Two counters I am often cought with (Guard Passing)

**EmperorCesar** · Posted On: 1/03/2011 12:37pm

I usually try to pass open guard by pining one of my opponent's shin to my hips, and controlling that leg with both hands. Very similar to the video below:

YouTube - BJJ and Catch Wrestling Leg Lock Guard Pass

There are two very common counters that seem to work on me:
1. Kimura - I always seem to get caught in it. Sometimes I get tapped, but most of the time I just have to defend it and start my guard pass all over again. I also get swept with this move. There have been times when I managed to counter the kimura by spinning around to the armbar, but it only works when I am already mostly passed the guard.

2. The leg that isn't trapped is used to come over my back, and I either get my back taken, or swept. There have been times that I have been caught in a triangle this way.

Is the guard pass above simply not effective, or am I missing some minor details that are allowing my sparring partners to counter this type of guard pass easily?

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 1/03/2011 12:44pm

You've got tunnel vision and poor posture by my guess. Give us a video of you trying this live and we can trouble shoot.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 1/04/2011 9:26am

Originally Posted by EmperorCesar

Is the guard pass above simply not effective, or am I missing some minor details that are allowing my sparring partners to counter this type of guard pass easily?

IT is actually a very high percentage guard pass IMO. Especially if you have a good wrestling base. Stephan Kesting has a couple drills for this pass including the fire hydrant drill.

Here it is, he calls it the twitch pass.
YouTube - The 'Twitch Pass' from the Grappling Concepts Course

**DKJr** · Posted On: 1/04/2011 9:45am

Agreed, I do essentially the same concept as Kesting. Except it's more like a hip switch/sprawl to capture the foot across my stomach.

The issue of the kimura. Your head is too low on their stomach most likely allowing them to sit up to an extent. Your elbow is probably flared instead of tight to their thigh. I put my hand on their hip, and pull my my elbow down my body extending their leg. This makes it easy to pass over that knee across your stomach as it often the case with flexible or long legged guys.

Triangle/leg over the back etc issue. You're letting them hip out, and you're head is probably too low on their chest. A lot of time guys frame against my head to hip out to attack, I will counter by wrapping up their hips and suck them in then pass by that same hip switch maneuver Kesting did. This is assuming your not one arm under their leg as you're passing, if you are as they hip out switch to the single under pass if they counter that go back to your original pass or knee slice. (I believe that's what Omega is referring to as tunnel vision, being hell bent on finishing this one that you miss the open opportunity)

YMMV

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 1/04/2011 11:53am

@David Koresh-Yes, but won't know for sure unless I can see some free grappling.

**chingythingy** · Posted On: 1/04/2011 12:48pm

Originally Posted by EmperorCesar

There are two very common counters that seem to work on me:

Agree with others that we can't troubleshoot your exact issues w/o video.

1. Kimura - I always seem to get caught in it. Sometimes I get tapped, but most of the time I just have to defend it and start my guard pass all over again. I also get swept with this move. There have been times when I managed to counter the kimura by spinning around to the armbar, but it only works when I am already mostly passed the guard.

A general idea here is that you have to "hide" your arm that is getting kimura'd through the transition points of the pass while maintaining your base / balance. There are 2 places to do this. 1. Your elbow down and your wrist inside your own knee. 2. Down around their legs - if you grip both your hands together behind their legs this is an example of a position you can't get kimura'd. I stuff the knee with a low arm to pass this way, not always gripping behind their legs, but arm in a similar position.

2. The leg that isn't trapped is used to come over my back, and I either get my back taken, or swept. There have been times that I have been caught in a triangle this way.

The leg over the back isn't always the issue there - you have to trap the other leg - pin the hips and limit their mobility. I say isn't always as one of my instructors has a vicious shoulder lock from there.