Double Sleeve Guard Top

Double Sleeve Guard Top represents the passing position when facing an opponent who has secured bilateral sleeve grips while on their back. This is one of the most common guard configurations in gi BJJ, where the bottom player controls both of your sleeves at the wrists or forearms to create distance and maintain a defensive barrier. The top player’s primary objective is to break these grips systematically while advancing position, requiring excellent grip fighting, posture control, and strategic movement. This position demands patience and technical precision, as rushing against strong sleeve grips often results in sweeps or submission attempts. The key to success lies in understanding grip hierarchy, creating angles to diminish the effectiveness of the sleeve controls, and using strategic pressure combined with grip breaks to advance. Many world-class competitors have built entire passing systems around defeating the double sleeve guard, making it essential knowledge for any serious practitioner. The position serves as a gateway to numerous passing sequences and requires both physical attributes (grip strength, posture) and tactical awareness (timing, angle creation, pressure application).

Position Definition

• Top player maintains upright posture with hips elevated above opponent’s guard, preventing lower body from being pulled into bottom player’s offensive range while maintaining balance through posted hands or controlled grips
• Bottom player controls both of top player’s sleeves at wrist or forearm level with bilateral grips, creating a frame that maintains distance and prevents top player from achieving dominant grips or closing distance effectively
• Bottom player’s legs are positioned either with feet on hips, knees bent with shins across, or in dynamic movement patterns to prevent top player from achieving knee cut, leg drag, or other passing entries while maintaining the sleeve control framework

Prerequisites

• Opponent has established both sleeve grips while maintaining guard position
• Top player has achieved standing or combat base posture above the guard
• Sufficient distance exists between players due to bottom player’s sleeve control and leg positioning
• Top player maintains balance and posture despite bilateral sleeve grips
• Bottom player is on their back with active guard retention using legs and sleeve controls

Key Offensive Principles

• Maintain strong upright posture with chest forward and hips back to prevent being pulled forward into submissions or sweeps
• Systematically break grips using proper grip breaking mechanics rather than relying purely on strength
• Create angles and circular movement to diminish the effectiveness of the sleeve grips and create passing opportunities
• Control the distance by managing your own sleeve position and preventing bottom player from establishing additional controls
• Use strategic pressure and timing to advance grips on opponent’s legs, belt, or collar while managing their sleeve controls
• Prevent bottom player from establishing foot-on-hip or foot-on-bicep controls which strengthen their guard retention
• Transition between different passing approaches based on how bottom player adjusts their leg positioning and sleeve grip depth

Available Attacks

Toreando Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 35%
• Intermediate: 50%
• Advanced: 65%

Knee Slice Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 30%
• Intermediate: 45%
• Advanced: 60%

Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 25%
• Intermediate: 40%
• Advanced: 55%

Stack Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 20%
• Intermediate: 35%
• Advanced: 50%

Long Step Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 25%
• Intermediate: 40%
• Advanced: 55%

X Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 30%
• Intermediate: 45%
• Advanced: 60%

Double Under Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

• Beginner: 20%
• Intermediate: 35%
• Advanced: 50%

Opponent Escapes

• Hip Escape → Open Guard (Opponent Success: 45%)
• Butterfly Sweep → Butterfly Guard (Opponent Success: 35%)
• Scissor Sweep → Mount (Opponent Success: 30%)
• Triangle Setup → Triangle Control (Opponent Success: 25%)
• Omoplata Sweep → Omoplata Control (Opponent Success: 20%)

Escape Counters

• Smash Pass → Side Control
  • Opponent attempts to invert or enter deep half guard
• Knee Cut Pass → Side Control
  • Opponent opens guard or loses one sleeve grip
• Headquarters Pass → Headquarters Position
  • Opponent attempts single leg X-guard entry
• Pressure Pass → Side Control
  • Opponent’s grips weaken or they attempt to re-guard

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent maintains strong double sleeve grips with feet on hips creating maximum distance:

• Execute Grip Break → Combat Base (Probability: 60%)
• Execute Toreando Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)

If opponent has sleeve grips but legs are in dynamic movement without stable foot placement:

• Execute Knee Slice Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
• Execute Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Control (Probability: 50%)
• Execute Long Step Pass → Side Control (Probability: 45%)

If opponent loses one sleeve grip or weakens bilateral control:

• Execute X Pass → Side Control (Probability: 65%)
• Execute Stack Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)

If opponent attempts to transition to different guard variation or sweep:

• Execute Pressure Pass → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
• Execute Smash Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)

Common Offensive Mistakes

1. Allowing posture to break forward while opponent maintains strong sleeve grips

• ❌ Consequence: Creates vulnerability to sweeps, triangles, and omoplatas as your weight shifts forward into their offensive range
• ✅ Correction: Maintain upright posture with chest up and hips back, using core engagement to resist forward pulling while systematically addressing grip breaks

2. Attempting to pass immediately without addressing the sleeve grips first

• ❌ Consequence: Opponent uses sleeve control to redirect your passing momentum, leading to sweeps or guard retention with minimal effort
• ✅ Correction: Break at least one sleeve grip before committing to a passing sequence, or use grips and angles that neutralize the sleeve control’s effectiveness

3. Using only upper body strength to break grips without proper mechanics

• ❌ Consequence: Depletes energy rapidly while often failing to break grips of skilled opponents, leaving you exhausted mid-pass attempt
• ✅ Correction: Employ proper grip breaking mechanics using hip rotation, stepping patterns, and leverage rather than pure arm strength

4. Remaining static in one position allowing opponent to set up their preferred attacks

• ❌ Consequence: Bottom player establishes rhythm, finds optimal grip depth, and sets up sweeps or submissions from a stable defensive position
• ✅ Correction: Maintain constant motion through angle changes, circling, and pressure variations to prevent opponent from settling into comfortable defensive patterns

5. Failing to control distance after breaking grips, allowing opponent to immediately re-establish

• ❌ Consequence: Creates a frustrating cycle of grip fighting without making forward progress toward passing
• ✅ Correction: After breaking grips, immediately advance your own grips on their legs or belt while controlling distance to prevent re-establishment of sleeve controls

6. Ignoring opponent’s foot placement on hips or biceps while focusing only on sleeve grips

• ❌ Consequence: Even with weak sleeve grips, strong foot frames can maintain distance and facilitate sweeps or guard retention
• ✅ Correction: Address both the sleeve grips and leg positioning simultaneously, using strategies that diminish both control mechanisms

Training Drills for Attacks

Progressive Grip Breaking Drill

Partner maintains double sleeve grips with varying intensity (30%, 50%, 70%, 100%) while you practice different grip breaking techniques including wrist rotation breaks, elbow posting breaks, and hip movement breaks. Focus on mechanics over strength.

Duration: 5 minutes per round, 3 rounds

Toreando Passing Flow Drill

Starting from double sleeve guard top, practice fluid toreando passing movements where you control both sleeves or pants and move the legs side to side. Partner provides 50% resistance initially, increasing as technique improves. Emphasize maintaining posture, controlling opponent’s leg positioning, and circling to side control.

Duration: 3 minutes per side, 4 rounds

Guard Passing Decision Tree Sparring

Positional sparring starting from double sleeve guard top where top player must recognize bottom player’s defensive patterns and select appropriate passing strategy. Bottom player varies between strong sleeve retention, foot on hips frames, and dynamic guard movement. Reset after each successful pass or sweep.

Duration: 5 minutes per position, switch roles, 6 rounds total

Grip Fighting to Knee Slice Drill

Start with opponent holding double sleeve grips. Practice breaking one grip, establishing your own control on their pants or belt, then immediately entering knee slice position. Partner provides progressive resistance. Focus on smooth transitions from grip break to passing entry.

Duration: 4 minutes per round, 4 rounds

Optimal Submission Paths

Shortest Passing Path to Submission

Double Sleeve Guard Top → Toreando Pass → Side Control → Mount → Americana

High-Percentage Control Path

Double Sleeve Guard Top → Knee Slice Pass → Side Control → North-South → Kimura

Back Attack Path

Double Sleeve Guard Top → Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Control → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke

Pressure Passing Path

Double Sleeve Guard Top → Stack Pass → Side Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill Level	Retention Rate	Advancement Probability	Submission Probability
Beginner	40%	35%	5%
Intermediate	55%	50%	10%
Advanced	70%	65%	15%

Average Time in Position: 45-90 seconds before pass attempt or position change

Related Positions and Techniques

• Double Sleeve Guard Bottom - Opposite perspective - bottom player’s position
• Combat Base - Alternative posture for addressing double sleeve grips
• Toreando Pass - Primary passing technique from this position
• Knee Slice Pass - High-percentage passing option after grip break
• Guard Passing Principles - Conceptual framework for all passing strategies
• Grip Breaking - Essential skill for defeating sleeve controls
• Pressure Passing - Alternative approach to speed passing from this position
• Spider Guard - Similar position with different grip configuration
• Closed Guard - Related guard passing scenario
• Open Guard - Parent category of guard passing positions