18/12/2019 - Teaching | Half Guard | Opposite Side Pass

Teaching #925
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 18/12/2019



I first learned this pass from Roger Gracie a few years ago, getting some further great details from Ed Beneville and Tim Cartmell's excellent book. Beneville and Cartmell refer to the position as 'inverted half guard', but I prefer Saulo's nomenclature from Jiu Jitsu University: he uses the term 'opposite side pass'.'Inverted' is mainly associated with being upside down in BJJ, so I'll stick with Saulo.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 31, 2017 at 12:28am PDT

The orthodox method to pass the half guard is to get a similar 'super-hold' (as Xande calls it) as you would in side control, then use shoulder pressure to hold them in place as you bounce your leg free and slide through. That's what I regularly teach during half guard month. With the opposite side pass, you're also trying to control their upper body. In Saulo's version of the pass, on p307 of his book, they already have an underhook. He therefore grips over the top of that underhooking arm, securing it by gripping the gi material by the small of their back.

Posting on his free hand, he then swings his free leg over, ending up sat next to them. He suggests grabbing their knee initially, then shifting to grabbing the far hip. If you prefer, you can grab the knee and maintain that grip, to prevent a counter they can try where they open their half guard then hook under your knee. They can then lift and drive through to the top position.

My personal preference is to start the pass by reaching under their head with the arm on the same side as your trapped leg. This may feel counter-intuitive, as normally that is the arm you would use to underhook, but that's because you're swinging over to the other side. This is effectively a cross-face on the opposite side, which you lock in fully once you're over to the other side, driving your shoulder into their cheek/jaw to prevent them turning their head towards you. It's also key that after swinging to the other side, you post firmly on your outside leg, angling the knee towards their body. This should stop them bridging into you and getting a reversal.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Sep 1, 2017 at 12:38am PDT

A useful tip from Fran Vanderstukken is to pull their knee across, which twists their spin. Your free leg is behind you for base, preventing them rolling you over. You can then yank their top leg towards you and extricate your foot. If you require more leverage, push on their bottom leg with your free foot. You can also try stepping the basing leg in front of their leg, using it as a wedge. That means it both blocks their movement but still provides you with base.

If all that fails, you could swing back over to the other side and knee cut, but be careful of back takes (if you can get an underhook it will help, holding the head may not be enough control). Going to half mount is also a good option, from where you can pry your legs free. As soon as your knee is past their legs, even though they may still have your foot, many options open up.

A slight variation on this pass comes from the Beneville book: if you can get this one, it's probably the tightest option. Before you swing over, open up their lapel on the free leg side. Pass the end of their gi to the hand you have under their head and feed it through. Push their head slightly towards the trapped leg side, then shove your head in the space you’ve created. You can use your head for base, along with your free hand if required.

After you've swung over, watch out for a counter they may try, which is to lift up your leg with their far foot, flipping you over. To re-counter that, immediately switch from holding the knee to hooking behind their knee with your arm. That should stop them lifting for the sweep. Alternatively, you can also do a big step over to the other side as they try to flip you to your back.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 29, 2018 at 1:46am PDT

________________

Teaching Notes: As I seem to have forgotten to put notes down, I'll just copy the ones from last time I taught it. Getting all the way over, making sure you've turned enough, so you are sat next to them. Spend more time on the specifics of the turn/twist. I did mention the leg flick counter they might try, though that is fairly rare, there is also the possibility they could adjust to take your back if you're lazy. I guess worth adding at the end, but that's something to think about in terms of structuring the teaching (also for the video etc ;D).

Follow ups are handy to add, especially the very simple one of drifting back over and going for a knee cut. That's in the previous video from last year, doesn't take too much time to mention that as another option. Some people can't always get high enough to get in properly for a cross-face, which is where the shoulder pressure options come in, particularly Saulo's one.

However, it's important to note the risk of a back take if you drift back over for a knee cut. Another option I showed this time was to go to half mount, which is safer than the knee cut. As soon as you knee is past their leg, that opens up a whole bunch of options.

16/12/2019 - Teaching | Half Guard | Twisting Pass

Teaching #924
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 16/12/2019



Start by flattening out your opponent, driving your free knee into their hip, then walking your trapped leg across. Apply a heavy cross-face: this is absolutely central to the technique. Without a solid cross face, they will be able to turn towards you, perhaps even getting a reversal. If they manage to get an underhook, you'll still need to be wary of getting rolled over: hooking an arm by their leg should block it.



Once you've got that cross-face firmly locked in, you need to adjust your position so you can twist in towards them, bringing your bottom leg into play. You're trying to get your free knee into their hip (sliding underneath your trapped leg). Shift back slightly, in order to make some space in front of their bottom leg: you could also raise up to get that twist, but that's more risky. Shrimping away tends to be securer. Using either the knee or your shin, wedge that against their lower hip. With your free arm, grasp their trouser leg and yank it towards you, in order to open up enough space to free your leg. Ideally you also want to keep your head low and turned towards their legs, to make it harder for them to push into your throat.

_______________________
Teaching Notes: Remember to talk about pulling their leg right across, that helps with the leverage. You only need the point of your knee in their hip. Also, get your hip right to the ground, if you're in midair you may not have the necessary weight.

The little shrimp to make space is the best option for inserting your wedge, but raising up isn't awful, just a secondary option. Then for a third and final resort, push with the foot of your bottom leg. The problem there is the difficulty of maintaining your crossface. So yeah, same pointers as last time, keep doing it.

Worth noting that Xande doesn't have a crossface when he shows it, he brings his arm over to the other side, under their armpit. So there are alternatives, check those vids before teaching it again, would be interesting to play with. Still my favourite pass. Is it worth showing with elbow behind the head too? Again, Xande does an entirely different arm drape thing for control rather than crossface.

24/07/2019 - Teaching | Half Guard | Opposite Side Pass

Teaching #891
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 24/07/2019

I first learned this pass from Roger Gracie a few years ago, getting some further great details from Ed Beneville and Tim Cartmell's excellent book. Beneville and Cartmell refer to the position as 'inverted half guard', but I prefer Saulo's nomenclature from Jiu Jitsu University: he uses the term 'opposite side pass'.'Inverted' is mainly associated with being upside down in BJJ, so I'll stick with Saulo.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 31, 2017 at 12:28am PDT

The orthodox method to pass the half guard is to get a similar 'super-hold' (as Xande calls it) as you would in side control, then use shoulder pressure to hold them in place as you bounce your leg free and slide through. That's what I regularly teach during half guard month. With the opposite side pass, you're also trying to control their upper body. In Saulo's version of the pass, on p307 of his book, they already have an underhook. He therefore grips over the top of that underhooking arm, securing it by gripping the gi material by the small of their back.

Posting on his free hand, he then swings his free leg over, ending up sat next to them. He suggests grabbing their knee initially, then shifting to grabbing the far hip. If you prefer, you can grab the knee and maintain that grip, to prevent a counter they can try where they open their half guard then hook under your knee. They can then lift and drive through to the top position.

My personal preference is to start the pass by reaching under their head with the arm on the same side as your trapped leg. This may feel counter-intuitive, as normally that is the arm you would use to underhook, but that's because you're swinging over to the other side. This is effectively a cross-face on the opposite side, which you lock in fully once you're over to the other side, driving your shoulder into their cheek/jaw to prevent them turning their head towards you. It's also key that after swinging to the other side, you post firmly on your outside leg, angling the knee towards their body. This should stop them bridging into you and getting a reversal.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Sep 1, 2017 at 12:38am PDT

A useful tip from Fran Vanderstukken is to pull their knee across, which twists their spin. Your free leg is behind you for base, preventing them rolling you over. You can then yank their top leg towards you and extricate your foot. If you require more leverage, push on their bottom leg with your free foot. You can also try stepping the basing leg in front of their leg, using it as a wedge. That means it both blocks their movement but still provides you with base.

If all that fails, you could swing back over to the other side and knee cut, but be careful of back takes (if you can get an underhook it will help, holding the head may not be enough control). Going to half mount is also a good option, from where you can pry your legs free. As soon as your knee is past their legs, even though they may still have your foot, many options open up.

A slight variation on this pass comes from the Beneville book: if you can get this one, it's probably the tightest option. Before you swing over, open up their lapel on the free leg side. Pass the end of their gi to the hand you have under their head and feed it through. Push their head slightly towards the trapped leg side, then shove your head in the space you’ve created. You can use your head for base, along with your free hand if required.

After you've swung over, watch out for a counter they may try, which is to lift up your leg with their far foot, flipping you over. To re-counter that, immediately switch from holding the knee to hooking behind their knee with your arm. That should stop them lifting for the sweep. Alternatively, you can also do a big step over to the other side as they try to flip you to your back.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 29, 2018 at 1:46am PDT

________________

Teaching Notes: As I seem to have forgotten to put notes down, I'll just copy the ones from last time I taught it. Getting all the way over, making sure you've turned enough, so you are sat next to them. Spend more time on the specifics of the turn/twist. I did mention the leg flick counter they might try, though that is fairly rare, there is also the possibility they could adjust to take your back if you're lazy. I guess worth adding at the end, but that's something to think about in terms of structuring the teaching (also for the video etc ;D).

Follow ups are handy to add, especially the very simple one of drifting back over and going for a knee cut. That's in the previous video from last year, doesn't take too much time to mention that as another option. Some people can't always get high enough to get in properly for a cross-face, which is where the shoulder pressure options come in, particularly Saulo's one.

However, it's important to note the risk of a back take if you drift back over for a knee cut. Another option I showed this time was to go to half mount, which is safer than the knee cut. As soon as you knee is past their leg, that opens up a whole bunch of options.

22/07/2019 - Teaching | Half Guard | Twisting Pass

Teaching #890
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 22/07/2019



Start by flattening out your opponent, driving your free knee into their hip, then walking your trapped leg across. Apply a heavy cross-face: this is absolutely central to the technique. Without a solid cross face, they will be able to turn towards you, perhaps even getting a reversal. If they manage to get an underhook, you'll still need to be wary of getting rolled over: hooking an arm by their leg should block it.



Once you've got that cross-face firmly locked in, you need to adjust your position so you can twist in towards them, bringing your bottom leg into play. You're trying to get your free knee into their hip (sliding underneath your trapped leg). Shift back slightly, in order to make some space in front of their bottom leg: you could also raise up to get that twist, but that's more risky. Shrimping away tends to be securer. Using either the knee or your shin, wedge that against their lower hip. With your free arm, grasp their trouser leg and yank it towards you, in order to open up enough space to free your leg. Ideally you also want to keep your head low and turned towards their legs, to make it harder for them to push into your throat.

_______________________
Teaching Notes: Remember to talk about pulling their leg right across, that helps with the leverage. You only need the point of your knee in their hip. Also, get your hip right to the ground, if you're in midair you may not have the necessary weight.

The little shrimp to make space is the best option for inserting your wedge, but raising up isn't awful, just a secondary option. Then for a third and final resort, push with the foot of your bottom leg. The problem there is the difficulty of maintaining your crossface. So yeah, same pointers as last time, keep doing it.

Worth noting that Xande doesn't have a crossface when he shows it, he brings his arm over to the other side, under their armpit. So there are alternatives, check those vids before teaching it again, would be interesting to play with.

21/12/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Twisting Pass

Teaching #827
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 21/12/2018

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 29, 2018 at 12:11am PST

Start by flattening out your opponent, driving your free knee into their hip, then walking your trapped leg across. Apply a heavy cross-face: this is absolutely central to the technique. Without a solid cross face, they will be able to turn towards you, perhaps even getting a reversal. If they manage to get an underhook, you'll still need to be wary of getting rolled over: hooking an arm by their leg should block it.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 30, 2018 at 12:04am PST

Once you've got that cross-face firmly locked in, you need to adjust your position so you can twist in towards them, bringing your bottom leg into play. You're trying to get your free knee into their hip (sliding underneath your trapped leg). Shift back slightly, in order to make some space in front of their bottom leg: you could also raise up to get that twist, but that's more risky. Shrimping away tends to be securer. Using either the knee or your shin, wedge that against their lower hip. With your free arm, grasp their trouser leg and yank it towards you, in order to open up enough space to free your leg. Ideally you also want to keep your head low and turned towards their legs, to make it harder for them to push into your throat.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 30, 2018 at 6:46pm PST

To finish, a couple of videos of when I taught this injured, so had to do it by proxy, pointing with a stick. ;)

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 27, 2018 at 12:19am PDT

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 28, 2018 at 12:42am PDT

_______________________
Teaching Notes: Next time, remember to talk about pulling their leg right across, that helps with the leverage. You only need the point of your knee in their hip. Also, get your hip right to the ground, if you're in midair you may not have the necessary weight.

The little shrimp to make space is the best option for inserting your wedge, but raising up isn't awful, just a secondary option. Then for a third and final resort, push with the foot of your bottom leg. The problem there is the difficulty of maintaining your crossface. So yeah, same pointers as last time, keep doing it.

19/12/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Shoulder in stomach pass

Teaching #826
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 19/12/2018

On top of half guard, your opening goal is to get them flat on the mat: there are passes you can do while they are on their side, but generally speaking it is much easier if their back is pinned to the floor. A simple method, drawing on the Ribeiro brothers, is to drive your free knee into their hip, block their head with your same side arm, then step your trapped leg up and away from you. Having generated some space, drive the trapped knee forwards as your return it to the mat, which should also help you drive your opponent to the mat as well.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 1, 2018 at 7:42pm PST

If you are able to get the cross-face and an underhook, there is now the option of generating lots of shoulder pressure. This is the simplest way I've learned to pass the half guard: both Saulo and his brother refer to this as the 'esgrima pass', but I call it the shoulder pressure pass in the interests of clarity. Cross-face their head (if you can't get the cross-face, you can also use your own head), so that they can't turn in that direction. Put your own head on the other side (or your arm, if you're already using your head to cross-face), locking their head into place: your shoulder and head work together to form a vice. Combined with your underhook, it should now become hard for them to move their upper body, because their head is stuck.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 5, 2018 at 12:13am PST

From here, come up on your feet so that all your weight is driving through your shoulder. Even if you're small, this should maximise your weight. I'm only 66kgs, but if I can get all of that weight against somebody's head, it becomes more significant. From there, bounce your trapped knee to wriggle it free (if you're having trouble and need additional leverage, rotate your free leg back to hook their leg with your instep). As soon as it is clear of their legs, twist in the direction of your cross-facing arm and put that knee on the mat. You can then kick their leg off your foot: some people prefer to kick the top leg, but I would generally go for the bottom leg. Turning your hips to the ceiling can also help if you're struggling to get that foot loose.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:03am PDT

An alternative method, which I've come to prefer, is to position yourself slightly lower on their body. Rather than relying on a cross face and underhook, put your head down by their hip. Your shoulder still generates the pressure, but this time into their stomach rather than their head. Your arm on the opposite side clamps by their other hip, with your hand behind you (almost as if you're putting yourself into a kimura position). This leaves your other hand free to shove their leg down, making the pass easier than with the other version that occupies both arms.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 26, 2018 at 1:15am PDT

_______________________
Teaching Notes: Not sure if I still want to teach this one regularly. Head position by hip? That feels right to me, but when Saulo does it, his head is way higher. People were focusing too much on grabbing the arm rather than grabbing the leg. Something I need to teach in combo with the old version, make it clear why you want to grab the leg?

Xmas class, so usual xmas games.

27/06/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Opposite Side Pass

Teaching #787
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 27/06/2018

I first learned this pass from Roger Gracie a few years ago, getting some further great details from Ed Beneville and Tim Cartmell's excellent book. Beneville and Cartmell refer to the position as 'inverted half guard', but I prefer Saulo's nomenclature from Jiu Jitsu University: he uses the term 'opposite side pass'.'Inverted' is mainly associated with being upside down in BJJ, so I'll stick with Saulo.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 31, 2017 at 12:28am PDT

The orthodox method to pass the half guard is to get a similar 'super-hold' (as Xande calls it) as you would in side control, then use shoulder pressure to hold them in place as you bounce your leg free and slide through. That's what I regularly teach during half guard month. With the opposite side pass, you're also trying to control their upper body. In Saulo's version of the pass, on p307 of his book, they already have an underhook. He therefore grips over the top of that underhooking arm, securing it by gripping the gi material by the small of their back.

Posting on his free hand, he then swings his free leg over, ending up sat next to them. He suggests grabbing their knee initially, then shifting to grabbing the far hip. If you prefer, you can grab the knee and maintain that grip, to prevent a counter they can try where they open their half guard then hook under your knee. They can then lift and drive through to the top position.

My personal preference is to start the pass by reaching under their head with the arm on the same side as your trapped leg. This may feel counter-intuitive, as normally that is the arm you would use to underhook, but that's because you're swinging over to the other side. This is effectively a cross-face on the opposite side, which you lock in fully once you're over to the other side, driving your shoulder into their cheek/jaw to prevent them turning their head towards you. It's also key that after swinging to the other side, you post firmly on your outside leg, angling the knee towards their body. This should stop them bridging into you and getting a reversal.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Sep 1, 2017 at 12:38am PDT

A useful tip from Fran Vanderstukken is to pull their knee across, which twists their spin. Your free leg is behind you for base, preventing them rolling you over. You can then yank their top leg towards you and extricate your foot. If you require more leverage, push on their bottom leg with your free foot. You can also try stepping the basing leg in front of their leg, using it as a wedge. That means it both blocks their movement but still provides you with base. If all that fails, you could swing back over to the other side and knee cut, but be careful of back takes (if you can get an underhook it will help, holding the head may not be enough control).

A slight variation on this pass comes from the Beneville book: if you can get this one, it's probably the tightest option. Before you swing over, open up their lapel on the free leg side. Pass the end of their gi to the hand you have under their head and feed it through. Push their head slightly towards the trapped leg side, then shove your head in the space you’ve created. You can use your head for base, along with your free hand if required.

After you've swung over, watch out for a counter they may try, which is to lift up your leg with their far foot, flipping you over. To re-counter that, immediately switch from holding the knee to hooking behind their knee with your arm. That should stop them lifting for the sweep. Alternatively, you can also do a big step over to the other side as they try to flip you to your back.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 29, 2018 at 1:46am PDT

________________

Teaching Notes: As I seem to have forgotten to put notes down, I'll just copy the ones from last time I taught it. Getting all the way over, making sure you've turned enough, so you are sat next to them. Spend more time on the specifics of the turn/twist. I did mention the leg flick counter they might try, though that is fairly rare. I guess worth adding at the end, but that's something to think about in terms of structuring the teaching (also for the video etc ;D).

Follow ups are handy to add, especially the very simple one of drifting back over and going for a knee cut. That's in the previous video from last year, doesn't take too much time to mention that as another option. Some people can't always get high enough to get in properly for a cross-face, which is where the shoulder pressure options come in. Hip switch/twisting pass is the one to start with though, I think, saving the others as alternatives.

15/06/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Hip Switch

Teaching #786
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 15/06/2018

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 29, 2018 at 12:11am PST

Start by flattening out your opponent, driving your free knee into their hip, then walking your trapped leg across. Apply a heavy cross-face: this is absolutely central to the technique. Without a solid cross face, they will be able to turn towards you, perhaps even getting a reversal. If they manage to get an underhook, you'll still need to be wary of getting rolled over: hooking an arm by their leg should block it.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 30, 2018 at 12:04am PST

Once you've got that cross-face firmly locked in, you need to adjust your position so you can twist in towards them, bringing your bottom leg into play. You're trying to get your free knee into their hip (sliding underneath your trapped leg). Shift back slightly, in order to make some space in front of their bottom leg: you could also raise up to get that twist, but that's more risky. Shrimping away tends to be securer. Using either the knee or your shin, wedge that against their lower hip. With your free arm, grasp their trouser leg and yank it towards you, in order to open up enough space to free your leg. Ideally you also want to keep your head low and turned towards their legs, to make it harder for them to push into your throat.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 30, 2018 at 6:46pm PST

To finish, a couple of videos of when I taught this injured, so had to do it by proxy, pointing with a stick. ;)

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 27, 2018 at 12:19am PDT

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 28, 2018 at 12:42am PDT

_______________________
Teaching Notes: Next time, remember to talk about pulling their leg right across, that helps with the leverage. You only need the point of your knee in their hip. Also, get your hip right to the ground, if you're in midair you may not have the necessary weight.

The little shrimp to make space is the best option for inserting your wedge, but raising up isn't awful, just a secondary option. Then for a third and final resort, push with the foot of your bottom leg. The problem there is the difficulty of maintaining your crossface.

13/06/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Shoulder in Stomach

Teaching #785
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 13/06/2018

On top of half guard, your opening goal is to get them flat on the mat: there are passes you can do while they are on their side, but generally speaking it is much easier if their back is pinned to the floor. A simple method, drawing on the Ribeiro brothers, is to drive your free knee into their hip, block their head with your same side arm, then step your trapped leg up and away from you. Having generated some space, drive the trapped knee forwards as your return it to the mat, which should also help you drive your opponent to the mat as well.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 1, 2018 at 7:42pm PST

If you are able to get the cross-face and an underhook, there is now the option of generating lots of shoulder pressure. This is the simplest way I've learned to pass the half guard: both Saulo and his brother refer to this as the 'esgrima pass', but I call it the shoulder pressure pass in the interests of clarity. Cross-face their head (if you can't get the cross-face, you can also use your own head), so that they can't turn in that direction. Put your own head on the other side (or your arm, if you're already using your head to cross-face), locking their head into place: your shoulder and head work together to form a vice. Combined with your underhook, it should now become hard for them to move their upper body, because their head is stuck.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 5, 2018 at 12:13am PST

From here, come up on your feet so that all your weight is driving through your shoulder. Even if you're small, this should maximise your weight. I'm only 66kgs, but if I can get all of that weight against somebody's head, it becomes more significant. From there, bounce your trapped knee to wriggle it free (if you're having trouble and need additional leverage, rotate your free leg back to hook their leg with your instep). As soon as it is clear of their legs, twist in the direction of your cross-facing arm and put that knee on the mat. You can then kick their leg off your foot: some people prefer to kick the top leg, but I would generally go for the bottom leg. Turning your hips to the ceiling can also help if you're struggling to get that foot loose.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:03am PDT

An alternative method, which I've come to prefer, is to position yourself slightly lower on their body. Rather than relying on a cross face and underhook, put your head down by their hip. Your shoulder still generates the pressure, but this time into their stomach rather than their head. Your arm on the opposite side clamps by their other hip, with your hand behind you (almost as if you're putting yourself into a kimura position). This leaves your other hand free to shove their leg down, making the pass easier than with the other version that occupies both arms.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 26, 2018 at 1:15am PDT

_______________________
Teaching Notes: Works well, but need head to hip, arm almost kimuraing yourself to get the point of the shoulder driving in. Bum in the air is key, plus placement of shoulder on stomach, NOT sternum or ribs.

Twisting pass, stick to point with is handy! Can then highlight where to put your knee through. Avoid raising up on knee switch, but not totally essential. Only need point of knee into hip, or shin on bottom leg (blocking top leg is counter productive. Can also scoot back to push with foot if need to, but tough to maintain crossfacing when doing that.

31/01/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Adamson Knee Shield Pass

Teaching #750
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 31/01/2018

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 6, 2018 at 12:38am PST

Nathan Adamson showed me a few tweaks to the knee shield pass when I took a private lesson with him at the 2016 BJJ Globetrotter Camp in Leuven. Mainly that was in the grips, particularly his initial grip, low on the knee-shielding leg. Grab right down near the bottom of the trouser leg, knuckles down. Your other hand grips their same side collar, while you also have your free leg up and based out. From this strong base, straighten out your trouser gripping arm, until it is straight. To do that, you will probably angle your torso away from the leg: make sure you stay low as you do that. From there, you do a big twist, whacking your outside hip right into their stomach. That puts you into a standard hip switch pass position.

From here, ideally you want to apply a heavy cross-face: this will make the pass much easier. Without a solid cross face, they will be able to turn towards you, perhaps even getting a reversal. Having said that, the arm gripping their collar should already be acting as a cross-face, keeping it straight so the 'bar' of your arm prevents them turning towards you.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 6, 2018 at 11:08pm PST

You will also need to be careful of your weight distribution. If you are leaning too far over their body, they can roll you over the top. If you aren't on the sides of your feet pushing into them, they could roll you backwards. You are effectively sitting down next to them, while still staying tight and pressing your weight into them. If they manage to get an underhook, you'll still need to be wary of getting rolled over: hooking an arm by their leg should block it.

To complete the pass, it will help to insert your bottom shin onto their bottom thigh. Shift back slightly, in order to make some space in front of their bottom leg. Do not raise up: that will give them space to bring their leg in for defence, perhaps even start their escape. Using either your knee or your shin, wedge that against their lower leg leg. Change your trouser grip from their shin to by their knee, then yank it towards you. This should open up enough space to free your leg. Ideally you also want to keep your head low and turned towards their legs, to make it harder for them to push into your throat.
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Teaching Notes: Getting that angle with the knee and pushing backwards, people are easily confused on that one as it's different to the usual knee cut. The grip can be tricky as well, especially on the first one. The second, more dynamic option is useful as a fall back. Keep in mind this is a more complex one, this is best for if we ever do a lot of knee shield stuff.

29/01/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Pressure Pass

Teaching #749
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 29/01/2018

On top of half guard, your opening goal is to get them flat on the mat: there are passes you can do while they are on their side, but generally speaking it is much easier if their back is pinned to the floor. A simple method, drawing on the Ribeiro brothers, is to drive your free knee into their hip, block their head with your same side arm, then step your trapped leg up and away from you. Having generated some space, drive the trapped knee forwards as your return it to the mat, which should also help you drive your opponent to the mat as well.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 1, 2018 at 7:42pm PST

If you are able to get the cross-face and an underhook, there is now the option of generating lots of shoulder pressure. This is the simplest way I've learned to pass the half guard: both Saulo and his brother refer to this as the 'esgrima pass', but I call it the shoulder pressure pass in the interests of clarity. Cross-face their head (if you can't get the cross-face, you can also use your own head), so that they can't turn in that direction. Put your own head on the other side (or your arm, if you're already using your head to cross-face), locking their head into place: your shoulder and head work together to form a vice. Combined with your underhook, it should now become hard for them to move their upper body, because their head is stuck.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Feb 5, 2018 at 12:13am PST

From here, come up on your feet so that all your weight is driving through your shoulder. Even if you're small, this should maximise your weight. I'm only 66kgs, but if I can get all of that weight against somebody's head, it becomes more significant. From there, bounce your trapped knee to wriggle it free (if you're having trouble and need additional leverage, rotate your free leg back to hook their leg with your instep). As soon as it is clear of their legs, twist in the direction of your cross-facing arm and put that knee on the mat. You can then kick their leg off your foot: some people prefer to kick the top leg, but I would generally go for the bottom leg. Turning your hips to the ceiling can also help if you're struggling to get that foot loose.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:03am PDT

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Teaching Notes: I think people were bringing their head a bit too high, meaning they were asking about guillotines (though I don't think that is a major risk in half guard anyway). Head/shoulder shoulder be in solar plexus pinning them, meaning that they aren't able to reach a proper guillotine if you've got that pressure dialled in. Still, that's something to think about when prepping this class.

Don't forget to double check the Saulo follow he shows on BJJ Library, particularly the point where you flick you leg over. I'll also need to update the text above if I'm going to make Saulo's follow up a regular part of this lesson (where he adjusts to get a cross face and then drives through to mount).

24/01/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Opposite Side Pass

Teaching #748
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 24/01/2018

I first learned this pass from Roger Gracie a few years ago, getting some further great details from Ed Beneville and Tim Cartmell's excellent book. Beneville and Cartmell refer to the position as 'inverted half guard', but I prefer Saulo's nomenclature from Jiu Jitsu University: he uses the term 'opposite side pass'.'Inverted' is mainly associated with being upside down in BJJ, so I'll stick with Saulo.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Aug 31, 2017 at 12:28am PDT

The orthodox method to pass the half guard is to get a similar 'super-hold' (as Xande calls it) as you would in side control, then use shoulder pressure to hold them in place as you bounce your leg free and slide through. That's what I regularly teach during half guard month. With the opposite side pass, you're also trying to control their upper body. In Saulo's version of the pass, on p307 of his book, they already have an underhook. He therefore grips over the top of that underhooking arm, securing it by gripping the gi material by the small of their back.

Posting on his free hand, he then swings his free leg over, ending up sat next to them. He suggests grabbing their knee initially, then shifting to grabbing the far hip. If you prefer, you can grab the knee and maintain that grip, to prevent a counter they can try where they open their half guard then hook under your knee. They can then lift and drive through to the top position.

My personal preference is to start the pass by reaching under their head with the arm on the same side as your trapped leg. This may feel counter-intuitive, as normally that is the arm you would use to underhook, but that's because you're swinging over to the other side. This is effectively a cross-face on the opposite side, which you lock in fully once you're over to the other side, driving your shoulder into their cheek/jaw to prevent them turning their head towards you. It's also key that after swinging to the other side, you post firmly on your outside leg, angling the knee towards their body. This should stop them bridging into you and getting a reversal.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Sep 1, 2017 at 12:38am PDT

A useful tip from Fran Vanderstukken is to pull their knee across, which twists their spin. Your free leg is behind you for base, preventing them rolling you over. You can then yank their top leg towards you and extricate your foot. If you require more leverage, push on their bottom leg with your free foot. You can also try stepping the basing leg in front of their leg, using it as a wedge. That means it both blocks their movement but still provides you with base. If all that fails, you could swing back over to the other side and knee cut, but be careful of back takes (if you can get an underhook it will help, holding the head may not be enough control).

A slight variation on this pass comes from the Beneville book: if you can get this one, it's probably the tightest option. Before you swing over, open up their lapel on the free leg side. Pass the end of their gi to the hand you have under their head and feed it through. Push their head slightly towards the trapped leg side, then shove your head in the space you’ve created. You can use your head for base, along with your free hand if required.

After you've swung over, watch out for a counter they may try, which is to lift up your leg with their far foot, flipping you over. To re-counter that, immediately switch from holding the knee to hooking behind their knee with your arm. That should stop them lifting for the sweep. Alternatively, you can also do a big step over to the other side as they try to flip you to your back.
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Teaching Notes: Getting all the way over, making sure you've turned enough, so you are sat next to them. Spend more time on the specifics of the turn/twist. I did mention the leg flick counter they might try, though that is fairly rare. I guess worth adding at the end, but that's something to think about in terms of structuring the teaching (also for the video etc ;D).

Follow ups are handy to add, especially the very simple one of drifting back over and going for a knee cut. That's in the previous video from last year, doesn't take too much time to mention that as another option. Some people can't always get high enough to get in properly for a cross-face, which is where the shoulder pressure options come in. Hip switch/twisting pass is the one to start with though, I think, saving the others as alternatives.