well as their movement. Breaking the passer’s posture. Achieving firms grips on their jacket. Opening holes for multiple types of attack. These are some of the winningest strategies adopted by BJJ’s elite guard players. They are all contained in the wrapped-arm guard, a system Leo Tunico is an expert in.

Tunico reveals a simple, efficient way to breaks grips and use your arm to wrap your opponent’s arm, also grabbing their cross collar. Note that when you achieve this control, a menu of attack options opens up.

Among them are the cross choke, the hook sweep, the arm drag that leads to the back, and the triangle — moves that will revolutionize your guard game (open and closed) and which you will learn in detail, from the best angles.

These are techniques for use in training, competition and self-defense scenarios. Note how common it is in MMA bouts for a guard-playing fighter to seek control over their opponent’s arm to shorten the distance and control their movement, and then start attacking.

Watch these videos over and over, create your own double and triple attacks, and then go try it out on unsuspecting teammates. Oss!

Instructor

Leonardo “Tunico”
Born on April 8, 1985, Leo Tunico is one of the most talented BJJ competitors of his generation, having found success in the IBJJF’s biggest events, especially at the base ranks. Also trained in judo, he teaches at Renzo Gracie Academy, all while maintaining a career as a DJ.

LESSON PLAN

General concepts of the wrapped-arm guard
There are many ways for you to weaken the posture of a guard passer so they become vulnerable to attacks and lose their base to…

Grip break from closed guard
Although it may look like a mere battle of physical strength, grip-breaking in BJJ is based on refined techniques that require …

Choke with arm wrapped from closed guard
Playing closed guard, Leo Tunico teaches you how to control one of the passer’s arms and, from that control position, submit an…

Butterfly sweep from wrapped arm
You’re familiar with the adjustments for wrapping the passer’s arm and cross-choking them from the butterfly guard — right? Bu…

Arm drag wrapping the passer’s arm
The act of wrapping the passer’s arm offers a guard player multiple types of attack, like the choke, the hook sweep and the bac…

Triangle from wrapped arm
Leo Tunico likes to use his arm to wrap a passer’s arm, thus creating a powerful control situation that allows him to sit on th…

Omoplata from wrapped arm
Guard players who like attacking with the omoplata can optimize the setting of the move through the technical details taught he…

A variation on the hook sweep with wrapped arm
After controlling your opponent’s arm, you obtain great control over the passer’s movement and become able to open guard and se…

Guillotine from wrapped arm
Leo Tunico wraps one of his opponent’s arms, sits on the mat and tries to hook-sweep. Note that his opponent manages to foil ev…

D’Arce choke from wrapped arm
When the guard player manages to use their own arm to wrap the passer’s arm, the passer tends to feel pretty uncomfortable and …

Straight armbar
After using his arm to wrap his opponent’s arm, Leo Tunico hip-escapes in two stages. In the first, he places himself sideways …