Granby Roll Guard Recovery – BJJ: Granby Roll Basics

The Granby Roll is a crucial emergency defensive technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that allows practitioners to recover their guard position when it’s being passed. This fundamental movement not only helps maintain defensive control but serves as a foundation for more advanced transitions and submissions in the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system.

Understanding and mastering the Granby Roll is essential for both guard retention and developing a more dynamic ground game, especially when dealing with aggressive guard passing attempts.

In my video, I demonstrate a beginner-friendly version of the Granby Roll and how it fits into the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu A2 warm-up flow:

Understanding the Granby Roll Basics

The Granby Roll is specifically designed for emergency situations when your guard is being passed, someone is taking you down, or attempting to take your back. The technique involves a shoulder rolling motion while using your feet and hips to create the momentum needed for guard recovery.

Execution Steps

To practice the basic Granby Roll:

• If someone is passing to your left side, look to the right
• Bring your far foot across until it touches the floor
• Roll on your shoulders
• Return to facing your opponent in an athletic position

Training Applications

When practicing with a partner, you can work this technique in various scenarios. When the pass occurs, use the Granby Roll to recover either to full guard if your opponent is close, or butterfly guard if they’re further away. This creates an excellent drilling opportunity where one partner can practice passing while the other works on guard retention.

Advanced Variations

For more advanced practitioners, the Granby Roll can be incorporated into complex sequences, including transitions to the truck position and submission attempts like the crotch ripper. However, these advanced variations should only be attempted after mastering the basic recovery movement.

Training Tips

When practicing the Granby Roll, remember:

• Only use it in genuine emergency situations
• Focus on the basic movement before attempting advanced variations
• Practice both sides equally
• Maintain constant communication with your training partner