one arm under guard pass

**fanger123** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 6:52pm

is one arm under guard pass THAT bad?

i was reading http://members.aol.com/bjj33/renzoroylerbook.htm

the author seems to strongly oppose the one hand under pass, but most if not all the gracie books i own include the that particular pass...

in my experience, i've passed / been passed with the one arm pass, and i have also been triangled as well (note i'm a white belt so my basics still need work)

**Boyd** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 7:06pm

The one arm pass is only THAT bad if you perform it with poor posture, as Renzo/Royler demonstrates in Theory and Technique. They then try to retcon a new meaning to the purpose of the drill by saying it teaches "principles of movement" or some such silliness, which is possibly the greatest disgrace to MMA since Kickcatcher discovered Pankration.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 7:40pm

As boyd mentions it has a lot to do with posture. If you've got a strong combat base you'll more often than not be okay, though it is still often risky and you become more vulnerable to armbars and omaplatas. The bigger component for being successful and not getting the **** choked out of you while doing a one arm in pass has to do with what you're doing with your other arm.

I used to almost exclusively pass with a single leg underhooked and really only got triangled by browns and up. The difference between my passing and the gracie gift version is posture and using the "in" arm to pin their other leg to the ground. This is often taught, but poorly and in a manner that allows your opponent to pull your arm back in for the triangle. To pin the leg, don't use your palm/hand/etc, use your forearm. I would typically have my hand essentially cupping the top of their quad while my forearm was pinning the inside of their leg to the ground. Ideally you drive and touch the elbow to the ground, generally preventing your opponent from being able to get the arm back.

While I was quite successful with this pass, like all things it too has passed. I no longer have the success I used to. Instead my training partners roll out. Too bad, it was great to combo it with a paper cutter pass.

**fanger123** · Posted On: 10/26/2007 12:40pm

thanks guys!

and... wha's a paper cutter pass ? :T

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/26/2007 12:59pm

I'm not allowed to use it anymore so I'll be damned if I tell anyone else what it is.

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 11/06/2007 5:00pm

I find that the one arm in pass is good if you a) keep a high posture and b) keep your arm by their ankle, not their knee. b) is much easier in gi where you can grab and control the end of the pant leg.