21/07/2017 - Teaching | Closed Guard | Single Underhook Pass

Teaching #690
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 21/07/2017

One of the first guard passes most people learn is the single underhook, sometimes known as a smash pass (although confusingly, there is also a completely different pass you might see called the 'smash pass'. The joys of BJJ's non-standardised terminology). After you've opened their guard (this can also work off a failed armbar or triangle attempt on their part), you need to get one of your arms under their leg. Your other elbow – and this is absolutely key – must not slip in front of their other knee. If it does, then you're at risk of being triangled: they simply need to pull the arm forwards to move into a triangle set up, as your first arm is already out of the picture.

A video posted by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 20, 2017 at 5:38am PST

You don't want to leave that first arm under their leg, as unless you're much bigger, their leg is always going to be able to outpower your arm. Therefore you need to get their leg up onto your shoulder, either bumping it up with your arm, or dropping down to put your shoulder in place behind their knee. At that point, drive forward so that you're shoving their knee into their face. When you've got them stacked, reach your stacking side arm around their leg and grab their collar. I tend to go four fingers in, but a thumb in grip sets you up for a simple (if somewhat crappy, so it's mainly for distraction) forearm choke. You can also try grabbing their opposite shoulder.

Establish a wide base with your feet, pushing off your toes. As is generally the case with jiu jitsu, stay off your knees. Otherwise, you're transferring the pressure into the floor rather than into your partner. Keep on driving forward, turning the shoulder you have behind the leg downwards. Combined with your forwards pressure, that should slide their leg out of the way.

Although it's tempting, try to avoid lifting your head to get past their legs, as that could provide them with space. Instead, you want to rely on your weight and pressure, finishing with that slight shift of your shoulder. To further enhance your stack, you can grab the back of their trousers, or alternatively put your other knee there as a wedge.
________________

Teaching Notes: The same thing as usual came up, which is people moving their whole head around the leg when they just need to turn with the shoulder. It would be worth focusing in on that movement in isolation a bit, really highlight the slow, gradual turn to get around the legs.

I could also talk more about what to do if they block against your hip, like bringing the knee on either the inside or outside of the arm to collapse it. Then there's the option Matt H has talked about that Faria does, where he tries to avoid relying on moving around, instead just gradually pushing the leg across and driving forwards.