Charles and Eoghan on building a guard, wrestling entries and heel hook details

Charles and Eoghan return with an episode mixing training updates with a run of listener questions. Charles talks about a recent training trip to Luxembourg and a recurring problem sparring a bigger, stronger training partner named Sandro, who kept taking his back the same way each time. He also mentions leaning on crucifix control rather than a body triangle against opponents with a strong, heavy frame.

A good chunk of the episode focuses on wrestling up from seated guard. Charles and Eoghan discuss a two-on-one grip borrowed from a training partner's judo background, the difference between when to wrestle up and when to duck under and snap an opponent down, and a seated posture (jokingly dubbed "escar guard" on the podcast) that lets you spring to your feet quickly.

On the submissions side, Charles answers questions on the best entry into an outside heel hook, including exact heel placement on the wrist, and how to escape once caught by posting and turning rather than trying to power out. He also breaks down a route to rear naked choke control when the choking arm starts on the bottom side.

The episode closes with its most substantial technical segment, a listener question on how to build a solid guard from nothing. Charles lays out a step-by-step framework: retention basics such as keeping a partner between the knees and never letting both ankles be grabbed, defending chest-to-chest half guard as a foundation, learning grips to slow opponents down, using a high knee shield half guard as a funnel, and always having an attack rather than pure defence so opponents are forced to react. They round off with a brief discussion of leg lock risk in MMA, referencing fighters caught out going for leg entanglements against strikers.

Watch and listen

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• The Charles Eoghan Experience on YouTube
• Charles Allan Price
• Eoghan O'Flanagan on Instagram