Guard Passing
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Guard passing is the art of getting past the bottom player's legs to a dominant pin. It splits broadly into pressure passing that flattens and smothers, and speed or floating passing that moves around the legs before they can connect.
Pressure versus speed
Pressure passers beat the guard by making it miserable to hold: heavy crossfaces, staple the legs, and grind through. Speed passers beat it by movement and timing, getting around the legs before the bottom player can off-balance them. Most complete passers can do both and switch based on the guard in front of them.
Pass to a pin, not just past the legs
A pass is not finished until you have a stable pin. The strongest passing games chain the pass directly into side control, knee-on-belly, or mount, and treat the bottom player's recovery attempts as the next branch rather than a surprise.
Free printable Guard Passing flowcharts
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Half butterfly passing
A system for switching between half butterfly outside passing and flank passing based on opponent reactions.
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Ankle pin passing from wide guard
Ruotolo-style leg pin passing. A passing system using foot pinning on opponent's ankle to control wide guard and transition to various passes.
Community flows for Guard Passing
- Lachy Lock: How Lachlan Giles Beat Marcelo Garcia — How Lachlan Giles beat Marcelo Garcia at ONE Fight Night 38: Marcelo's pressure passing, Lachlan's guard retention, and the leg entanglement entries. Marcelo…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass: Full System Map — Map of Lachlan Giles' six-volume body lock pass: one grip, five stages, the main counters, a closed guard opener, and live rolls. Start where you stall. New to…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 6: Live Rolling Patterns — Narrated Lachlan Giles rolls showing the body lock patterns that repeat live: resets, smash switch, squaring up, calf grip, and the shoulder-line fight. Six…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 5: Sao Paulo Open — Lachlan Giles' Sao Paulo closed guard opener into the body lock: posture, trap both feet, isolate one, clear, with counters to triangle and omoplata. It hands…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 4: Finishing the Pass — Lachlan Giles' last body lock stages, free the knee and the foot, with counters to lockdown, Kimura grip, and turtle, ending in side control or mount. Covers…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 3: Clearing the Knee Line — Lachlan Giles' middle stage of the body lock pass: arm then leg past the knee line, the sprawl-kick rule, and counters to guillotine and Kimura frame. Flatten…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 2: Setups & Entries — Every entry to Lachlan Giles' body lock: forcing them to sit up, grip breaks, and entries from butterfly, headquarters, Z-guard, reverse De La Riva. Includes a…
- Lachlan Giles Body Lock Pass, Vol 1: Framework — Lachlan Giles' five-stage body lock pass: low grip, weight back past the knee line, head switching, blocking the near leg, and two common beginner errors. Also…
- Half Butterfly Passing Interplay — A system for switching between half butterfly outside passing and flank passing based on opponent reactions.
- Half Guard Kimura And Leglock Dilemma System — A half guard system that chains leg attacks, kimura, and armbar while addressing kimura prevention and top half guard passing options.
- Open Guard Passing Macro Mechanics — Jon Thomas' mechanical principles for entering, controlling, and passing various open guards into stable chest-to-chest pins.
- Toreando, High Step, And J-Point Camping System — Step-by-step guard passing for Gordon Ryan's system of combining toreando, high stepping, and J-point camping with specific head, grip, and leg mechanics to…
Frequently asked questions
What is the best guard passing style?
Neither pressure nor speed is strictly better; they answer different guards. Pressure suits a heavier, methodical game, speed suits a mobile one, and strong passers blend the two.
How do I pass an open guard?
Beat the grips and hooks that off-balance you, control the hips or a leg to take away the bottom player's angle, then move to a pin. Forcing posture and connection before you move is the common thread.
Why do I get swept when I try to pass?
Usually because you commit your weight while the bottom player still controls a grip or hook. Clear their connection first, keep your base, and pass to a pin rather than lunging past the legs.
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