Learn to open the closed guard in BJJ: posture, hip control and breaking the legs as the first step of every pass. With IBJJF rules and back protection.
The honest answer: you open a closed guard by first raising your posture, then controlling your partner's hips and only afterward breaking their crossed legs. That is the first step of almost every guard pass. Whoever reverses the order opens themselves up to chokes, locks and sweeps.
Under IBJJF rules a guard pass scores 3 points once you hold side control or north-south for 3 seconds [1]. But even more important for beginners: it counts as stalling if you do not seek a pass in closed guard while keeping your partner from progressing. That also applies to the partner on the bottom if they clutch you with their arms without aiming for a submission or points [1].
And there is something to take away: you are not fighting the legs but the hips. Whoever controls the hips opens the guard with little force. Still, expect weeks until opening works reliably against a resisting partner. That is experience, not a study.
You kneel upright, back straight, head up. Knees wide, weight on the knees. You first break their collar and sleeve grips before you go to the legs. Milestone: you hold the upright posture for 30 seconds against a partner pulling you down. Whoever tips forward too early lands in a head grip or a choke.
Hands on your partner's hip or belt, elbows inside. They should not be able to pull their hips toward you. The hip is the center of the guard: whoever controls it controls the legs. A tightly closed guard with legs around your kidneys or ribs is unpleasant in training. In the rules a lock with the legs compressing kidneys or ribs is prohibited [1]. If your partner does that, you say so at once.
With pressure from the elbows and your weight at the inside of the thigh you open the clasp. You do not rip. Imagine coaxing a stubborn door: even pressure opens it, a jerk jams it. Your coach shows you the exact hand placement.
When the legs release, you put a knee forward and secure their leg. Your back stays straight. This is the moment when beginners often stand up and tip. A standing opening is reserved for advanced students and only with a coach.
From the open guard you go to knee slice, toreando or double under, each with a coach. Milestone: you open the guard cleanly 3 times against cooperative legs and then stand stable. A pass that lands in 4 seconds matches what a fight demands: BJJ fighters work at roughly 6 seconds of action to 1 second of pause [2].
Practice in three stages: cooperative, light resistance, then live. Move on only once you manage the first stage cleanly 3 times.
When opening you are close to your partner and have to carry your weight. The knee is the most injured region at 27.1 % among 1140 BJJ athletes surveyed [3], and most injuries (77.6 %) happen in sparring [3]. A review additionally names chest and ribs as frequently affected areas [4]. The lower back mainly affects experienced athletes: in a survey of 1287 BJJ practitioners they reported back injuries more often than beginners [5].
For you that means: straight back, lift from the legs, never from the back, and slams are not part of your repertoire. This does not replace supervised training: learn the opening with a coach.
Do not open the guard when your partner is ready but when they breathe. At the moment they exhale, the pressure of their legs eases and your hips find room. That is practical experience, not a study.
You raise your posture, control your partner's hips and then break the crossed legs with pressure at the thighs. A jerk works worse than even pressure.
Whoever does not seek a pass in closed guard and prevents the partner from progressing can be penalized in IBJJF competition. That also applies to the bottom if there is only clutching [1].
No. A slam is prohibited under IBJJF rules [1]. Lifting yes, letting them land hard no, and only with a coach.
For back and knees it can be if the posture is wrong. Knee injuries are common in BJJ [3]. With straight posture and a coach the risk stays manageable.
Hip Bump Sweep in BJJ: Sit Up, Bump the Hips, Arrive on Top