The other day, a student asked me about a problem he’s been having often during rolls.
Over and over again, he gets to one of the very best positions for finishing the knee cut pass (deep underhook and head tight against the ear on the other side), but yet (get this) he goes noooowhere. His opponents lock up his leg like a death vise.
And it’s been bothering him…. ALOT.
Frankly, it’s a common problem. And it stems from focusing too much on using the knee to cut through the guard. The name of the pass definitely doesn’t help in that regard either.
Where they go wrong is that they don’t realize how hip dominant the pass truly is.
There must be a connection between your hip and your opponent’s body, and THAT is what gives you the most leverage for making the pass finish as smooth as silk.
It’s one of the biggest misconceptions about the knee cut.