Over-Under Pass
Guard pass · Closed Guard
The over-under takes you from inside his open guard to side control with slow, heavy pressure. The moment is when he raises one leg. Thread one arm under that leg and the other arm over his other leg; grip the far collar or hip with the under arm and put your head tight on the outside of the under-hooked leg's hip, never between his legs. The over arm pins his hip to the mat while your shoulder drives into the raised thigh, folding it toward his chest and stacking his hips. Walk toward his head as the underhook hand creeps up to his armpit, and slide into side control as the leg comes off your shoulder. With the head on the wrong side, your head and arm are set for his triangle. If he pushes your head away, switch to the Knee Slice Pass.
How to do it
- Thread one arm under a leg and the other arm over the other leg, so one leg is on your shoulder side and the other is pressed down.
- Grip the far collar or hip with the under arm and put your head tight on the hip of the under-hooked leg, on the outside, never between their legs.
- With the over arm grip their pants low, near the ankle, and drive your shoulder into the thigh of the under-hooked leg, folding it toward their chest.
- Walk your legs to the side, toward their head, slowly and heavy, while the underhook hand creeps up to their armpit.
- Slide into side control as the leg comes off your shoulder, keeping the hip pinned until your chest is on theirs.
- Step a little to the side and stretch the over-hooked leg down to the mat, hooking it with your own leg, so your knee gets past their knee line before you walk around.
Key details
- Heavy pressure through the shoulder, no rush: the pass works by wearing them down, not by speed.
- Head on the side of the arm that goes under; on the other side your head and arm are set for a triangle.
- Pin their hip with your hand as you walk around, so they cannot shrimp away and re-guard.
- Drive your shoulder into the thigh of the underhooked leg, head on the outside: the folded leg stacks their hips and takes away their movement.
- Walk toward their head while the underhook hand creeps up to the armpit, so you finish already controlling the upper body.
Common mistakes
- Head on the wrong side, on the side of the over arm. — Your head and an arm are inside their legs, which sets up a triangle for them. — Put your head on the side of the arm that goes under the leg.
- Rushing around the legs. — Rushing lifts your weight, and they escape the pressure. — Move slowly and stay heavy, one step at a time.
- No hip pin with the over arm. — A free hip lets them shrimp away and re-guard. — Pin the hip to the mat with your hand as you walk around.
- Opening the over arm to push their knee down. — The bent, open arm is a gift for their kimura. — Grip the lowest part of the pants and stretch the leg with your legs and footwork, not your arm.
If they defend
- They invert. → Keep the hip pinned and walk around.
How to drill it
Over-under pass with slow, heavy pressure, 8 each side; then against an active guard.
What comes next