Body Lock Pass from BJJ Takedowns

Body Lock Pass from BJJ Takedowns is a transition between related positions built around a handful of repeatable controls. The opponent has stood up while the attacker is still attached to him, having released the closed guard but maintained upper-body contact. Another common starting shape: the attacker is behind the opponent with a closed body lock at the waist and the opponent has no whizzer or underhook to defend. It is worth attempting once comfortable with: Stalled double leg transition into a body-lock and comfortable with: Slide. The ideas that hold it together are low grip controls hips, stay attached during stand-up, and double-under leverage.

The body lock pass chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Pummel the second underhook in and lock an S-grip low on the back. Stay low so planting the feet automatically lifts the opponent. Drop the hips and plant the feet, securing the lower back grip. Drive forward to complete the takedown. Drop hips below the opponent's center of gravity. Squeeze the body lock tight and load them onto the hips. Step out to one side to break the loading line. Twist and dump them off the loaded hip rather than throwing straight backwards. The attacker has secured double underhooks low on the opponent's back, planted the feet, and driven the takedown to land in a top position.

Later in the body lock pass, hips under center of mass, off-axis dumping rather than straight-up suplex, and body lock lift tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Gripping high on the back, where the opponent can hip-out. Standing tall before the grip is set. Trying to lift with the back instead of the legs. Standing too tall before the lift attempt. The high-percentage version of body lock pass from bjj takedowns is the one you can still chain when the next position is contested.