Guard Passing
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Guard passing is getting past the bottom player's legs to a pin such as side control, north-south, or mount. Passes split into pressure passes that pin the hips and grind through, and speed passes that move the legs and go around them. The main ones are the knee cut, leg drag, toreando, body lock pass, stack pass, smash pass, and over-under.
The main guard passes, by name
Most passing games use a few of these and chain them, so defending one opens the next.
- Knee cut (knee slice)
- Drive your knee across their thigh while you control the upper body. The default pass against half guard and a bottom player turned toward you.
- Leg drag
- Pull one leg across your body and pin it with your hips, then settle or take the back. Best against legs that are up and active.
- Toreando (bullfighter)
- Push both legs aside and circle around them. A standing speed pass that lands in knee on belly or side control.
- Body lock pass
- Lock your hands around their hips, pin them with your chest, and step around. Strongest against butterfly and seated guard.
- Stack pass and over-under
- Fold their legs over their head, one arm under a leg and one over, and walk around. Beats guards that rely on hip movement and inverting.
- Smash pass and pressure passing
- Pin both knees to one side and drop your chest, then walk your hips past. Slow, heavy, and hard to sweep.
Pressure versus speed
Pressure passers make the guard miserable to hold. They crossface, staple the legs and grind through. Speed passers get around the legs before the bottom player can off-balance them. Most good passers do both, using pressure against guards that want space, like spider and De La Riva, and speed against guards that want contact, like butterfly and half guard.
Finish on a pin
A pass isn't done until you hold a pin. Under IBJJF rules a guard pass scores 3 points once you hold side control, north-south, or another position past the legs for 3 seconds. Go straight from the pass into side control, knee on belly or mount, and expect them to try to recover.
Knee cut or leg drag? →Free printable Guard Passing flowcharts
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Half butterfly passing
A system for switching between half butterfly outside passing and flank passing based on opponent reactions.
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Ankle pin passing from wide guard
Ruotolo-style leg pin passing. A passing system using foot pinning on opponent's ankle to control wide guard and transition to various passes.
Community flows for Guard Passing
- Lachy Lock: How Lachlan Giles Beat Marcelo Garcia — How Lachlan Giles beat Marcelo Garcia at ONE Fight Night 38: Marcelo's pressure passing, Lachlan's guard retention, and the leg entanglement entries. Marcelo…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass: Full System Map — Map of Lachlan Giles' six-volume body lock pass: one grip, five stages, the main counters, a closed guard opener, and live rolls. Start where you stall. New to…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 6: Live Rolling Patterns — Narrated Lachlan Giles rolls showing the body lock patterns that repeat live: resets, smash switch, squaring up, calf grip, and the shoulder-line fight. Six…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 5: Sao Paulo Open — Lachlan Giles' Sao Paulo closed guard opener into the body lock: posture, trap both feet, isolate one, clear, with counters to triangle and omoplata. It hands…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 4: Finishing the Pass — Lachlan Giles' last body lock stages, free the knee and the foot, with counters to lockdown, Kimura grip, and turtle, ending in side control or mount. Covers…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 3: Clearing the Knee Line — Lachlan Giles' middle stage of the body lock pass: arm then leg past the knee line, the sprawl-kick rule, and counters to guillotine and Kimura frame. Flatten…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 2: Setups & Entries — Every entry to Lachlan Giles' body lock: forcing them to sit up, grip breaks, and entries from butterfly, headquarters, Z-guard, reverse De La Riva. Includes a…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 1: Framework — Lachlan Giles' five-stage body lock pass: low grip, weight back past the knee line, head switching, blocking the near leg, and two common beginner errors. Also…
- Half Butterfly Passing Interplay — A system for switching between half butterfly outside passing and flank passing based on opponent reactions.
- Half Guard Kimura And Leglock Dilemma System — A half guard system that chains leg attacks, kimura, and armbar while addressing kimura prevention and top half guard passing options.
- Open Guard Passing Macro Mechanics — Jon Thomas' mechanical principles for entering, controlling, and passing various open guards into stable chest-to-chest pins.
- Toreando, High Step, And J-Point Camping System — Step-by-step guard passing for Gordon Ryan's system of combining toreando, high stepping, and J-point camping with specific head, grip, and leg mechanics to…
Frequently asked questions
What is the best guard pass in BJJ?
There isn't one. Each pass beats different guards. The knee cut, leg drag, toreando and body lock pass are the most common, and most good passers chain two or three of them.
What is the best guard passing style?
Neither. They answer different guards. Pressure suits a heavier, patient game and speed suits a mobile one, and most strong passers mix them.
How do I pass an open guard?
Beat the grips and hooks that off-balance you, control the hips or a leg to take away the bottom player's angle, then move to a pin. Get your posture and connection before you move.
Why do I get swept when I try to pass?
Usually because you commit your weight while the bottom player still controls a grip or hook. Clear their connection first, keep your base, and pass to a pin rather than lunging past the legs.
How many points is a guard pass?
3 points under IBJJF rules, awarded when you get past the legs and hold side control, north-south, or a similar position for 3 seconds.
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