![6 Easy Reverse De La Riva Back Take Variations [Gi & No-Gi]](https://bjj-world.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Screenshot_3-696x358.png "6-reverse-de-la-riva-back-take-options")
Whenever the Reverse De La Riva guard is mentioned, people who have at least a bit of an understanding about it immediately think of inversions and back attacks. The reason behind it is that the RDLR truly is one of the best guards to use if conquering the back is your priority.
Executing Reverse De La Riva back take is not easy, but it is not something reserved for advanced grapplers only. You can make your route to the back as complicated or simple as you wish, and we have selected 6 slick and very effective methods of not just getting to the back fast, but also introducing sweeps and different guard transitions to the mix.
Reverse De La Riva Guard Tactics
One of the most popular guards in BJJ, particularly in No-Gi was the Reverse De la Riva guard. I say “was” because the raise of leg locks brought an abrupt, and very unnecessary end to this position.
True, there is a threat for leg locks, but it comes at the price of potentially giving up top position, and with the guard offering leg lock entries and Ashi Garami transitions as well, it really isn’t more dangerous than playing any other guard. And no, playing RDLR does not guarantee the top person an Estima lock, so that excuse goes straight out the window.
Moving on, the potential of the RDLR is still immense in terms of playing a secure guard that works against both standing and half-kneeling opponents, reflecting passes easily and setting up various different attacks from the same position. Moreover, it ties in beautifully with the half guard if the opponent decides to kneel on both knees.
That brings us to the most efficient tactic available from the guard – the Reverse De la Riva back take. It takes some movement mastery as it involves inverting into a half spin, but the end result is a shortcut to the back position, 4 points, and a smooth ride to winning any match, Gi or No-Gi.
6 Gi & No-Gi Reverse De La Riva Back Takes
Let’s take a look at a few of the best routes that lead to the back from the Reverse De la Riva guard. Options include direct routes, sweep, and other guard combo threats, standing and half-kneeling setups, and details on the all-important half spin, a.k.a kiss of the dragon:
No-Gi Reverse De La Riva Back Take
Serra Jiu Jitsu’s top black belt and once a Danaher Death Squad member, Jason Rau is an established star in the sub-only scene. The young prodigy has some very slick attacks from the Reverse De La Riva guard, with one of his best being a very easy-to-master from Reverse De La Riva back take.
While these moves are demonstrated without the gi, the concepts, theories, and movements can also be applied/modified to work in the Gi. Check out this high-percentage setup below:
A Gi RDLR Back Take Variation
Gracie Barra’s top competitor Felipe Pena shares a slightly different way to set up what is more or less the same Reverse De La Riva back take demonstrated by Jason Rau. he main differences are in the grips, with Pna making the most out of the pants grip options he has available.
The main reason why the Gi version of this slick back take is slightly better is because of the belt. It presents an attachment point that allows transitions back into guards such as the 50/50 if the back take fails after you manage to spin inside.
RDLR Guard Sweep and Back Take Dilemma
For those who like to chain their attacks, the following option, also done with the Gi, offers the chance to threaten with a sweep and a back take at the same time. While the back take shown below is complicated and very advanced, the sweep is a breeze to set up and finish.
I’d recommend that you use the timber sweep from the RLDR to introduce a different direction of attack, that allows you to grab the back the old-fashioned way, by half spinning between the legs. However, you can put some effort into mastering the Bolo back take available off the sweep to become even more dangerous.
Low Reverse De La Riva Back Take
One of the most annoying things about the Reverse De la Riva is that people can kill a big portion of it by forcing and maintaining a half-kneeling position. As Luiz Panza demonstrates, this doesn’t have to be a hurdle, and can still lead to the back, albeit not the same way as a standing entry goes.
The same motion applies here, but the inverted spin goes further, and you extend your legs instead of hooking them onto the opponent. The end position is one that reminds of a distal leg locking setup and forces the opponent on their back landing you a sweep. If they decide to remain on all fours, then their back is all yours
Reverse De la Riva Back Take and X-Guard Combo
In this video, you see how you can force the top person from a half-kneeling into standing Revrse De la Riva guard which opens up all the Reverse De la Riva back take options explored above.
This version explores a route towards the X guard if the opponent has exceptional balance, which means you add leg locking and sweeping threats to your back take effort. Having this checkpoint in your RDLR back take arsenal is huge in preventing counters that might end up with the opponent on your back.
Essential Kiss of The Dragon Details
The final video in our Reverse De la Riva back take the crash course is a detailed breakdown of the spin itself, the thing that makes or breaks your back taking attempts from the Reverse De la Riva guard.
Here Brandon McCaghren shares snippets of a class he teaches on the subject of spinning inside the RDLR, covering key details such as grip placement, hook height, timing, and when to back out of the spin. He also touches upon the crab ride, the position you end up in after the spin but before you grab the back.
The Best No-Gi Guard in BJJ?
Some people have gone as far as calling the Reverse De la Riva the best guard in BJJ, particularly when it comes to No-Gi. I don’t agree, as I think no such determination can be made, but concur that the guard can be very effective. It is somewhat limited in what you can do, but if you want to hunt for the back, RDLR is for sure one of the best launching pads.
The best aspect about the guard is that it is very well-balanced, meaning you can use it for defensive purposes as well. That provides a sense of security in knowing passing is extremely difficult. Furthermore, pairing up the Reverse De la Riva back take threat with sweeps and leglocks means you can develop a deadly attacking guard game for both Gi and No-Gi.
So, when will you be trying these RDLR back takes out?
Reverse De la Riva Guard – The Best DVD and Digital Instructionals
