Michael Currier

Most guards fail not because they lack movement—but because they lack control.

In this focused, four-day workshop, Michael Currier will teach a complete system built around the overhook and side clamp guard, giving practitioners the tools to slow the pace, neutralize pressure, and dictate outcomes from the bottom position.

Rather than treating guard work as a collection of disconnected sweeps and submissions, this workshop emphasizes control-based guard retention and attack chains. Participants will learn how to use the overhook and side clamp to manage distance, disrupt posture, and force predictable reactions—creating reliable pathways to sweeps, submissions, and transitions.

Over the course of four progressive days, participants will develop:

• Fundamental entries into overhook and side clamp guard against standing and kneeling opponents

• Structural details that make the guard difficult to pass and physically taxing to deal with

• Methods for breaking posture and controlling the upper body using the overhook

• Predictable reaction chains that lead to sweeps, back takes, and submissions

• Transitions between overhook, side clamp, and complementary guard positions when pressure increases

Michael’s teaching focuses on mechanics, leverage, and timing, making this guard system effective across body types and athletic profiles.

This workshop is ideal for:

• Jiu Jitsu practitioners who prefer control over speed

• Athletes who struggle to slow down aggressive top players

• Competitors looking for a reliable guard system under pressure

• Coaches seeking a structured guard framework to teach their students

All material is scalable for beginner to advanced practitioners, with concepts that apply to both gi and no-gi contexts.