The MOST Underrated Passing Grip in Jiu Jitsu

Summary

This instructional Jiu-Jitsu video explores the unorthodox yet effective use of sleeve controls for passing the guard. The host explains how controlling the sleeve can prevent opponents from using their elbow for leverage, disrupt their guard retention, and create opportunities for various passes. The video offers five top techniques, supported by competition footage, to integrate this strategy into viewers' Jiu-Jitsu games, enhancing their grappling skills and match pacing.

Takeaways

• 🔑 Sleeve control is highly effective in guard passing, not just in guard playing positions.
• 🚫 Controlling the opponent's sleeve prevents them from using their elbow on the floor to retain guard.
• 💪 Grip funneling forces the opponent to play into certain grips, limiting their defensive options.
• 📉 Controlling the sleeve makes it difficult for the opponent to come up on top or use their elbow for defense.
• 🤼‍♂️ Proper sleeve control helps center the opponent's shoulder blades, making it easier to consolidate and finish passes.
• 🔒 Sleeve control hinders the opponent's ability to lasso their arm or turn into a turtle position.
• ➡️ Effective sleeve control includes transitioning to different grips and adapting to the opponent's guard defense.
• 👊 Controlling the near side sleeve disrupts the opponent's ability to grab a single leg or set up guard positions.
• 🔄 Using the sleeve grip can facilitate various passing techniques, including knee cut passes and throw-bys.
• 🎥 The video emphasizes the importance of unorthodox passing strategies and invites viewers to suggest future video topics.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on demonstrating an unorthodox and useful passing grip in Jiu-Jitsu, particularly when on top of the guard, and explaining its effectiveness.

Why is controlling the sleeve from the top position effective in passing the guard?

Controlling the sleeve from the top blocks the opponent from using their elbow on the floor for retaining guard, making it easier to prevent them from turning back into you.

What is the concept of 'grip funneling' in Jiu-Jitsu?

Grip funneling is forcing your opponent into a specific grip that they have to play into, which can limit their options and force them to defend in positions they are less comfortable with.

How does controlling the sleeve help in preventing the opponent from coming up to their elbow?

By controlling the sleeve, it becomes impossible for the opponent to come up to their elbow, which is a common way to regain a standing position or to initiate a takedown.

What is the significance of centering the opponent's shoulder blades when passing the guard?

Centering the opponent's shoulder blades helps in locking them to the mat, making it easier to consolidate and pin them down when executing a pass.

How does the sleeve control make it difficult for the opponent to last over their own arm?

The sleeve control acts like a straight jacket, preventing the opponent from turning away completely and coming up into a defensive turtle position.

What are some common situations where you might end up controlling the far side sleeve in Jiu-Jitsu?

Common situations include when attempting a knee cut pass, when controlling the pants and the opponent breaks the grip, or during transitions from other guard positions like de la Riva or double sleeve.

How can you use the far side sleeve control to set up a pass when the opponent's free leg is not in your bicep?

You can pummel their sleeve, pull it towards you to remove the elbow from the floor and center their shoulder blades, then control their top leg and use a surprising jump to pass to side control or north-south position.

What are the different variations of passing against the far side sleeve control in the de la Riva guard?

Variations include a reverse leg drag, using an underhook to throw the leg over the sleeve grip, and a bait and switch technique where you switch from controlling the sleeve to cupping the knee for a leg shoot.

Why is controlling the near side sleeve or the sleeve of the side closest to your lead leg useful?

Controlling the near side sleeve is useful in the grip fight and pacing of the match, as it prevents the opponent from easily grabbing a single leg or half guard, forcing them to play into upper body controls.

How can the sleeve control be used to make grip transitions in Jiu-Jitsu?

The cross sleeve grip can be used as a bridge to make grip transitions, allowing you to change grips effectively and catch your opponent off guard.

What does the instructor suggest for future videos on the topic?

The instructor suggests doing a comprehensive overview on x-guard passing and possibly a separate video focusing on the concept of funneling.

Outlines

00:00

🤼‍♂️ Unorthodox Jiu-Jitsu Passing Grips

This paragraph introduces the concept of using sleeve controls for passing the guard in Jiu-Jitsu, an approach often overlooked outside of guard playing positions. The speaker explains the effectiveness of this technique, emphasizing its ability to prevent opponents from using their elbow on the floor for guard retention. The technique also facilitates 'grip funneling,' forcing opponents into less favorable grips. The summary also touches on how controlling the sleeve can prevent the opponent from standing up and can help in centering their shoulder blades for easier passes. The paragraph concludes with a promise to demonstrate five favorite ways to implement this technique, using competition footage for reference.

05:02

🔄 Techniques for Passing with Sleeve Control

This paragraph delves into various methods of using sleeve control to pass the guard, starting with attacking the far side sleeve. It describes common scenarios where this grip can be established, such as during a knee cut pass or when transitioning from other guard positions. The speaker outlines different passes, including a surprising jump pass, a reverse leg drag, and strategies for dealing with an opponent controlling the ankle in the De La Riva guard. The paragraph also covers how to handle situations where the opponent has a foot in the bicep and how to execute a pass by controlling the sleeve and using the opponent's movements against them.

10:04

🤺 Controlling the Near Side Sleeve and Grip Transitions

The final paragraph focuses on controlling the near side sleeve, which is crucial for dictating the pace of the match and preventing the opponent from setting up single leg or half guard positions. The speaker discusses the importance of grip funneling, forcing opponents into less favorable positions. It provides a detailed explanation of how to use the near side sleeve to rush the opponent to their back and disrupt their usual defense mechanisms. The paragraph also suggests that these unorthodox passing methods can provide an element of surprise in competition. The speaker invites feedback on video formats and expresses interest in covering more topics like grip transitions and the X-guard passing in future videos.

Keywords

💡Unorthodox

The term 'unorthodox' refers to methods or techniques that are not conventional or traditional. In the context of the video, it is used to describe a passing grip in Jiu-Jitsu that is not commonly considered for top guard positions but is revealed to be highly effective. The script mentions that people often think of sleeve controls as something only used in certain guard positions, but the video aims to show its surprising effectiveness when used unconventionally on top of the guard.

💡Sleeve Control

Sleeve Control is a technique in Jiu-Jitsu where a practitioner grabs the opponent's sleeve to control their movements. The video emphasizes the effectiveness of this grip when passing the guard, as it prevents the opponent from using their elbow on the floor for retaining guard and makes it difficult for them to regain a defensive position. The script provides various examples of how sleeve control can be implemented in different scenarios, such as when the opponent's leg is trapped or when transitioning from other guard positions.

💡Guard

In Jiu-Jitsu, the 'guard' is a position where a practitioner is on their back with their legs wrapped around the opponent's torso or legs to maintain control and defend against attacks. The video discusses various ways to pass the guard using sleeve control, which is a significant aspect of the sport as it involves transitioning from a defensive to an offensive position. The script explains how controlling the sleeve can make it harder for the opponent to turn their hip towards the side the practitioner is passing to.

💡Grip FunNELing

Grip funneling is a concept in Jiu-Jitsu where a practitioner forces their opponent into a specific grip, making it easier to pass the guard. The video explains that by controlling the sleeve, the opponent is funneled into a less favorable position, such as sleeve or upper body control, which the practitioner can exploit. The script uses the term to illustrate how controlling the sleeve can limit the opponent's options and force them into a position that the practitioner is prepared to counter.

💡Shoulder Blades

The 'shoulder blades' are the flat bones at the back of the shoulder, which play a crucial role in Jiu-Jitsu when passing the guard. The video mentions the importance of locking both of the opponent's shoulder blades to the mat as a way to center them and make it easier to consolidate and pin them during a pass. The script provides examples of how pulling up on the sleeve can help achieve this positioning.

💡Turtling

In Jiu-Jitsu, 'turtling' is a defensive movement where the practitioner turns away from the opponent and brings their knees towards their chest to protect themselves. The video script explains how controlling the sleeve can make it difficult for the opponent to turtle effectively, as the pulling action on the sleeve acts like a straight jacket, preventing them from turning away completely.

💡Far Side Sleeve

The 'far side sleeve' refers to the sleeve of the opponent that is farthest from the practitioner's dominant or lead side. The video discusses techniques for attacking this sleeve as a way to set up a pass. The script provides examples of how to control this sleeve in various situations, such as when the opponent's free leg is not in the practitioner's bicep or when they are controlling the pants in a specific guard position.

💡Da Hea Guard

The 'da hea guard' is a specific type of guard position in Jiu-Jitsu where the practitioner has one leg hooked over the opponent's shoulder. The video script mentions this guard as a situation where controlling the far side sleeve can be particularly challenging, but it also provides techniques to pass the guard from this position, such as the reverse leg drag.

💡Pinning Mechanics

Pinning mechanics in Jiu-Jitsu involve using body weight and positioning to immobilize the opponent. The video script refers to the importance of widening the knees or legs when landing from a pass to apply heavy chest pressure, which is a part of pinning mechanics. This technique helps in controlling the opponent and setting up a dominant position.

💡Funneling Concept

The 'funneling concept' is a strategic approach in Jiu-Jitsu where a practitioner guides the opponent into positions they are weak at, giving the practitioner an advantage. The video script mentions this concept in relation to controlling the sleeve and forcing the opponent into less favorable grips. The script suggests that understanding and applying the funneling concept can significantly impact the outcome of a match.

Highlights

Unorthodox and useful passing grips in Jiu-Jitsu.

Sleeve controls are powerful when passing the guard from the top.

Controlling the opponent's sleeve prevents them from using their elbow on the floor for retaining guard.

Grip funneling: forcing the opponent into a particular grip to play into your advantage.

Controlling the sleeve stops the opponent from wrestling back up to standing or coming up for a takedown.

Pulling up on the sleeve centers the opponent's shoulder blades and hips, making it easier to consolidate and pin after passing.

Preventing the opponent from looping their outside leg to defend the guard by controlling the sleeve.

Pulling up on the sleeve functions like a straight jacket, making it hard for the opponent to turtle.

When entering for a knee cut pass, control the opponent's bottom sleeve and trap their leg to finish the pass.

If the opponent knee shields and clears their bottom leg, immediately regrip their sleeve and set up the position.

Using competition and sparring footage to back up learning the technique.

When controlling the pants and initiating a pass, break the opponent's grip on your sleeve to continue the pass.

In De La Riva guard, controlling the opponent's far sleeve makes passing easier.

Three variations for passing against the De La Riva guard: reverse leg drag, underhooking the leg, and baiting the opponent to lasso their foot over the shoulder.

Approaching the guard by grabbing the sleeve first prevents the opponent from wrestling up or setting up guard positions.

By learning to funnel to positions the opponent is weak at, you can gain an advantage.

Using the near side sleeve grip to prevent the opponent from regripping or setting up their game.

The unorthodox passing system provides an element of surprise, making it effective against opponents.

Planning to cover the cross sleeve grip and x-guard passing in future videos.

Seeking viewer feedback on video formats: on the mat breakdowns, concept explanations with b-roll, and interest in a funneling concept video.

Transcripts

so this video I'm going to show you guys

one of the most unorthodox and useful

passing grips in Jiu-Jitsu people often

think of sleeve controls is something

that you only use when you're playing

guard playing positions like collar

sleeve or double sleeve but it's

actually incredibly powerful when you're

on top passing the guard so in this

video first I'm going to break down the

main principles of why this is so

surprisingly effective and then I'm

going to go through my top five favorite

ways to implement this into your game no

matter what style you play and I'm going

to use a lot of competition and sparring

footage as reference to help back up

learning the technique so the first

major principle to understand of why

this is so effective is the idea that it

blocks your opponent from using their

elbow on the floor for retaining guard

often when you pass the guard your

opponent wants to turn their hip towards

the direction you're passing so they can

effectively fight you and using their

elbow on the floor helps them steer and

turn their hip towards the side you're

passing but when you control their

sleeve from top it makes it impossible

for them to strike the floor with their

elbow and this makes it much easier for

you when you jump to pass to prevent

them from striking the floor and turning

back into you another major component of

this is what I refer to as grip

funneling the idea of grip funneling is

that sometimes it's really hard to pass

your opponent's guard without giving up

a grip but if you instead force them to

a particular grip they have to play into

it so if I'm on top and I approach the

guard by grabbing my opponent's sleeve

first I can knock them to their back and

prevent them from being able to grab my

ankle go for single legs go to half

guard because I have their grip they're

forced to play some form of sleeve or

upper body control instead along with

this controlling the sleeve makes it

impossible for your opponent to come up

on top anytime your opponent's on their

back they have to come up to an elbow to

be able to wrestle back up to standing

or come up for a Tak down but if you're

controlling the sleeve they can't come

up to their elbow and it allows you to

keep them on their back setting up

different passing opportunities another

major idea here is that whenever we pass

the guard we ultimately want to lock

both of their shoulder blades to the mat

so when your opponent is turning towards

the side you're passing to defend when

you pull up on the sleeve you're often

centering their shoulder blades back

towards the center of the mat so that

when you do eventually hit a pass be it

a throw by or a KNE cut pass they're

already centered and it makes

consolidating and pinning much easier to

finish and another interesting component

of this grip is that it makes it really

difficult for your opponent to last over

their own arm when they're trying to

defend their guard often when you pass

to one side your opponent's defense will

be to Loop their outside leg in to

defend but because you have the sleeve

that it can be a little bit more tricky

to do as well as when you pass if they

try to Turtle it's also very hard

because you're pulling up on that sleeve

functions like a straight jacket

preventing them from turning all the way

away and coming up into a turtle so now

we're going to look at the different

ways that you can use this to set up a

pass starting with attacking The Far

Side sleeve first there's a few

different ways you can get into this

position one really common one is when

you enter for a kneecap pass you want to

control your opponent's bottom sleeve

and keep their leg trapped in between

your legs so you can finish the pass but

often people will knee shield and make

space and clear their bottom leg back

out from in between your legs so that

you can no longer KNE cut pass in this

situation I immediately regrip their

sleeve and start setting up the position

they're often looking to set up

positions like collar sleeve or deaa

from here so they have a lot of

attacking options another common way

you'll end up in this position is when

you're controlling the pants initiating

a pass very often early on your opponent

will grab your sleeve and break that

grip because if you can't control that

inside leg it's impossible to pass

towards that side so very often you'll

get caught here in a normal grip

fighting situation and a third one that

can commonly happen is just transitions

from other guards if your opponent is

playing deaa controlling a far sleeve

they can easily let go of the ankle and

switch up to collar sleeve and attack

you from here if they're playing double

sleeve positions they can easily let go

of one of the sleeves and switch up to

the collar and this is a really tricky

position because controlling the collar

breaks your posture and you cannot use

your inside hand to defend so it can be

very tough to fight out of so we're

going to look at passing The Far Side

sleeve control in two initial situations

the first situation that is easier is

when their free leg is not in our bicep

already this usually happens when we go

for the cut and they escape their bottom

leg out cuz the top leg is usually a

knee shield in this case case as soon as

the leg becomes free I want to Pummel

their sleeve and get a really strong

grip back on their sleeve and I want to

pull it to me as well as it pulls That

Elbow off the floor and centers their

shoulder blades and hips up a little bit

from here I'm going to control their top

leg their left leg with my right hand

and try to pull it towards the floor to

prevent the foot from coming to my bicep

I can do this by either pulling on their

leg to pull it out of position or if

their leg is overextended enough I can

press it behind me as long as I lock get

out of the way off of my bicep from this

situation I can often walk to the left a

little bit and then do a surprising jump

all the way to the right side and come

directly into side control or even

transition to a north south position in

the case that my opponent already has

the foot in the bicep you can do the

same pass I just Pummel their leg with

my right arm if your opponent has a

really sticky foot in the bicep this is

where I like to drop my knee on their

stomach or sternum to buy time to Pummel

my arm if I can't Loop under I'll often

Loop my arm over top of their leg until

again I can control the pant leg and

pull that leg back behind me so they

can't get it in play from here often I

do a big jumping pass another variation

of this is if they lasso the leg over

sometimes I can push the foot down cut

their knee and throw the leg to the side

as well so the next version of passing

Against The Far Side sleeve control is

going to be in the da hea guard when our

opponent is controlling our ankle in

this case it's a little bit more tricky

because we can't jump in the same way

cuz our opponent has the control on her

ankle or pant leg but in this case we're

going to do three different variations

the first is going to be a reverse leg

drag controlling the pants and the left

hand on the sleeve what I do is I punch

their knee towards their chest and then

really quickly shoot the leg to the side

again pulling up with that left arm and

it allows me to fall out to the side

notice when I land I want to widen my

knees or legs as much as I can because

it allows my upper body and my chest

pressure to drop in heavy I've talked

about this before in previous videos

where I talk about the importance of

pinning mechanics another way you can do

this throw bypass is if your opponent is

a little bit tighter on the leg I can

control the sleeve and I kind of posture

up and lean in with my hips and dig an

underhook on their daily hea side leg

and now when I grab the pant leg I

actually throw it up over top of the

sleeve grip and push the leg down from

here it's very difficult for them to

last I can come directly to side

sometimes it can even turn into a stack

pass finish and the third and final one

here is when I'm controll ring the

sleeve sometimes I'll grab their lapel

with my right hand and my opponent will

lasso their foot over my shoulder

because I'm not controlling their leg

but this is a nice bait and switch you

can do where then you quickly switch

your arm out and cup their knee and now

you can shoot their leg all the way

across to the other side again Landing

into a nice side control finish

situation so now I'm going to talk about

controlling the lead side arm first but

real quick if you guys are enjoying this

content be sure to like and leave a

comment to let me know what you guys

would like to see in future future

videos as well as it helps me a lot in

helping grow the channel which makes it

easier for me to make more videos for

you guys in the future so now we're

going to talk about controlling the near

side sleeve or the sleeve of the side

closest to your lead leg this is much

more useful in the grip fight and pacing

of the match when I approach the guard

if I don't control the sleeve and I

approach with a leg often they can grab

a single leg grip they can fall back and

grab an ankle grip and start setting up

guard positions but if you approach by

grabbing the sleeve first not only is it

difficult for the them to regrip you cuz

you have the first grip but now they can

never wrestle up for a single leg they

can never go to half guard it completely

changes the pace of the match for them

you can force them to have to play into

upper body controls even if they don't

like doing that I should mention that

I'll probably do an entire video on this

concept of funneling at some point

because it's such a big concept you have

to understand that all of your opponents

will have different strengths and

weaknesses and sometimes it's hard to

pass your opponent's guard without

letting them get a grip on you so by

learning to funnel to positions that you

know they're weak at you can make them

play into positions that they're not

good at which gives you the advantage so

looking at the first pass using the near

side sleeve what I'll often do is I

approach and I catch the sleeve grip and

now what I'm going to do is I push

towards their chest with the sleeve grip

I have on them and kind of rush them

until I can shove them to their back as

they fall to their back I step my right

leg deeper into the crook of their knee

and this makes it really hard for them

because they can't grab the ankle like

they normally would in da hea but if I

keep my elbow and knee connect connected

and a good sleeve grip it's also hard

for them to lasso from here depending on

their right leg I can either grab their

pant leg and do another throw bypass

like we did before or I can trap the leg

and release the sleeve and immediately

go for a KNE cut without them ever

having the opportunity to try to defend

even if you're already in deaa this can

be really useful because what I can do

is I can quickly go down and catch the

sleeve of the side they're holding my

ankle or my pant leg on and if I posture

up and pull I can actually rip that grip

off of my leg especially if it's an

ankle grip from here again you have the

quick pant control and throw bypass

which will catch them off guard it's

also important to mention guys that

these passes are so much more unorthodox

than normal passing systems so it will

give you a big element of surprise when

you're attacking your opponent there's

honestly a lot more cool ways you can

use this as well you can use the cross

sleeve grip as a great way to make grip

transitions you can use sleeve grips and

passing xard but I'm going to save those

for future videos especially the xard I

want to do a comprehensive overview on

xard passing and I'll include it in that

as well also I wanted your guys opinion

on what format of video you like most I

have three different options I can

either do an entire video on the mat

where I break everything down on the mat

I can do videos where I do kind of a

layover where I talk about the concept

using b-roll to help show you what I

mean also let me know if you guys would

like to see a video on the funneling

concept as well