Defending the Toreando Pass
Posted by Ismail Safi on
Most people consider the toreando pass to be an exclusively gi guard pass, however, the toreando works very well without the gi and many grapplers who pass from a standing position utilize it. Personally, I find the toreando pass to be the most difficult pass defend, especially as a guy with thinner legs.
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In the gi, the toreando pass is initated by grabbing at the inner seams of the pants. Without the gi, the best way to pin the legs is by grabbing the feet and pushing them down. The pass is then completed by rotating around the hips of the guard player and then dropping the shoulder to apply a lot of pressure and finish.
By understanding how the toreando pass works, we can figure out a way defend it. You might intuitively think that you can just stop the guard passer from pinning the legs, but this is too difficult. Instead, we can utilize the motion they do to set up their grips and pin the legs to get a head start on our defense. Watch the video below to see what I mean:
When defending this pass, many grapplers limit themselves by staying flat on their back. This is a huge problem because shrimping and blocking will not defend against grapplers who move quick on their feet. The right thing to do, really anytime you play open guard, is sit in an up right position.
The grip break Priit explains in this video works very well, but why stop at the grip break. Instead, you can connect this defense with a simple arm drag that will lead to a back take or sweep or even bring you up to a single leg take down.
Mikey shows all his best guard tactics, traps, and attacks as he leads you through a guard player masterclass! Mike, who is not only a genius on the mat but in the classroom as well, has turned Jiu Jitsu into his own laboratory. He understands that the best way to retain your guard is to learn how to stop every pass! He will tell you, as if you are there… the tips and tricks to stop every pass. Once you know how, all you have to do is do it!
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