Guard pass compilation

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 8/11/2009 11:52pm

I've taken the route of picking 3 takedowns and working those before class or with some of my guys outside of class just to get SOME takedowns that I excel at. Haven't gotten to the "Excel" part yet, but I'm getting to nonsuck levels...
I think that's the happy compromise if you don't have access to Judo, which I don't. I'll be busting my ass on these three takedowns for the next month until NAGA.

**AKRhino** · Posted On: 9/02/2009 3:53pm

I worked on the Tozi style passing for a while. I really like the way Tozi switches his hips. I really want to be able to use this, but I've had varying results with it so far. Using the Chim Chim variation of the Tozi pass, I have had some difficulties. First, I have had people (one particularly tall/lanky guy in particular) reach across my back and underhook my foot-grabbin hand. My coach did this to me as well and was able to take my back. Second, I have had people take the leg that I'm not killing, around my back where they hook it over my shoulder. I notice this doesn't stop the pass, it is quite irritating. Any advice?

**chingythingy** · Posted On: 9/08/2009 1:55am

Basically if you are adept at a few variations of the under leg pass / double under, baseball slide passes, and you want to work variety, there are two other families of guard passing that stand out:

1) Smash pass - the good old Carlos Gracie family pass - centered on smashing down the top knee and passing over it - there are a number of variations and Joe Moreira's books cover them (mentioned earlier). This family of passes works well against all the lockdown half guard game.

2) Toreando / bullfighter pass - knee grips, pin to ground and run around one side or the other.

I'm not trying to make a step-by-step on those 2 families, but just to point out that each have variations and sequences you can use to expand your double under / single under pass games.

**FLMikeATT** · Posted On: 10/11/2009 5:05pm

I prefer open guard passes to closed passes myself. I start by breaking the guard (sometimes standing, other times on knees) and then I like to back up a little, get my grips, and start a pass.

I've used Saulo's x-pass and it's variations to success...it also combines well with other passes so you can always switch in the middle of a pass if it isn't working.

Of course, you have to always be careful of your opponent getting their own grips and working spider guard, DLR, or single leg guard, but if you are comfortable working from open guard, this shouldn't be a problem unless one of these open guards is your opponents bread and butter.

**Zapruder** · Posted On: 10/11/2009 5:12pm

I havent seen much talk on attacking while passing, or at least threatening to attack. I am a lover of the leglocks and this REALLY helps my passing game because people have to worry about a kneebar or heelhook/anklelock as well as the pass.

I normally use a kneeride from combat base style pass so I have full control of the legs while protecting myself from armbars and chokes and sweeps. I dont know if you lick messin with the legs, but there is another option to play with.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/12/2009 3:23pm

Random aside:
The answer to most passing problems really seems to be "go right" up to the mid-brown level. This thread stems from my inability to do anything but "go left".

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 10/12/2009 10:15pm

I will say, my guard passing against the more skilled folk has gotten a lot more consistent since I started mixing some leglocks into my game as per Zapruder's suggestion. I'm not doing any kind of constant ankle diving every time I get in open guard, but a few leg attacks fit in really well with the rest of my game and have upped my percentages significantly.

Upa: I am intrigued by the seemingly cryptic nature of your previous post and demand elaboration.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/13/2009 6:12pm

I can guarantee with absolutely no certainty that the majority of your training partners pass to their left. You probably do too. As a result, most people are decent at re-guarding or defending passes against their right. It is far less common for people to pass the other way, hence it is easier to pass that way. Unfortunately you have to break the bad habit of passing to one side and clean up your technique going that way.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 10/13/2009 6:42pm

Holy ****... You're right. I just sat and thought about it for a few minutes and I rarely, if ever, pass to my right... I'm gonna spend all day at class tomorrow trying to pass to the right.

**Fighting Cephalopod** · Posted On: 10/13/2009 7:12pm

Interestingly, while I usually force half-guard to my left, when I do full baseball slide passes to side it's almost always to my right. I usually headstand-pass butterfly guard to my right, too.