O segredo da guarda impassável no BJJ

What does “guarda impassável” mean in Portuguese?

In jiu-jitsu, the guarda is the defensive position where you lie on your back and use your legs to keep the opponent away. The attacker tries to passar a guarda, “pass the guard.” Add the prefix im- to passável (“passable”) and you get impassável: a guard that cannot be passed. The prefix trick works on many adjectives, such as possível and impossível.

The instructor promises a “secret” to make your guard impassável and, in the very next breath, promises “a melhor guarda do mundo.” Outside the mat, impassável also means “impassive,” a face that shows no emotion, so it is a good word for a poker player as well. The learner-friendly pattern is im- before p and b (impaciente, imbatível, “unbeatable”).