Issue 100

April 2013

Break jiu-jitsu! Use your body to build strength, co-ordination and flexibility for passing the guard'

SIDE-TO-SIDE PASS

This drill will help you speed up your changes in angle of attack when passing guard. Your partner starts on their back, feet on the mat. From an angle, post your right hand on their left leg, and your left hand in the center of their legs. With all your weight through the hands, spin your body over the other side. Reverse hand position and spin back. Once you have learned the co-ordination and weight transference you can increase the speed of execution.

UNDERHOOK PASS/HIP ESCAPE DRILL

This drill allows both players to work practical techniques simultaneously. The top player underhooks one leg, and begins to circle towards the side control. The bottom player starts to hip escape, blocking the hip and shoulder and turning to one shoulder. The top player instantly changes the direction of his attack, sliding over the near leg and underhooking the far side. As the top player circles around the, bottom player hip escapes again and the drill resets. Repeat. This will really work both the core and upper body of both players in a manner that is both tough, and has direct carry-over into the cage.

JUMP GUARD PASS

Gripping the legs as though you’ve just executed a double-leg takedown, jump over the bottom man’s legs. Switching the head to the other side, return to the start position. Repeat. This will stress your conditioning at the same time as helping to underpin your guard-passing repertoire.

CROSS SLIDE DRILL

Similar to the jump pass, the cross slide is a tighter movement that takes advantage of the opponent’s attempts to escape to further the position. Beginning in a loosely established side control, the bottom man will hip escape. Sensing the movement, the top man will slide his far shin over the shin of the bottom man, switching his base as he crosses to the opposite side. The bottom man continues to hip escape, the top man continues to slide over, always maintaining as much of his body in contact with his partner as possible.

This is another drill that will really tax your core and cardiovascular system, and will pay dividends on fight night.

FLIP-FLOP PASS

A jiu-jitsu adaptation of the wrestling flip-flop, the top man will flatten out the sitting guard of the bottom man, pinning his shoulders to the mat with both hooks trapped inside. The top man posts on his head and flips over, maintaining a grip around the thighs. The top man walks back around in front of the guard, and flips again, before walking around to the other side. Repeat. This is good for neck strength but fantastic for flexibility, a much underestimated attribute.