The closed guard used to be a dreaded position for me to pass.
Why?
It’s because I had limited flexibility in my legs. It was painful to sit back on my heels, so it was hard to establish proper posture. Nowadays, I’ve found ways to address that issue, but back then, I struggled.
That’s why I was so excited when I first learned the Sao Paolo pass.
It was the one of the few passes that worked without a upright posture. And more importantly, it led straight into the half guard, where I thrived both on top and bottom.
I often ran into a problem though.
While simple, the pass requires precision. Being just a little off on the pressure or angle could lead to doom in the form of a sweep or omoplata, and that’s one reason why I backed away from using it.
But now that will likely change.
Why?
Because I recently stumbled on a breakdown of the technique by Leo Nogueira, and within it was a shockingly simple detail.
And it wasn’t something that was emphasized either, but I immediately saw the possibilities, and the reality more than met the expectation when I put it to the test.
Instead of a deep underhook, which can force you to over commit to the position, he just grips the gi at the armpit and closes the elbow to dominate the inside space.
What it accomplishes is interesting.
When I was testing, it allowed me to stack to the corner with far more control and base, while giving me just another space to move through the whole transition with pressure without giving my opponent enough space to counter.
It’s the smallest adjustment.
And for me, seeing how one little grip placement variation can change a whole technique just deepens my love of the game, and I just might do a little video on the principles behind this particular pass as a result.
Hmm.
Yes, yes I will.
And it’ll be going to the Tube.
You’ll be able to find it here within a week:
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