Connecting the Toreando to the Leg Drag with Lachlan Giles

By Fanatics Authors, February 20, 2019

If you’re a fan of the looser style of guard passing, the toreando pass is probably a heavy hitter in your passing line up. Done properly the toreando can be a great way to use agility and good timing to work your way through your partners guard. Usually connecting to the pants of our opponent and keeping our legs at a bit of a distance, we can move in a circular motion around our partner’s guard. The hard part for most players seems to be in the finish. Often times we can get around the legs, but not letting them back into the game once we’ve arrived at the side of our partner can be challenging.

Let’s take a look at a video from Lachlan Giles. He offers us some insight on the toreando, and some great details to make sure that we cement the finish and don’t end up back in the clutches of our partners guard. He also connects the toreando to the leg drag, taking things a step further. Check it out!

Setting up the pass, Giles prefers his far grip to be just below the knee on his partner’s gi pants. His other hand rests on his partner’s knee, cupping it, so he can manipulate it as he sees fit. One important detail I picked up here is the idea of already being on the move as you begin to secure your initial grips. Also, as Giles moves to the side he’s pushing outward on his grip on the pants, to keep his partner from getting his foot back into the game. As Giles arrives at his partners side, he begins to push the bottom knee away, and then pushes the far leg, landing with his hip connected to his partners hip. He is now past the guard and ready to establish side control.

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Often times, as with any passing attempt we will meet resistance as we try to complete the toreando. Our partner will usually frame, and begin trying to retain their guard. Giles has an awesome answer for this problem. As he circles, and his partner begins to frame, he slides his partners ankle up into his armpit. He simultaneously steps across to the other side and puts his leg down on his partners leg, pinning it. He then pulls his partners knee deeper into the leg drag position to stop guard retention. From here he tripods and hugs his partners hips, also keeping his head snug to his partner. Giles then circles around completing the pass.