Marcelo & Chin discuss how to avoid getting arm-locked inside an opponent's Closed Guard: Don't let your opponent have free control over your sleeve or wrist; if they make a grip on it and you can't immediately free yourself from the control, quickly look to secure a grip on their lapel so that you can prevent your arm from getting crossed past center. Make a complementary grip on the opposite lapel and use these to help hoist your opponent up off the mat as you look to perform a standing Closed-Guard break. Your opponent will oftentimes change their technique and find a new attack while suspended since they lack the ability to swivel their hips effectively via the ground. When they let go of your threatened arm, you can release one of your grips and switch for a grip on their pants to break open their crossed feet. If they don't allow you to make the switch safely, provided your forearms are long enough, you might even be able to try to force the legs open by prying pressure with your elbow against their inner thigh. It is usually beneficial to expend the energy and effort in picking your opponent up when faced with the potential dangers of a skilled Closed-Guard player.