The Pressure Of The Leg Drag Pass

By Corey Kuropas, November 29, 2016

One of the great passes in BJJ that you can learn is the leg drag pass. When done correctly, it is a pass that will put pressure on your opponent and let you have total and tight control. The leg drag also allows for some interesting options such as back takes, and some submissions. But before all of that, you have to know how to do the leg drag pass. Here are two ways that you can perform it. There is a way for gi and a way for no gi. Check them out…

Let’s start with the guard pass in the gi. As with most techniques, learning it in the gi first will give you the base and knowledge you need. Let’s say that you are attacking the left leg of your opponent. First, start out in an even, squatted stance and grab his ankle with your same side hand. Use your other hand to grab the bottom of his pant. Cross his ankle to your opposite hip and pull it straight through and over your hip. Once it is over, drop your chest on his leg to keep it stationary and drop your weight onto your right knee. From there, you’ll put your head in the center of his chest, and get an underhook with your left arm. The completion of the pass is there, and a possible back take as well. JT Torres shows this pass in the video below.

But anything fundamental that you learn in gi, you need to be able to transfer that to the no gi sector as well. The no gi way to do the leg drag, is similar but different because of the lack of applicable gi grips. Start out in the same squatted stance. Use your left hand to grab his left ankle. Push it across your hip and use your right hand to cup his knee. Once those are attained, pass it over your hip and drop your chest onto his leg. While you will drop your weight down, you won’t go all the way down to your knee. Use your right arm to get an underhook, and your left arm to crossface your opponent. Pass and go right into side control.

The leg drag can be a dominating pass, and you can make your opponent feel your weight and pressure. It is so strong, because all of the control that you use for it. It wears down the person that you’re up against. Your hips, upper body, and connections (either gi grips or underhooks) really do a number. Atos black belt, JT Torres is a master of passes, especially the leg drag. His DVD set Passing, Back Takes & Finishes show some of these masterful techniques.

Check out Passing, Back Takes & Finishes for only $97!