Back To The Basics…The Back Step Pass
Sometimes it is best to go back to the basics. It can rejuvenate your game, since as you move up in experience/belts, your game expands. One of the basics techniques you can always revisit is the back step pass. The back step pass is an old school, basic yet effective way of passing the half guard. It is one you can do quickly and get out of anyone’s pesky half guard to side control. Let us examine how you can use the back step pass to get right out of the half guard position…
When you get put in the half guard, that is the time to act. It is important not to wait and let your opponent attempt techniques. Once you are there, you need to get out. So, as you get put in the half guard, you need to post both of your arts. While you post, you need to clamp your arm to your opponent’s under hooking arm so that you don’t have your back taken, but still have it posted. Next you need to tripod up and raise your hips. When you do this, your knee that is trapped within the half guard should become freed up.
While your knee is out, you need to switch your hips and take a big, strong back step with your completely free leg. You should back step to the other side of where your leg is. After you back step, you need to lower your hips to the mat and use your free arm to under hook his now far leg. The arm that was clamping your opponent’s arm will now come under his neck, and control him, also allowing you to put shoulder pressure on his face if needed. Now you must scoot your hips back a few times to get the proper distance, and then use your formerly back stepping leg to push down your opponent’s near side leg to free yourself from the half guard completely. You are clear of the half guard and have now moved into side control. Time to work!
Passing the guard, especially the half guard can be tricky. There is so much going on between you on top, and your opponent on the bottom. Both of you have two very different goals and are trying to implement your techniques. But if you have solid passing, you should be able to get through every time. If you need a great resource for passing the half guard, closed guard and more, then check out…
Rodolfo Vieira’s Smash, Pass & Finish DVD set. Click here!
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