BJJ Graph

Double Unders Bottom

Dec 09, 202514 min read

Double Unders Bottom Position occurs when an opponent has established underhooks on both sides while attempting to pass your guard, creating significant pressure and control. This is a critical defensive position commonly encountered during pressure passing sequences, particularly from half guard or when defending knee slice attacks. The bottom player faces immense forward pressure as the top player drives their weight through the underhooks, collapsing posture and threatening to flatten the defender completely onto their back. This position represents a transitional crisis state in the guard passing hierarchy where the top player has gained significant control but hasn’t yet achieved side control. The bottom practitioner must act quickly and decisively to recover frames, create space, and either re-establish guard or accept the pass to a more stable defensive position like deep half guard or turtle. Understanding defensive framing mechanics, hip movement patterns, and strategic position acceptance is crucial for survival. While extremely challenging, this position offers opportunities to transition to deep half guard, recover butterfly hooks, or execute granby rolls when timed correctly with the opponent’s forward pressure momentum.

Position Definition

  • Opponent has both arms wrapped under your armpits with underhooks established bilaterally, controlling your upper body and eliminating your ability to create effective frames with your arms
  • Your back is curved forward with shoulders rounded as opponent drives weight through underhooks into your chest and torso, collapsing defensive posture and restricting spinal extension
  • Opponent’s chest pressure is driving forward and downward, forcing your upper body toward the mat while preventing you from sitting up or creating separation between bodies
  • Your hips are being pressured toward the mat with limited mobility as opponent works to flatten you completely and establish side control or mount positioning
  • Your legs may be entangled in half guard, butterfly hooks, or transitioning between guard positions as opponent advances the passing sequence progressively

Prerequisites

  • Opponent has secured double underhooks from a passing position
  • Your defensive frames have been compromised or removed
  • Opponent is driving forward pressure through underhooks
  • You are on your back or side with upper body controlled
  • Guard passing sequence is in advanced stage requiring immediate response

Key Defensive Principles

  • Create frames immediately - elbows inside, forearms against opponent’s face/neck to generate any available space
  • Prevent chest-to-chest contact by maintaining distance with frames or hip positioning, even inches matter
  • Keep hips mobile and active - shrimping, bridging, turning to prevent being flattened completely
  • Fight to recover at least one underhook to break bilateral control and restore defensive structure
  • Use opponent’s forward pressure against them - granby rolls and deep half entries work with their momentum
  • Protect your back from taking the mat - once flattened, escape difficulty increases exponentially
  • Accept strategic transitions when necessary - moving to deep half or turtle may be better than being crushed flat

Available Escapes

Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard

Success Rates:

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

Granby Roll → Turtle

Success Rates:

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

Butterfly Hook Recovery → Butterfly Guard

Success Rates:

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

Frame and Shrimp → Half Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Underhook Recovery → Underhook Battle

Success Rates:

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

Hip Escape → Open Guard

Success Rates:

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

Opponent Counters

Counter-Attacks

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent drives heavy pressure forward and down attempting to flatten you completely onto your back:

If opponent pauses pressure to consolidate position or adjust grips and base structure:

If opponent lifts weight or shifts laterally to clear your legs and complete passing sequence:

If you successfully create any frame or space between your chest and opponent’s chest:

Common Defensive Mistakes

1. Accepting both underhooks passively without immediate frame creation response

  • ❌ Consequence: Allows opponent to consolidate double underhook control, flatten your back to the mat, and complete the pass with minimal resistance
  • ✅ Correction: Fight frames immediately - get elbows inside, forearms on face/neck, create any space possible before being flattened completely

2. Keeping hips flat and static on the mat without active movement

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent easily flattens you completely, removes all guard retention options, and passes directly to side control or mount
  • ✅ Correction: Keep hips mobile constantly - shrimp, bridge, turn to sides, prevent static flattening at all costs through continuous movement

3. Fighting both underhooks equally instead of focusing on recovering one strategically

  • ❌ Consequence: Wastes energy fighting bilateral control symmetrically while opponent maintains dominant position and advances pass
  • ✅ Correction: Focus energy on recovering one underhook first - breaking bilateral control is more important than perfect frames on both sides

4. Allowing chest-to-chest contact without resistance or space creation

  • ❌ Consequence: Gives opponent full weight pressure advantage, eliminates all leverage opportunities, and makes escape nearly impossible
  • ✅ Correction: Fight for any distance - even inches of space between chests allows hip mobility and escape opportunities to function

5. Giving up mentally when double underhooks are established, accepting defeat prematurely

  • ❌ Consequence: Surrenders defensive opportunities prematurely, allows easy pass, and reinforces bad habits for future similar positions
  • ✅ Correction: Stay mentally engaged - this position has multiple escape routes if you act quickly with proper technique and timing

6. Extending legs straight or pushing opponent away with feet ineffectively

  • ❌ Consequence: Removes leg entanglement options, eliminates butterfly hook possibilities, and gives opponent clear path to side control
  • ✅ Correction: Keep legs active with hooks (butterfly, half guard) or transitional positions - never extend straight which surrenders control

7. Tucking chin to chest defensively instead of maintaining head position and mobility

  • ❌ Consequence: Rounds spine further, makes you easier to flatten, and reduces mobility for granby rolls or hip escapes
  • ✅ Correction: Keep head active and mobile - look away from pressure direction to maintain spinal extension and mobility options

Training Drills for Defense

Double Underhook Escape Repetition

Partner establishes double underhooks from various positions (half guard, butterfly, seated). Practice frame creation, underhook recovery, and deep half entries with progressive resistance. Start at 30% resistance, increase to 70% over weeks. Focus on immediate reactions when underhooks are secured.

Duration: 5 minutes per round, 3 rounds

Pressure Passing Defense Positional Sparring

Start in double unders bottom position with partner applying forward pressure. Bottom player works escapes and recoveries while top player works to complete pass. Reset when side control is achieved or guard is recovered. Track success rates for different escape routes.

Duration: 3 minute rounds, 5 rounds

Granby Roll Timing Drill

Partner establishes double underhooks and drives forward pressure. Bottom player times granby roll entry as opponent commits weight forward. Practice reading pressure direction and using momentum for roll timing. Start slow, increase speed progressively.

Duration: 10 repetitions each side, 3 sets

Frame Fighting Flow Drill

Partner continuously seeks double underhooks while you work to maintain frames, recover underhooks, and prevent bilateral control. Light resistance, focus on hand fighting, elbow positioning, and constant frame renewal. Develops defensive awareness and proactive frame maintenance.

Duration: 4 minutes continuous, 3 rounds

Escape and Survival Paths

Defensive survival path

Double Unders Bottom → Deep Half Guard → Deep Half Sweep → Top Position → Submission opportunities from top

Counter-attacking path

Double Unders Bottom → Granby Roll → Turtle → Turtle to Back Take → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke

Guard recovery path

Double Unders Bottom → Frame and Shrimp → Half Guard → Underhook Sweep from Half → Mount → Armbar from Mount

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner25%15%5%
Intermediate40%30%10%
Advanced60%50%20%

Average Time in Position: 15-45 seconds before pass or escape

Expert Analysis

John Danaher

The double underhooks bottom position represents a critical failure point in defensive guard structure where bilateral underhook control has been conceded to the opponent. From a systematic perspective, this position exists in the late stages of the guard passing sequence, typically occurring after initial frames have been compromised and the opponent has successfully penetrated your defensive layers. The biomechanical reality is severe - with both underhooks established, the opponent can generate tremendous forward pressure through their shoulder girdle directly into your chest, collapsing your posture and eliminating the spinal extension necessary for effective hip mobility. Your defensive priorities must be hierarchical: first, prevent complete flattening of your back to the mat, as this removes all escape mechanics; second, create any available frame using elbows, forearms, or head positioning to generate minimal space; third, commit to a directional escape rather than passive resistance. The deep half guard entry is biomechanically optimal here because you use the opponent’s forward pressure as momentum for your dive under their base. Understanding that this is a transitional crisis position, not a sustainable guard variant, is essential - you must act decisively within seconds or accept the pass to a more stable defensive position.

Gordon Ryan

When I end up with someone getting double underhooks on me, I know I’m in serious trouble and need to move immediately. This position shows up all the time in competition when guys are pressure passing - they get their head low, wrap both underhooks, and just drive forward trying to flatten you. The key is not panicking when you feel both underhooks lock in. I’ve escaped this countless times by going straight to deep half - as soon as I feel that pressure coming forward, I’m already diving under for the deep half entry. The timing is critical - you can’t wait until you’re completely flattened. Against high-level guys, if you let them settle here for even three seconds, you’re getting passed. I also look for the granby roll if they commit too much weight forward, but you have to really feel their pressure direction. In competition, I’d rather give up turtle from the granby than get smash passed to side control where I’m giving up points and dealing with heavy shoulder pressure. The absolute worst thing you can do is try to push them away with your hands or feet - that just gives them the space to step over and complete the pass. Keep your legs active, always threatening something, and commit to your escape direction fully.

Eddie Bravo

Double underhooks on bottom is a nightmare scenario that I see all the time when people don’t properly understand lockdown mechanics or butterfly guard retention. This is where the whole 10th Planet system of keeping your opponent in your guard really shows its value - if you let them get double underhooks, you’ve already failed multiple defensive layers. But when it happens, you’ve got to have your escape routes wired. The deep half entry is money here, and it actually fits perfectly with the lockdown game because you’re used to diving under and working from bottom positions. The granby roll is another excellent option, especially against bigger guys who are driving heavy pressure - use that weight against them and roll right into turtle or even come up on top if you time it right. What I teach is staying loose and mobile - if you tense up and try to match strength when someone has double underhooks, you’re done. Flow with the pressure, wait for them to commit their weight in one direction, then explode the opposite way. Also, don’t sleep on the electric chair setup from here if you can get that lockdown in - sometimes the best defense is a crazy offense that your opponent isn’t expecting. The traditional BJJ approach is too passive in this spot - you need to be attacking, moving, creating chaos.