Your guard passing philosophy

I try not to fall into the temptation of putting my weight on the opponent, because that usually ends up with me being thrown around like a ragdoll.

This is the number one beginner mistake that holds people back from getting better at passing. I totally understand where you're coming from because I used to think that way too, but you will never pass anyone's guard that way.

Start working on putting your weight on your opponent. You will get thrown around a lot at first, but eventually you will learn how to ride it out and stay heavy on top.

The big advantage you have during guard passing is your weight. You need to use it to control your opponent's hips. Focus on putting your weight forward onto your opponent's hips.
 
i primarily use the guard passes my instructor teaches with a sprinkle of concepts from other guys i see on the youtube.

i'd say my style ranges from slow and methodical to fast and frenetic depending on my opponent. the light quick dudes get slow and methodical because they have an advantage over me when it comes to scrambling. bigger, stronger dudes get more fast paced passing because i want to force them to make constant adjustments, feel uncomfortable and have to defend everything.

at least thats how it works in my head with moderate success on the mat.

with that said, guard passing is one area i constantly strive to evolve and improve on

i'll peep the vid when i get home...stupid job blocks the youtube
 
My guard passing strategy centers around spastic movement and distraction techniques.

Clap your hands to the left, palsy-like butt flop cartwheel to the right.

Hey look over there! - bull rush under the legs.


Etc...
 
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Teaching and filming filming my youtube instructonal series has challenged me to breakdown, explain, justify and try to feed step by step on how to approach my current understanding of jiu jitsu. I made a syllabus of my passing guard approach and the first lesson is to articulate what I feel is the best guard passing philosophy.

There are as many guard passing philosophies as their are instructors (only a slight exaggeration there :icon_twis).

What is your guard passing philosophy and why have you chosen it? Do you model it after a highly skilled jiu jitsu guard passer? Just listen to your coach/professor only or do you allow a wide range of influences? Did you adapt your style to your weight and body type?

Also im interested in how much you consider the end objective of your passing style. IE: do you consider what position you will end up in when choosing to master a specific pass?

Here is my approach.

Thanks for sharing, interesting breakdown.

I'm developing my passing guard game around disrupting the opponent's postural alignment, e.g. with the stacking pass Moreira style. I really don't want to give space and make him uncomfortable.

I have analyzed myself Roger passing game, and tried some of his stuff. Unfortunately he almost always has a size advantage (which I don't), with really long legs and arms.

I've doubts Roger's passing game can be adopted or even adapted by most guys, don't you?

Looking forward the next lessons!
 
Just back from training. I had a lil passing epiphany.
Fake left- go right- they look confused- establish crushing shoulder of justice side control.

Sloth posted about this too- it's necessary to have passes that work both sides.

And to second Balto as well- learning to put your weight on your opponent and surf their guard is the key to passing at higher levels.
 
I have analyzed myself Roger passing game, and tried some of his stuff. Unfortunately he almost always has a size advantage (which I don't), with really long legs and arms.

I've doubts Roger's passing game can be adopted or even adapted by most guys, don't you?

Looking forward the next lessons!

I respectfully disagree about the size thing. Obviously a size and weight advantage helps a lot. I don't see why the techniques can't be applied. I can only think of 1 technique he does that I have modified (the butterfly pass shown in the video). I can't "mule kick" to remove the hook because if you freeze frame when he does it, you will see he is doing the splits. I can't even touch my toes. Lol. I just combined the concepts of a similar pass to do a headstand (seen on the video) and then mule kick in the handstand position.

I can also see the technique where he closes his guard around the knee up position being a problem for many. I have long chicken legs though so its not a problem for me. (Lesson 3 from my guard
videos)

Other than that his passing has a lot to do with his philosophy and where he chooses to put his head (head dictates where your weight is)

Do you have a specific ideaor position in mind that you think can't be adapted?
 
I don't have a specific pass that I try to go for but I definetly have a philosphy. One class my coach reffered to "border patrol" when I sitting guard, making sure your protecting the inside postion to prevent passing. I stuck with me from the other end as much as guard. I always try to establish inside grips and try to control my opponent from inside out. When I do this I control his legs and put pressure on his hips as I work towards killing them. If I control this postion and thrwart his attempts to take it back, those attempts will give me my pass. For me its usuall yknee over, double unders, or sprawling on the hips and legs, but really I can be anything. For me this works a lot better than trying to implement a step by step pass. For certain I'll use different tools, like pumeling my legs (shin to shin), but not as a step, more to response to the opponent getting the butterlfy hook or what not. I'll take flattening him out in half guard over passing without good control of posture, but usually I end up in half because of failure to secure full pass or my opponent moving to it as a result of my passing pressure.

Along with control that inside border position, I try to make sure I cover the SBG five points of passing especially the core of controling the legs, than the hips, then the upper body.
 
This is the number one beginner mistake that holds people back from getting better at passing. I totally understand where you're coming from because I used to think that way too, but you will never pass anyone's guard that way.

Start working on putting your weight on your opponent. You will get thrown around a lot at first, but eventually you will learn how to ride it out and stay heavy on top.

The big advantage you have during guard passing is your weight. You need to use it to control your opponent's hips. Focus on putting your weight forward onto your opponent's hips.

On open guards? I know whenever I end up going forward when the guy has me in spider guard or butterfly or something, I end up flying! What should I do from there?
 
Well, I just try to use constant pressure to eventually get a pass. Post my hands under their ribs, stand up, and get a knee cut/ double unders pass; Dig my elbows into their thighs and get a leg through, sometimes if I can trap an arm I like to work a Marcelo Garcia type pass, where I lift them up and strip their legs. Work a can opener and get a leg through. I'm a big, strong guy so I tend to use that to pass.

I just try to put pressure on the other guy and take what I can. The best way to keep me from passing guard is for the other guy to constantly stay busy with sweep & sub attempts, make me play defense the whole time. I have pretty good posture & defense though, so at worst i'll get stalled out from the guard. I figure that if it were an MMA fight/ streetfight i'd have strikes, and so that's alright.
 
On open guards? I know whenever I end up going forward when the guy has me in spider guard or butterfly or something, I end up flying! What should I do from there?

It's especially important on open guards.

The mistake you are likely making is putting your weight forward with bad posture. You are probably bending over at the waist.

Instead you need to lead with your hips. Keep your back straight with good posture and hip in to the guy. Learn to put your weight on the opponent this way, and you will start having success.
 
It's especially important on open guards.

The mistake you are likely making is putting your weight forward with bad posture. You are probably bending over at the waist.

Instead you need to lead with your hips. Keep your back straight with good posture and hip in to the guy. Learn to put your weight on the opponent this way, and you will start having success.

Hmm... good thing I ended up making that post. As a bigger guy, I have lots of problems with open guards, and can't seem to find a spot that works. How would proper posture be like in that case?
 
Hmm... good thing I ended up making that post. As a bigger guy, I have lots of problems with open guards, and can't seem to find a spot that works. How would proper posture be like in that case?

It's easier if someone shows you in person.

I'd ask your instructor to demonstrate what proper posture against the open guard is. Once you can see it, it will be a lot easier to understand what I am talking about.
 
General rules of thumb for open guard, imo, are:

-staggered stance (one foot forward one back)
-hips pressure forward, head over hips
-elbows tight in towards ribs
-maintain skeletal alignment, like you would if you were supporting or lifting a heavy object.
 
This is the number one beginner mistake that holds people back from getting better at passing. I totally understand where you're coming from because I used to think that way too, but you will never pass anyone's guard that way.

Start working on putting your weight on your opponent. You will get thrown around a lot at first, but eventually you will learn how to ride it out and stay heavy on top.

The big advantage you have during guard passing is your weight. You need to use it to control your opponent's hips. Focus on putting your weight forward onto your opponent's hips.

This is true.

Good post.
 
For those that are interested, I just uploaded my Passing Lesson 2 - Posture and Grips from the Sitting Closed Guard.

I got a lot of good feedback with the Roger narration so I included 4 of his matches in this one to illustrate the concepts woven together. I hope you enjoy this one. It really hurt my knees because I was a little cold when I filmed it =(

Im falling apart! Separated rib, broken collar bone and knee problems (x2 surgeries).

 
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very nice.

I like the grip work. Also, it seems like when they go for the cross collar and you grab their sleeve, it's a death sentence for them (from a guard retention standpoint) to let go. If they let go, you already have the sleeve and you're just going to stand up. So, I don't know how often you're going to get them to release the cross-collar just by pressuring them like that, but I'm sure it works here and there.
 
very nice.

Also, it seems like when they go for the cross collar and you grab their sleeve, it's a death sentence for them (from a guard retention standpoint) to let go. If they let go, you already have the sleeve and you're just going to stand up. So, I don't know how often you're going to get them to release the cross-collar just by pressuring them like that, but I'm sure it works here and there.

agreed on all accounts. The head circle is the primary reaction. If the hand in the collar is too low to do the head circle, you dont need to worry about the grip as much as you would a higher grip. Depending on how loose the gi is, you can generate a good deal of discomfort with the neck pressure though. you can also just push his throat with your palm. sometimes guys think they can submit you by taking advantage of your arm in that position too which causes them to let go of the hand in the collar.

I find that many people (including black belts) will just let go of the sleeve for no apparent reason other than to look for something else. A little patience and a little pressure go a long way. Alot of Rogers strategy is patience and pressure and he lets people beat themselves.
 
I find that many people (including black belts) will just let go of the sleeve for no apparent reason other than to look for something else. A little patience and a little pressure go a long way. Alot of Rogers strategy is patience and pressure and he lets people beat themselves.

I think there's a lot of truth to that. It's also a benefit he gains (in part) from his size. It's not like little Marcelo could roll with him and work a slow game, b/c the pressure would kill him. But, I definitely think you're on to something with that. Very insightful and interesting.
 
Sweet video! I especially like the gripping stuff
 

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