Strategy for passing the Cross Guard?

[Lovesong]

What strategy do you use for passing the cross grip guard? Similar to the Pe De Pano style or what Ryan Hall teaches on his new DVD?

I don't have much luck breaking the cross grip unless I can pull my arm in enough to swim for a double under pass. I'm not sure if I should bother breaking this grip or just ignore it and pass anyways?

It feels like I should be going under the legs, with either an over/under pass or double under, but I haven't had much success with either.

Any insight would be great.

 

[Uchi Mata]

Can you post a vid or image? I'm not sure what guard you're referring to.

Though the answer is probably leg drag.

 

[Lovesong]

Can you post a vid or image? I'm not sure what guard you're referring to.

Though the answer is probably leg drag.

In this video around 2:20 Ryan hall starts to shows the game.
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Same video around 3:45 he shows the sweep where Seph is trying to pressure his knee in. That's the spot I always get stuck in. I'm trying to keep my arm anchored to fend off the attacks and at the same time keep my balance while my opponent is kicking my base out.

 

[Uchi Mata]

Typically is the guard player has a cross grip I'm going to work towards a knee slide. Let's say he's grabbing my right sleeve; I'll try to get my right leg in the middle, get a grip on his collar with right hand, and get a grip on his sleeve with my left hand and start knee slicing. X pass is another option. You can also do a one handed torreando towards the direction of the sleeve that's grabbed, e.g. if your right hand is grabbed you can grab his collar with your right hand, his left pant leg with your left hand, and then pass to your right side torreando.

This is an annoying position though and can be really hard to pass.

 

[Lovesong]

Do you ever try to break the grip?

A lot of my problems start when my opponent gets his leg on my shoulder. You'd think he's just giving up a stack pass, but it never seems to go well. Then there's the constant threat of a triangle and I can't figure out a good way to break the cross grip from there.

 

[Uchi Mata]

Breaking the cross grip is very hard. I usually don't both. But if you can get your own grip on him, it generally neutralizes the power. The cross grip is only really dangerous (as opposed to just annoying) when the bottom guy is able to use the grip to cross your arm across your body or stretch you out with a foot in the hip and you don't have a grip. If you get a good grip and have good posture it doesn't really matter so much that he has a grip.

If you do want to break it though, just start circling your hand. I wouldn't go 2 on 1 to try and break it, you're leaving yourself very open to a sweep there.