Butterfly guard. It’s not a place I feel comfortable or well versed in, and so for the most part I avoid it like the plague. This is, of course, what we are working on all this week and next as fate would have it.
We have been working on sweeps from butterfly in both gi and no-gi, attacking with an armbar from the butterfly set-up, and sweeping when the person attempts to defend against the armbar. It’s all really good stuff, and I can even fully agree with that. I…just…don’t like butterfly guard.
It’s one of those things I should just suck up and try to practice, but I just can’t bring myself to do it just yet.
Maybe that will be a New Year’s Resolution: “get better at Butterfly Guard”
A Skirt on the Mat 
I ADORE the Butterfly Guard, but only after hating it for a long time. Giving up the comfort of the Guard can be daunting, but BG is a gateway to all things fun and lovely! Sweeps, triangles, fake outs, arm locks….
I am actually a big fan of spider guard, which oddly I’m still a little awkward, but I would rather attack from there than butterfly. I am in slight awe over your love for butterfly guard- that’s pretty awesome.
I am a small guy normally paired against bigger guys, and butterfly guard is a good guard to keep their weight off you. It links in very well with x-guard as well.
I want to get better at butterfly guard, because I’m short, plus I like the idea of something centred around the legs (rather than arms or death grips). However, not much luck so far: I’m still stuck with pretty much just that one sweep, and tend to get passed well before I get into position. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll get squashed onto my back and struggle to do anything.
But hey, practice makes perfect, so have to just keep forcing yourself to go to butterfly, take note of what happens, then think what you can do to reach the outcome you want. Or at least that what I’ve been telling myself. 😉
I quite like spider guard too, but possibly not a good long term option, because one of the black belts I spoke to said his fingers are now so knackered he can’t use that guard anymore.