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Reverse De La Riva: Complete BJJ Technique Guide

Master the Reverse De La Riva in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Complete breakdown of grips, positioning, and attacks. Track your guard game with JitsAI.

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2026-02-17

# Reverse De La Riva: Complete BJJ Technique Guide

## What is the Reverse De La Riva?

The Reverse De La Riva is a fundamental Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique that every practitioner should master. Whether you're a white belt just starting out or an experienced grappler refining your game, understanding the mechanics and timing of this technique will elevate your BJJ.

## How to Perform the Reverse De La Riva

Here's a detailed breakdown based on expert instruction:

# Reverse De La Riva Guard

All right, guys, next introduction here. What is the reverse Delahiva?

So how the reverse Delahiva was born? So to understand this, first we have the

regular Delahiva. So stand up here, Sam. So basically, the regular Delahiva have my

leg around his leg, making a hook behind his knee.

That would be De La Riva, okay? It is a lot of people just say De La Riva.

What is the reverse De La Riva? So that is a very common way to pass the guard.

It is the knee cut. Okay? The knee cut, once my opponent touch his knee on the

floor here, he's in a way better position for him, so he has a lot of advantages

here. And I will end up just locking his foot here into like some kind of bad

half guard. So they reverse de la Hiva was born to actually, to how to block a

knee cut. Okay, so let's stand up again. So let's imagine Sab is doing a knee cut.

I'm going to use my hook underneath his leg. And I use my hand here blocking,

blocking. blocking, blocking,

so his knee does not reach the floor. I try to put weight, so his knee cannot

reach the floor. So this is the reverse de la Jiva. What can I do with the

reverse de la Jiva? I could use the reverse de la Jiva just to help to push and

actually reset my guard. Also, I could use usar a reversa da lajiva para fazer ele

fora da balana para setar diferentes tŽcnicas. TambŽm,

tambŽm da reversa da lajiva, que Ž os movimentos mais avanados,

Ž os movimentos de espinho. ƒ como eu uso minha m‹o embaixo, e eu comeo espinhando

embaixo do meu

order to maybe sweep him or end up on his back, right? But the whole idea is that

the reverse de la Hiva was born in order to block a knee cut. It is a layer,

is a layer of the guard. It is a layer. How can I block my opponent and do not

let him get a knee cut too easy? That's the whole idea, okay, about the reverse de

la Hiva. See you next lesson.

## Key Points to Remember

When drilling the Reverse De La Riva, focus on these essential details:

1. **Positioning** — Your body position determines your success rate

2. **Timing** — Wait for the right moment, don't force it

3. **Grip** — Secure proper grips before committing to the technique

4. **Finish** — Follow through completely once you initiate

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many practitioners struggle with the Reverse De La Riva because they:

- Rush the technique without proper setup

- Neglect the importance of base and balance

- Forget to control their opponent's reactions

- Don't drill both sides equally

## When to Use the Reverse De La Riva

The Reverse De La Riva works best when:

- Your opponent's weight distribution creates an opening

- You've set up the technique with proper grips

- You can commit fully to the movement

- You have a follow-up ready if the initial attempt fails

## Track Your Reverse De La Riva Progress

The fastest way to improve any BJJ technique is tracking your training. JitsAI helps you:

- **Log every session** in 30 seconds with voice notes

- **Identify patterns** in what's working and what isn't

- **Get AI analysis** of your game after just 3 sessions

- **See your progress** over time with data you can trust

**Stop guessing. Start tracking.**

[Download JitsAI — Free for 7 Days](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jitsai-level-up-your-bjj/id6749017903)

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*This technique guide is based on instruction from Professor Henrique, covering the Reverse De La Riva as part of the JitsAI Fundamentals Course.*

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