Mix Up Your Passing
How you pass depends on the scenario
To pressure or not to pressure, that is the question!? There are two major styles of passing that most people use. They either choose to be a pressure passer or a mobility passer. Both styles offer inherent advantages that allow the pass to happen. Another choice is to pass from your knees or your feet. All of these options can cause a little paralysis by over analysis.
When first learning guard passing it is easier to choose how to start based on body type and athleticism. If you feel clumsy on your feet but are strong perhaps pressure passing from your knees is the way to go. If you are a coiled ball of fast twitch muscle fiber than maybe mobility passing is your place.
Use leglocks as more than submissions! Click Learn More!
The truth is that the best type of passing utilizes both pressure and mobility passing from either the feet or the knees. Variety and keeping the person in their guard guessing is a strong strategy when passing the guard. Often times a passer will simply attempt an initial pass only to switch to another pass based off of the guarders reaction.
Passing the guard might also be determined by the type of guard that the person is playing. Certain guards are more easily thwarted with pressure such as de la riva guard. While others such as half guard are difficult to even get started with a mobile passer who stays light on their feet.
This ADCC standout shows his passing game! Click Learn More!
Where to leg locks fit in? The fear of leg locks can cause an over correction with the guarder’s legs. This can be utilized to help pass the guard. Australia’s own Craig Jones demonstrates this principle here. Using our feet from the guard to control hips is a very common occurrence. Anytime a foot is outstretched to control it becomes vulnerable for leg attacks. Threatening the leg attack will cause the guarder to pull his feet back, thus giving the change of direction needed to enter into a passing headquarters that Jones uses here.
Whether you are a mobile or pressure passer predominantly, it will pay off to be proficient in both. One will feed off of the other, and ultimately lead you to passing the guard. Mix in a little leg battling and you have a triple threat situation of passing.
For more on how Craig Jones using leglocks not only as deadly weapons in and of themselves, but also to initiate his guard passes, check out his DVD/On Demand instructional that will show you just that! In How to Pass Guards Quickly, he will show you all of his secrets! Get it here at BJJ Fanatics!
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