Over the last month at the Crossroads Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team training classes we have been working to build a guard passing system. A system takes a number of techniques and links them together in an intelligent and gives you a though process on when you select each technique within that system.
In previous classes we have been working to break the closed guard from the standing position and then work to neutralize the legs and work towards either a compression pass or two passes where we work to move down the center. However in BJJ even the best laid plans can fall short. Because in BJJ your training partners will always be working to resist your jiu-jitsu techniques in an effort to apply their own. In a competition or a fight, nobody wants to lose, and because of this they will do everything in their power to win. Because the person you are grappling with wants to win, you must be prepared for what they will do to stop you. In this case we could not neutralize the legs because the person was keeping their leg too high, so we exploit the leg being to high and use that to pass the guard with a stack pass.
The last technique of the class was the double stack pass. This is when again your training partner tries to block your pass to one side, so instead of trying to bully through the position we instead switch directions, taking a more open path. Jiu-jitsu is all about doing what is easy, and efficient. It makes no sense to use all your strength and stamina to get to a position that does not end the fight. We must always train with the idea that our opponent or attacker will be bigger, faster and stronger than us. We must train in a way that neutralizes those attributes and does so in a way that does not require us to expend our own resources.
If learning how to really defend yourself in a fight is something that interests you or you are just looking for a fun way to get in shape with a group of great people who will help you achieve your goals, stop by Crossroads BJJ in Waterford Connecticut. We are New London Counties longest running black belt school and we are here to help you achieve your goals, self defense, fitness, or just something new to do, we are here to help.