The tried and true head-to-knee mount escape
0
Push Knee And Reguard·JeanJacquesMachado
#escapes #jeanjacquesmachado #bjj ----- One of the pioneers of the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and one of its greates…
Push Knee And Reguard
SubFamily膝押しリガード(Hiza-oshi Rigādo)
HybridTranslation: push knee and reguard
Overview
The Push Knee And Reguard subfamily covers knee-on-belly escapes where the defender pushes the pressing knee off the body directly, then immediately reinserts the legs to establish guard before the opponent can transition to another control position. [1] This escape addresses the knee directly — rather than shrimping away, the defender uses both hands to push the knee off the torso and down to the mat, then quickly closes guard or establishes half guard. [1],[2] The speed of the reguard is critical, as the opponent will immediately attempt to re-establish knee-on-belly or transition to mount. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Push knee and reguard uses a push on the opponent's knee to create space for guard recovery. [1]
Lineage
A fundamental BJJ escape technique. [1]
Competition Record
Used in BJJ competition. [1]
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Breaking the opponent's leg control to advance to a more dominant position
Joints Involved — Hips (posture and pressure), knees (opening the guard with knee-in or standing), hands (grip fighting)
Force Vector — Forward pressure (stack/smash) or backward posture (stand-up break) to open the closed guard
Passing Mechanic — Once the guard is opened, speed passing, pressure passing, or toreando passing advances the position
Position & Entry
From bottom mount — Create a frame with the elbow against the opponent's knee, shrimp the hips to slide the knee inside and recover half guard or full guard
From high mount — Frame against the opponent's hips, shrimp out and bring the knee across to recover guard
Videos
1 video
Learn This Technique
No instructional courses yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest a course.
Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Bottom escapes from mount/side control; bridge and hip escape mechanics (Ribeiro 2008)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Beginner
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal — escapes and sweeps are fundamental to BJJ...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— 4 from mount/back
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The push-knee-and-reguard is a simplified KOB escape that uses a direct two-handed push on the opponent's knee to displace it while shrimping to re-establish guard (Saulo Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University, 2008)
✓Both hands push the opponent's knee toward their opposite hip — this slides the knee off your body
✓The push direction matters: push the knee across (toward the opponent's other leg), not straight up or away
✓As the knee slides off, immediately shrimp and insert your guard — the window is brief
✓This escape is more intuitive than the frame-and-shrimp — it's often the first KOB escape taught to beginners
✓The push-knee escape works best against a high KOB (knee on the chest/sternum area)
✓After pushing the knee and re-guarding, immediately establish grips to control the distance
✓The push-knee escape is effective at all levels because the two-handed push generates significant force
Common Mistakes
!Pushing the knee straight up — push across (toward the opponent's other leg) for the correct displacement angle
!Using one hand instead of two — the two-handed push generates much more force
!Pushing without shrimping — the push creates the opening, but the shrimp creates the distance for re-guarding
!Not immediately inserting guard after pushing — the opponent will return to KOB within 1-2 seconds
!Pushing the knee and then pausing — the push must flow directly into the shrimp and re-guard
!Reaching too far to push and leaving the arms extended — keep the elbows in while pushing
!Not timing the push to the opponent's weight shift — push when their weight transfers to set up an attack
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Create Space — use frames, hip movement, or leverage to generate room to move
2Disrupt Control — break or weaken the opponent's grips and weight placement
3Execute Escape — apply the specific escape mechanic with timing and commitment
4Recover Position — establish a safe position (guard, standing, or top)
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Renzo Gracie & John Danaher, 2003)
2BookMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
4CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Renzo Gracie & John Danaher, 2003)
5CitationMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Community
Athletics
Requires
explosive hip bridge power, shrimping ability, timing
Favours
strong glutes and hip extensors for powerful bridges
Key muscles
glutes, hip extensors, core, quadriceps
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the key position to establish before attempting a push knee escape from mount?
According to Jean Jacques Machado, you need to keep your elbows in tight like a knife and get at least one leg in the center of your opponent's head, with your forehead touching your own knee to consolidate your frame.
How do I use the push knee to actually separate my opponent's legs?
Jean Jacques Machado explains that once your weight is consolidated and your opponent is committed forward, pushing back with your hips will split their knees apart, allowing you to get your knee inside as a shield.
What's the proper arm and leg positioning during the escape?
Choose a side, stretch your leg between your opponent's feet, place your elbow on the ground between their knee and your body (not outward), and keep applying cross-face pressure while driving forward to escape.
How does the Push Knee And Reguard work?
The Push Knee And Reguard subfamily covers knee-on-belly escapes where the defender pushes the pressing knee off the body directly, then immediately reinserts the legs to establish guard before the opponent can transition to another control position. This escape addresses the knee directly — rather than shrimping away, the defender uses both hands to push the knee off the torso and down to the mat, then quickly closes guard or establishes half guard.
Where does the Push Knee And Reguard come from?
The push knee and reguard is a direct and efficient knee-on-belly escape taught in BJJ as an alternative to the frame-and-shrimp approach. Its simplicity makes it effective under the pressure and discomfort of the knee-on-belly position.
Is the Push Knee And Reguard legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal — escapes and sweeps are fundamental to BJJ, sweep from bottom scores 2…; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal, sweep scores 2 points (4 from mount/back); FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Push Knee And Reguard?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — bottom escapes from mount/side control; bridge and hip escape mechanics (Ribeiro 2008)
How do I set up the Push Knee And Reguard?
The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.
How do I defend against the Push Knee And Reguard?
Standard counters include: Maintain Pressure — keep consistent weight distribution to limit escape space / Anticipate Direction — read escape attempt direction and block early / Transition — flow to a new position when the current one is threatened.
What are the variants of the Push Knee And Reguard?
Common variants: Bridge and roll (upa) (explosive bridge trapping arm and leg to reverse position); Elbow-knee escape (framing and shrimping to recover guard); Foot drag escape (dragging the opponent's foot with the heel to create spac…); Combination escape (bridging to force a reaction, then shrimping when the opp…).
How effective is the Push Knee And Reguard in competition?
Used in BJJ competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Push Knee And Reguard?
Top errors to watch for: Pushing the knee straight up — push across (toward the opponent's other leg) for the correct displacement angle / Using one hand instead of two — the two-handed push generates much more force / Pushing without shrimping — the push creates the opening, but the shrimp creates the distance for re-guarding / Not immediately inserting guard after pushing — the opponent will return to KOB within 1-2 seconds.
What are other names for the Push Knee And Reguard?
The Push Knee And Reguard is also known as Hiza-oshi Rigādo, Knee Push Escape, Push And Recover Guard.