question about guard passing and more..

[mixwell]

Wow today in class we learned the ezekial choke... its such a sneaky choke !! i love it.. i think its about the only choke I would be able to apply while rolling.. i also got my white belt 1st degree mark. I know I still have a long way to go. Ive only been training since the beginning of april but I go about 4 times a week. I have a question though.. Are there any good guard passes that work real well ?? the one I know is where you grab the pants and block the knee with your elbow and then you sit back and put your knee into their but and sit back to break open the legs.. From there you reach around the opponents leg and grab his collar and stack him.. Its very hard for me to break the guard though and I find I get armbarred soo much when im in my opponents guard.. recently i just keep my knees by his hips and more or less lay by his chest when I feel the attempt coming but I dont know.. Any ideas ? Are guard passes usually risky ? do they leave you open for armbar and/or triangle most of the time ??

btw im about 5'11 225lbs is that helps.. so i am a bigger guy..

[vadrip]

Keeping tight while passing limits the other person's options as far as getting submissions, sweeps and etc. Just as keeping posture to break the guard limits the man from getting submission, sweeps, grips and such.

Rather than tell you exactly how to break the guard open or pass specifically, just ask your teacher and sparring partners because it can be difficult and rather lengthy on how to describe a pass or how to break open the guard in words. The passing the guard book is a good investment if you care to look into it.

Also, if you watch instructionals try Roy Harris bjj 101ositionals escapes-it has more than escapes, it has your most basic kneeling passes and the resistance you tend to encounter, how to have posture while escaping position and breaking the guard open.

Micheal Jens Ultimate Guard Passing one is also good, both he and Harris have similar detailed oriented teaching methods and are both black belts under Joe Moreira, Jens ties into how break the guard open, avoid subs, and puts different kneeling and standing passes into combinations.

Bill Cogswell's positional dvds have escapes and passes and ties bjj with catchwrestling to give a different kind of perspective on grappling.

[wardancer]

Well it sounds you are ready for some more advanced move.
What about the thrusting choke "amassa pao"?
Choke the dude by using gi collar inside the guard.
Grap each lapels with the hands, push one hand across the throat while pulling back with the other hand.
Your opponent can counter by attacking your arms by arm bar.
As soonest he attacks by opening his guard to set you up for an arm bar, pass the guard.

[Tant01]

Amassa pao???

Well it sounds you are ready for some more advanced move.
What about the thrusting choke "amassa pao"?
Choke the dude by using gi collar inside the guard.
Grap each lapels with the hands, push one hand across the throat while pulling back with the other hand.
Your opponent can counter by attacking your arms by arm bar.
As soonest he attacks by opening his guard to set you up for an arm bar, pass the guard.

I see, you only have a problem with Japanese names for techniques, eh?


MORE KATA FOR YOU!!!

[gregimotis]

As an aside to the poster -

The gaurd escape you describe is a really nice first one to learn. There are several other escapes which work almost the same, are simpler, but don't work quite as consistently. So, keep practicing that one and as you are introduced to others, you'll see how having learned the 'basic' helps with the rest.

[Tant01]

Mind my manners...

I see, you only have a problem with Japanese names for techniques, eh?


MORE KATA FOR YOU!!!

I suppose I'm just confused by the Portuguese names. Perhaps I'm even resistant to learning NEW names for the techniques... It was difficult enough to learn the many variations of lapel choking techniques let alone the NAMES in a foreign language.

Thumbs in or out? In Judo circles it's a Tsukkomi-jime, thrust choke.

In BJJ that might well result in a straight arm lock or triangle choke if it is used to attempt to open a closed gaurd so you can pass? Anyone? I would think giving the bottom player your arm(s) as "bait" to set up the pass might be a serious risk?

Avoiding and preventing potential submissions is half the battle.

[cakegirl]

There are many different types of guard pass, and you will keep learning them. There's no one guard pass that's better than another, for the simple reason that no two guards are the same. One guard pass might work well against a particular opponent on a given day, when another one will work better against a different opponent. You have to wait and see what opportunities your opponent gives you, and then use the pass that works for them.

[gregimotis]

There are many different types of guard pass, and you will keep learning them. There's no one guard pass that's better than another, for the simple reason that no two guards are the same. One guard pass might work well against a particular opponent on a given day, when another one will work better against a different opponent. You have to wait and see what opportunities your opponent gives you, and then use the pass that works for them.

This is the correct answer.

[mixwell]

Thanks for the advice.. Its hard to pass that way also because my opponents always seem to keep there hips on my knees and as soon as i go to break back they go for an armbar. I usually follow their hips and lay down. then comes the choke as soon as I lay by their chest to avoid the armbar... I guess I need to learn some counters to things.. I know you react to your opponents movements but it seems like i dont have the ammo to try to fire back.. Mainly when I'm in my opponents guard I try to not get subbed.. I just need some more offense I guess. I just lack mat time.. The more rolling you do the better you get.. My experience in BJJ though has been better than I thought.. My instructor is Maricio "tinguinha" Mariano.. Anyone heard of him ?? ok im out..

Peace

[cakegirl]

Mixwell, it sounds like you're doing the right thing. Last month, Royler explained at a seminar that when you're in the guard, you have three things you need to do, in order.

1. Don't get submitted (from your last post, it looks like this is what you're doing, which is good, because it's the first and most important thing)
2. Don't get swept - because in a competition you lose points, and in self-defence you are in a worse position once you're swept
3. When you're safe from the first two, try to pass - he was very clear that it should be "try" to pass, because the pass is not definite, and he thought it creates less mental stress during a competition if you say to yourself that you are going to try something, rather than that you "have" to do it.

It's OK, Mixwell, slowly your guard passing will improve. I know that a few weeks ago, my instructor taught a whole week of classes on guard passing - 2 or 3 variations per class - and most were new to me (I'm a blue belt). I also know that my guard passing improved bigtime during that week, and that now I can start to see the passes that my opponents are "giving" me. But it all comes with time!

[aseepish]

To put what cakegirl said in another way: Focus on BASE first - keep your head up. Having good base is the first priority, the actual pass is the second.

Personally I prefer to pass over the leg rather than under it.