No Gi Guard Passing

* Originally posted as a reply on SFUK forum

Thanks to Paul Barton and James Hastings for demonstrating in the pics.

 

Posture - Guard Break - Pass

 

1. Posture

First step is to develop good position and become comfortable in the guard.

Being in the guard is a dangerous position, there are more attacks from guard than any other position. You need to develop strong positions (postures) from which you can limit and neutralize their sweeps and submissions whilst setting up your next move (guard break, guard pass, leglock or disengagement).

You need strong but relaxed positions so you can react quickly. It is essential to maintain good balance (base) at all times and counter any attempts to disrupt it. You can't pass if you are all over the place.

Once you learn the postures you must do rounds and rounds of someone attacking them so you get used to the attacks. Also, you must be able to move between the positions smoothly.

I teach 4 postures:

a) Low

[Closed Guard] You keep them flat on their back and totally shut down their hip movement. Your forehead is on their chest, web of hands with thumbs up are in his armpits, elbows/forearms are tight to his sides and on the floor, his hips are pinched between your knees and elbows, your ass is low sitting back on heels. You can be on balls of feet or have insteps flat on mat (I prefer the former as it's easier to get move to a different position and follow him). Keep the hips covered, when he moves follow, cover and control the hips. Do not let him pummel arms to an underhook, re-pummel back to hands in armpits or sit up to high posture. Do not let him sit up, drive with forehead and scoot forward to put him flat. Do not let him separate arm and head and sit up at angle for guillotine/kimura.

Low posture can also be done against open guards such as the Butterfly Guard.

b) High

[Closed Guard] You are sitting up, controlling the hips as much as possible and preventing yourself being pulled back down. Sitting back on heels, knees at his hips, hands are at his belt line or abdomen pressing down, elbows are in tight to your body, back is straight with head up, chest out and pelvis tilted under. Do let him sit up, pull you down or break posture of your arms.

High posture can also be done against some open guards.

c) Combat Base

[Open Guard] From kneeling, step one foot (eg left) flat on mat in front of you. That knee is close to your chest. Other knee (right) is out to side at 90%. You are sitting on rear (right) heel. Rear foot can be on ball (my preference) or flat with instep on mat. If on ball, feet and (right) knee create a triangle on mat. Forward (left) shin is straight up, close to opponents groin. Back is straight, head is up, elbows tucked in tight to ribs, hands in contact with their legs. Takes time to get the balance of this position but it is very strong. In Combat Base they cannot close the guard and it is difficult for them to attack your arms and neck. With knee central the knee through passes are already set up. With foot on ground it is also easier to stand up in good posture.

d) Standing

[Closed Guard] The main posture I teach when standing in an open guard is to have one foot (eg left) forward between opponents legs and one back. Rear foot is on ball of foot, legs are bent, elbows tucked in to ribs, back is straight. You can lean forward a bit (looks a bit like a staggered wrestlers stance) or have torso totally upright with lead hip pushed forward, usually you'll mix the two. Having feet parallel when close would leave you open to being swept backwards and gives them equal access to both legs. By having only one leg forward you only have to defend him attacking that. It also makes many passes and leglocks easier to do.

Extra: Another standing posture further away from opponent is to have feet back and control ankles (or knees with gi) together against the mat or in the air. However, I see that as more of a part of passing than a posture.

Some quick tips:

- When in guard do not put hands on the mat, keep them on opponent.
- Keep hips low, when ass is down you have better balance.
- Keep some relaxation in posts so they are ready to react.
- Be careful of being sweep when standing up from mat.
- Do not touch his neck without blocking the hips, he can spin to armbar.
- Both arms inside/over legs or outside/under legs, never staggered, you'll get triangled.

 

2. Guard Breaks

There's not much you can do in the closed guard. Once you are comfortable with your postures you need to learn how to uncross the ankles.

There are two styles of guard break, forcing the legs open and baiting them to open. Both are important. I start by teaching 3 methods, two from the first style, one from the latter.

a) Knee/elbow break

You are in high posture, his legs are closed around your waist. Keeping elbows in put downward pressure on his hips with hands to reduce movement. Place one knee (eg left) tight against the base of his spine between buttocks. Put other knee (right) out to the side (or put foot out to side and slightly back). Maintaining good base and keeping his hips on the mat, move your hips back, round your back and turn hips a little to (right) side. With his hips kept in place by your knee and downward pressure of hands, moving your hips away will uncross his ankles. Added pressure can be applied to inside of his (left) thigh with (right) elbow. Bring lead knee up to combat base or double underhook legs immediately.

b) Insert knee

You are in low posture, his legs are high around your back. With forehead on his chest, push web of hands in to armpits (with thumbs up and elbows tucked to his sides) and move hips back a little if needed to set this guard break up. Jump up to both feet quickly. Keeping balance bring one foot (eg left) to centre, leg is bent with knee under chest. Drop your chest tight to your knee inside his guard then lower your butt and press down with elbows. You are lowering yourself in to a compacted combat base in his guard. Pushing hips back and shin forward as you sit up will open legs if ankles are still crossed. Guard your arms throughout and watch for a switch to sweep or submission.

c) Bait

The above two breaks are very good but you are telling him "I want your legs open" which will sometimes just make him stubborn about keeping it closed. I like to make them open the guard themselves. There are several ways to do it, here is my favourite. Essentially, I hold a very tight low posture focusing on keeping his hips trapped with my elbows and knees and frustrate him in to opening legs. If he is inexperienced he may just stay with closed guard, however I've found most people with a guard game will uncross their ankles pretty quickly to try and scoot hips out, get a foot on your hip etc. When I feel the legs uncross and the timing is right I scoot my hips back, bring a knee up to Combat Base and bring elbows back to ribs. I use this style of break a lot.

Extra: Pressing the palm of hand on the inside of knee, especially as part of a standing guard break, is becoming more popular but generally I consider the above the basics.

When you have the above techniques you must practice them under pressure. The player with guard has so many options, you need to learn to recognise and counter them. Drill them with someone trying to hold guard, sweep and/or submit you.

 

3. Passing

OK, now that you are comfortable in the open and closed guard and can uncross his ankles when you choose it's time to pass.

There are three ways to pass: over, under and around the legs.

You will need to become proficient in several passes and the ability to flow between them. Passing is a dynamic situation requiring moment to moment adjustments. The first pass will often be blocked by an experienced player, you need to learn how to use those reactions to set up another pass.

Guard passing can be done quickly using speed, surprise and mobility or slowly controlling your opponent's movement. Both styles are important but in the beginning I believe it's important to learn how to do slower tight passes for the control they give you.

When tight passing your progression goes like this: control the legs - immobilize the hips - secure the upper body - pass.

Passes are often split in to two categories: "kneeling" and "standing". You need to train both. There has been some talk of late about standing passes being superior but I disagree. Both are successful in grappling matches. In fact, when experienced grapplers fight standing passes often have a lower percentage of ending in a pin as the guard player has more room to maintain guard. With low passes you have far more control of the opponent and correctly done you pass in to a pin so I teach these first.

Staying balanced is essential when passing. It will take time to develop the ability to maintain your base in motion.

As with posture and guard breaks you need to drill passing with someone trying to hold guard, sweep and/or submit you. Keeping control of opponent and countering his attempts to stop the pass must be trained against a realistic resistance.

a) Kneeling

Passing on the knees is slower than passing standing. It also leaves you more open to arm and neck attacks. However, it gives greater control of opponents movement and the lower centre of gravity makes countering sweeps easier. Kneeling passes are particularly effective if you have a size and/or strength advantage.

Double Underhooks

Underhook opponent's thighs with hands to gain control of his legs. Pull his legs to you, scoot forward, slide arms in deeper under and around thighs. Sometimes you have to bob down a bit and pop his legs up to get them on your shoulders. Clasp your hands palm to palm on their pelvis, forearms are across his hips and your elbows pinching to your ribs. With his backside on your thighs and no space you now have control of his hips and legs. Your head is up high, chest forward and back straight. Move slightly to one side (eg left) and reach leading (left) hand to his far shoulder and tightly grip his trap to secure his upper body. Jumping to balls of feet circle around his legs (to your left) in a sprawl to side control. As you pass, chest is out, head UP, hips DOWN and twisting so lead (left) hip is close to mat. Feet are wide apart for base, your hips and chest are pressuring opponent. Head is up and looking back and lead shoulder pressures down to clear leg. He should be crushed up, uncomfortable and totally controlled throughout. A common beginner mistake is to just throw the legs to one side from double underhooks, this is ineffective, they will simply regain guard. My preference is to pass to cross body with leading (left) arm overhooking far shoulder and other (right) hand blocking near hip. You can also pass to a reverse scarfhold pinching his hips with your arms.

Knee Through

In Combat Base hands/forearms are monitoring his knees/thighs. If you have left knee up in Combat Base press his right knee out and towards mat. At same time drop your left shin across his right thigh pinning it to mat (shin can also be slid straight across thigh from a guard break). As you pin his leg you need to secure position by lowering your chest to his torso, swimming right arm inside his leg along the far side of his body (controlling his hips) and bringing your free (left) arm under his neck (to secure his upper body). If you can, get a right arm underhook on his shoulder, if not then keep right elbow at his left hip and forearm along his side. You head is on the opposite side (your right) to pinned leg. You are hugging tight, he should be locked down and not able to move. There are two popular ways to finish: knee to hip and leg whipover. Whichever is used, foot of pining leg stays hooked inside bend of his knee till your other leg is passed so that it isn't caught in half guard. I use knee to hip: flare out the knee of the (left) pinning leg a little, bring right knee over the pinned thigh between the pinning foot and his hip, knees are then close together on mat with right knee at his right hip, lifting right foot to butt and clear of his guard rotate on (right) knee in to side control.

Reverse Knee Through

In Combat Base hands/forearms are monitoring his knees/thighs. If you have left knee up in Combat Base press his left knee out and towards mat. At same time drop your left shin across your body and pin his left thigh to the mat (shin can also be slid straight across thigh from a guard break). As you pin leg you must secure position. The most important thing is to try and swim an underhook on far shoulder with left arm or have left elbow on mat at his right hip gripping along body (to control his hips and upper body). If you do not get the arm on the far side of body he can take your back. Make him carry your weight and keep left hip low to mat to prevent being rolled backwards. Common finish is to grip his left tricep with your free right hand to stop him using it to push you, pull it to your chest, pivot on left knee and get right knee under his armpit/shoulder in to side control, or step right foot over his leg and sit left leg through to modified scarfhold.

Extra: Further kneeling passes to learn later include:

- Leg Hug Pass
- Scissor Pass
- Foot Trap Pass
- Shoulder In Belly (Over/Under + Knee Push) Passes
- Jump Passes

b) Standing

Standing passes generally rely more on speed than the kneeling passes. They allow your opponent different open guard variations (such as the De La Riva Guard), increase the number of sweeps possible and also give him more opportunities for leglocks. For the passer, standing passes allow far more mobility, faking and switches to leglocks. They are very useful when you are at a size or strength disadvantage.

Toreador/Bullfighter Pass

The Toreador Pass is usually the first standing pass taught to beginners. Start position is standing back from opponent gripping his ankles close together in front of your pelvis. Basic move is to throw the legs to one side (eg right) as you take a slight step out and forward with your outside (left) foot and step other (right) leg through close to his (right) hip to knee on stomach. Now for the set up. If you simply throw the legs to the side his body is twisted and the legs will naturally come straight back as you pass. Moving the ankles side to side faking has become popular but I do not like that much either as you are telling him what pass you are going to do (so he can pull his knees to chest and counter it) and the same problem with his legs naturally wanting to come back is there. The method I like was taught by John Kavanagh at an SFUK Open Mat: holding the ankles, take a shuffle/hop to one side (eg your right), to stop you passing he will spin away (to his right) to keep you in front, as he moves throw the legs across your body (to right) as you continue his spin and pass to your other (left) side going to (right) knee on stomach. If he doesn't react to my initial move to one side I will just pass that way.

Extra: Further standing passes to learn later:

- Leapfrog Pass
- Step Over Pass

Some quick passing tips:

- Changing direction, even when almost past, is a key tactic in guard passing.
- Do not hesitate, attack with focus and a move in mind but be prepared to change technique and/or direction.
- Once you make progress resist backing off, you will only have to cover the ground again, try to change direction instead.
- Do not let opponent play his game.

 

Submission & Sweep Counter Passes

You also need passes from his attempted submissions and sweeps.

 

Half Guard Passes

In addition, you need to learn how to pass the Half Guard

 

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