Passing The Guard Tips The IRT Way

[Brian R. VanCise]

Here are some tips and suggestions to passing the guard at my blog:

The Instinctive Edge

 

[Hanzou]

Here are some tips and suggestions to passing the guard at my blog:

The Instinctive Edge

Uhh, yeah, good luck with those.....

You really shouldn't use/depend on groin shots to pass guard.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Actually I utilize BJJ solid fundamentals to pass the guard as that is my background! Add a groin shot along the way and that is just icing on the cake!

 

[Hanzou]

Actually I utilize BJJ solid fundamentals to pass the guard as that is my background! Add a groin shot along the way and that is just icing on the cake!

Those videos are not solid Bjj fundamentals. At least not the passing guard portion. In both vids, you're using groin shots to stun the target in order to allow the pass. I wouldn't call that icing on the cake, it IS the cake.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Those videos are not solid Bjj fundamentals. At least not the passing guard portion. In both vids, you're using groin shots to stun the target in order to allow the pass. I wouldn't call that icing on the cake, it IS the cake.

No actually I am utilizing fundamentals to get into position. Grabbing the collar, pressing on the chest, coming up, pushing hips forward opening the guard, controlling the thigh, grabbing the collar, applying weight, etc. I just add in a groin strike along the way. Hanzou just so you know my background I have trained extensively in BJJ for over twenty years. Received my Blue Belt from Caique and more rank along the way. Trained at the Warrior Way in Walled Lake Michigan with Harvey Berman, had the opportunity to train with Royce, Rolker Gracie, Renzo a few times and several of the Machados through the years. While out here in Las Vegas I have had the opportunity to make friends with a few BJJ instructors and train with them privately. Like everyone who practices I am always trying to get better and train with people better than myself. Certainly, like anyone along the way who trains I have added a few fillips as in my own personal touches. In a combative street pass I like a groin strike in there but that is really the only difference other than the low head position to guard the eyes in what I do other than my BJJ teachers. What I teach has worked as another IRT exponent has utilized IRT in the cage winning multiple times and also won a blackbelt grappling tournament in Texas. Another IRT exponent has been an amature mma champion in Michigan and this month will be fighting for another title not to mention the no gi grappling tournaments he has placed and won in. I am totally confident in not only what I teach but the methods that I use. You have an issue with the groin strike. Okay, got it, no big deal to me as it should be no big deal to you. However, that doesn't change that if you include it along with the fundamental movement it works! Nobody wants to get hit there and it eases your movement through any guard pass. By the way we also do standard bjj guard passes without the groin strike because well you cannot roll and be smashing your partner in the groin every day! Hope that helps your understanding!

 

[Hanzou]

No actually I am utilizing fundamentals to get into position. Grabbing the collar, pressing on the chest, coming up, pushing hips forward opening the guard, controlling the thigh, grabbing the collar, applying weight, etc. I just add in a groin strike along the way. Hanzou just so you know my background I have trained extensively in BJJ for over twenty years. Received my Blue Belt from Caique and more rank along the way. Trained at the Warrior Way in Walled Lake Michigan with Harvey Berman, had the opportunity to train with Royce, Rolker Gracie, Renzo a few times and several of the Machados through the years. While out here in Las Vegas I have had the opportunity to make friends with a few BJJ instructors and train with them privately. Like everyone who practices I am always trying to get better and train with people better than myself. Certainly, like anyone along the way who trains I have added a few fillips as in my own personal touches. In a combative street pass I like a groin strike in there but that is really the only difference in what I do than my BJJ teachers. What I teach has worked as another IRT exponent has utilized IRT in the cage multiple times and also won a blackbelt grappling tournament in Texas. Another IRT exponent has been an amature mma champion in Michigan and this month will be fighting for another title not to mention the no gi grappling tournaments he has placed and won in. I am totally confident in not only what I teach but the methods that I use. You have an issue with the groin strike. Okay, got it, no big deal to me as it should be no big deal to you. However, that doesn't change that if you include it along with the fundamental movement it works! Nobody wants to get hit there and it eases your movement through any guard pass. By the way we do guard passes without the groin strike because well you cannot roll and be smashing your partner in the groin every day! Hope that helps your understanding!

I respect your background, and your training. However, there were some big flaws in those vids that go beyond simply going for groin shots in guard. For example, that second video is an open invitation for an armlock or triangle choke. The guy actually puts himself INTO the choke as he's attempting to pass guard. The only reason he supposedly was able to do this was because the offender was too stunned from the groin shot to counter.

The stacking pass bothered me because you're leaving all of the opponent's limbs free. Why would I just sit there and let you punch me in the balls when I have both my arms and legs free to counter your stack? You're also leaving your arm exposed for an armlock, since you're not isolating the legs before going for that groin shot. I thought it was strange that you would think a grappler would try to punch you in the face when you've just given him your arm on a silver platter.

Again, I mean no disrespect, but those vids really bother me.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

No problem Hanzou,

The opponent does have his limbs free but I have transferred both collars to one hand so if he tries a sweep I have countered that already. Certainly he can move to open guard but then I would move to a different style pass. The arms grabbing the collar are slightly bent and ready to be pulled back to the core thus countering an armbar and or if he goes for it he will make the pass that much easier as I am sitting waiting on that counter. The arm single left with both collars is pressed on the inner thigh thus giving feeling of attempted armbar, etc. while striking down. Certainly any opponent has an opportunity to counter anything you do but that is the game. The trick is to be slightly ahead or know what your opponent can do thus countering him along the way. Like a game of chess!

Edit: I would add that when rolling (minus the groin strike) this is one of my favorite guard pass because of the structure and security. There is also a really, really nasty collar choke that almost nobody catches when you go for it because they think you are going for a guard pass and walla then they are caught!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

In the second video anytime you pass the guard you have the opportunity to be countered. In that video Kerry was not utilizing grabbing the gi collar in the pass. More like a no gi pass. As he moves through the pass there is as you pointed out always a chance for a triangle. Happens all the time in grappling and if the other guy is smooth he may get you or if you act at the right time you will pass. Always a counter to every technique!

 

[drop bear]

It is a single arm guard pass. Which if you are not super von grapple master you shouldn't do. That is why you get caught in the triangle.

There are better ways with less risk.

If you did a knee slide of some sort. They are less likely to triangle you and you can still put a cheeky groin shot in (which happens a lot in training anyway. It is harder to avoid than do)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OjN8-5lrTwE

And if you just want to be a mean bastard. Don't bother with the pass grab their head in a Thai grapple stack them and you have a dirty neck crank. I have caught good jitsers with that. But you don't make many friends. (Especially when you yell MMA beyarch when you do it)

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

No doubt about it there are other ways!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

It is a single arm guard pass. Which if you are not super von grapple master you shouldn't do. That is why you get caught in the triangle.

There are better ways with less risk.

If you did a knee slide of some sort. They are less likely to triangle you and you can still put a cheeky groin shot in (which happens a lot in training anyway. It is harder to avoid than do)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OjN8-5lrTwE

And if you just want to be a mean bastard. Don't bother with the pass grab their head in a Thai grapple stack them and you have a dirty neck crank. I have caught good jitsers with that. But you don't make many friends. (Especially when you yell MMA beyarch when you do it)

I like that pass as well. Very slick. I do not do it quite like he does as I prefer to have my hands on the belt or belt line area, arms in tight and then force the knee through. Basically the same pass just more in line with the opponent wearing a gi. Great pass though!

 

[drop bear]

No doubt about it there are other ways!

Sort of. The single arm was a staple guard pass at one point. I did it. I have seen a lot of legit styles do it. There were some older mc map demos of it.

But at some point people figured out that it was super risky and stopped.

So I am not suggesting a style variation for the sake of style. I would not advise anybody do the single arm guard pass ever.

Now people do do that pass. But they are at a level that can deal with the consequences. Which is in the ring a triangle. And the street. One of the very few times I would suggest eyegouge from the bottom.

 

[drop bear]

I like that pass as well. Very slick. I do not do it quite like he does as I prefer to have my hands on the belt or belt line area, arms in tight and then force the knee through. Basically the same pass just more in line with the opponent wearing a gi. Great pass though!

There are different versions of that all work OK.

Yeah I went for the knee slide because it is easy to get your head around. Generally you will only have one guard pass in a self defence arsenal.

 

[drop bear]

See for straight grappling getting caught in their guard is a really bad deal. So I can see why you might take big risks to escape. MMA it is not anywhere near as bad a situation. Because you can just sit there and wail on the guy.

He has to be really active on the bottom to be a threat.

So if we take this to the street. Good GNP from inside the guard would be a better position than the other guy trying to fight submissions on.

 

[Hanzou]

No problem Hanzou,

The opponent does have his limbs free but I have transferred both collars to one hand so if he tries a sweep I have countered that already. Certainly he can move to open guard but then I would move to a different style pass. The arms grabbing the collar are slightly bent and ready to be pulled back to the core thus countering an armbar and or if he goes for it he will make the pass that much easier as I am sitting waiting on that counter. The arm single left with both collars is pressed on the inner thigh thus giving feeling of attempted armbar, etc. while striking down. Certainly any opponent has an opportunity to counter anything you do but that is the game. The trick is to be slightly ahead or know what your opponent can do thus countering him along the way. Like a game of chess!

Edit: I would add that when rolling (minus the groin strike) this is one of my favorite guard pass because of the structure and security. There is also a really, really nasty collar choke that almost nobody catches when you go for it because they think you are going for a guard pass and walla then they are caught!

I've stacked enough people to know that if you don't control one of their legs on the stack, they're going to armbar you, and if they're really flexible, even triangle you. However, you are correct, there is a counter for everything. I just think you guys are giving up way too much to attempt to punch someone in the balls. A bjj guy has a higher chance of getting you in a bad situation during that stack, and the attempted pass in the second vid, than you do of hitting him in the groin to the point where he'll let you pass guard with no opposition. Honestly, I'd really like to see both of these attempted passes without the groin strike.

That said, if I'm ever in your neck of the woods, I'll definitely stop by.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Cool Hanzou hopefully some day we can get some training in. You can see me doing the low guard pass on the first video at the 8:57 mark. Notice on how I bring the non-passing hand inside and how low it is. You are not going to be triangle or get caught in an armbar unless the opponent can bring that arm forward. (which they might try and which you should be waiting for) The break in the opponents guard happens because your knee is in the middle of his butt and you take your other leg off at a 45 degree angle which generally will open the guard unless they have a significant length advantage on you. Then the strike, then the pass in that clip I go for the collar and stack. Without the strike think of the striking hand being low in the belt line or lower area along with the other hand and you place the knee in the butt, 45 degree off to get the guard open and then you move back and pass. Hands are low again making it hard for them to execute an armbar or a triangle. Down the road I will get a video clip of you showing this pass without the strike. Works great when rolling in conjunction with multiple other guard passes to give them some thing to think about.

 

[Steve]

It is a single arm guard pass. Which if you are not super von grapple master you shouldn't do. That is why you get caught in the triangle.

There are better ways with less risk.

If you did a knee slide of some sort. They are less likely to triangle you and you can still put a cheeky groin shot in (which happens a lot in training anyway. It is harder to avoid than do)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OjN8-5lrTwE

And if you just want to be a mean bastard. Don't bother with the pass grab their head in a Thai grapple stack them and you have a dirty neck crank. I have caught good jitsers with that. But you don't make many friends. (Especially when you yell MMA beyarch when you do it)

That video is the very first guard pass I ever learned. The knee slide to the other side (with an underhook) was the second guard pass. Both are solid.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Eh, worrying about passing the guard "for the street" is pretty pointless. No mugger is ever going to jump guard on you. If you do somehow end up inside someone's guard in a street fight, they almost certainly won't have any kind of solid skills in the position. If I were to find myself in that situation, I would probably default to the old Mario Sperry approach of standing and punching to force the guard open.

The basic pass you demonstrate is part of the old standard Gracie curriculum. As drop bear mentioned, it's mostly fallen out of favor in the larger BJJ community because there are safer, higher-percentage approaches available. Still, it is a legit technique, though not one I'm personally fond of.

Received my Blue Belt from Caique and more rank along the way.

Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by "more rank"? Purple belt? Stripes on your blue belt?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by "more rank"? Purple belt? Stripes on your blue belt?

Hey Tony,

I stopped chasing rank in BJJ a long, long time ago. It felt like belt testing to me which I had already done before. Train, go to a seminar get rank. When I received multiple stripes at a certain point and passed one of my instructors who did not attend seminars I knew some thing was wrong. (because he worked me over every day and everyone else as well ) Now things are a bit different in that more instructors with higher rank can issue rank in their school. We used to rely on Royce, Rolker, Caique, etc. to issue rank when they would come in for seminars. Or we went to another seminar with someone else and rinse and repeat. The seminar would take place, techniques would be taught and then people would roll at the end and walla if you caught someone's eye you got rank. Very random! When one of my instructors was trying for rank he and I were rolling and it was close. No rank. (yet he beat me silly every class) When I got my first belt I rolled with a BJJ purple belt who also had just fought in King of the Cage and outweighed me by about a 100 lbs. I held my own for a couple of minutes and walla I got a blue belt. Once again pretty random. (though of course I expect some politicking was happening behind the scenes) Currently in my training with private lessons in BJJ I also seek no rank. Do not want it and never have plans on teaching BJJ. Though I love the skill set and consider BJJ one of the absolute best martial systems out there. It is not why I train! Hope that helps.

FYI when I train in Budo Taijutsu, Modern Arnis, Balintawak, Silat or whatever else I seek no rank. Ijust want to train!!!