Feet on Hips Guard Top is the passing perspective when facing an opponent who has established feet on your hips as defensive frames. This common open guard scenario requires systematic breakdown of the bottom player’s leg frames through grip control, pressure application, and strategic positioning. Success demands understanding how to neutralize the pushing power of the legs while maintaining forward pressure and creating passing opportunities. The position requires patience and technical precision—rushing into passes often results in the bottom player re-establishing guard or executing sweeps. Effective top players focus on controlling the knees, breaking the frames methodically, and transitioning to more advantageous passing positions. Your primary objectives are establishing dominant grips (particularly pants grips at the knees), applying constant forward pressure to prevent guard recovery, and timing your passing attacks to coincide with the bottom player’s frame adjustments. The position demands balance between aggression and control—too passive allows the bottom player to threaten attacks, too aggressive creates sweep opportunities.
Position Definition
- Bottom player’s feet are placed on top player’s hips, creating a pushing frame that maintains distance between the two practitioners and prevents chest-to-chest contact
- Top player maintains upright posture with strong base, typically in combat base or standing position, preventing forward collapse or off-balancing from leg frames
- Top player controls one or both of bottom player’s pants at the knees or ankles, working to break the foot-on-hip frames and establish dominant passing grips
- Bottom player maintains hip mobility and ability to adjust feet placement, using legs as active defensive tools rather than static barriers while threatening guard transitions
Prerequisites
- Bottom player has established open guard with feet on hips creating distance
- Top player has disengaged from closed guard or is approaching from standing position
- Sufficient space exists between both players for the frame to function
- Top player maintains balance and base to prevent sweeps while applying pressure
Key Offensive Principles
- Control the knees before attempting to pass - grip fighting at the pants is essential foundation
- Maintain constant forward pressure to prevent bottom player from recovering better guards or establishing sleeve control
- Break one frame at a time rather than attempting to clear both feet simultaneously
- Keep hips low and weight distributed to prevent being pushed backward or off-balanced
- Use angle changes and lateral movement to create passing opportunities when frames adjust
- Timing is critical - pass when bottom player adjusts their frames or attempts guard transitions
- Protect against De La Riva hooks and lasso guards during frame breaking process
Available Attacks
Toreando Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 45%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Knee Cut Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Double Under Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Long Step Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
X Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Stack Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Decision Making from This Position
If bottom player has both feet on hips with strong frames and no sleeve grips established:
- Execute Grip pants at knees → Combat Base (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Stand up to create pressure → Standing Position (Probability: 70%)
If bottom player tries to establish sleeve grips for spider guard or collar control:
- Execute Toreando Pass → Side Control (Probability: 65%)
- Execute Spider Guard Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
If bottom player begins to shoot triangle or omoplata with hips inverting:
- Execute Stack Pass → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Posture up and circle away → Combat Base (Probability: 70%)
If bottom player creates excessive distance with frames or retracts legs:
- Execute Long Step Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Step around to leg drag → Leg Drag Control (Probability: 55%)
If bottom player attempts to establish De La Riva or lasso hooks during frame breaking:
- Execute Smash Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Clear hooks and knee cut → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
Optimal Submission Paths
Shortest path to submission via side control
Feet on Hips Guard Top → Knee Cut Pass → Side Control → Americana
High-percentage pressure path to mount submissions
Feet on Hips Guard Top → Toreando Pass → Side Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount
Back attack path via leg drag
Feet on Hips Guard Top → Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Control → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Submission path via north-south transition
Feet on Hips Guard Top → Stack Pass → North-South → North-South Choke
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 40% | 35% | 15% |
| Intermediate | 55% | 50% | 25% |
| Advanced | 70% | 65% | 40% |
Average Time in Position: 45-90 seconds before successful pass or guard recovery
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The feet on hips guard represents a fundamental distance management problem that must be solved through systematic grip control and pressure application. The critical insight is that the bottom player’s frames are only effective when they can generate pushing power through their legs. By controlling the knees and preventing full extension, you remove their primary defensive tool. The most efficient approach involves establishing pants grips at the knee line, which allows you to manipulate their leg position and create passing angles. Notice that successful passing from this position requires constant forward pressure—you must make the bottom player feel like they are defending rather than attacking. The moment you allow them to dictate the pace, they will begin to establish more sophisticated guard variations like spider guard or De La Riva. Your goal is to methodically break down their frames while maintaining such overwhelming pressure that submission attacks become their only option for creating space. The systematic approach involves grip establishment, frame neutralization, and pass execution as discrete phases that must be completed sequentially rather than simultaneously.
Gordon Ryan
In competition, I’ve found that most people waste too much time trying to be gentle with the feet on hips position. The reality is that you need to be aggressive with your passing—grip their pants hard, control their knees, and impose your will. My preferred approach is the toreando pass because it’s fast and shuts down most of their attacking options. When you grip both knees and throw their legs to one side, you’re passing before they can establish any dangerous guards. The key is timing—you wait for them to push against you, then use their own force to redirect their legs. I’ll also mix in knee cuts when they try to play more defensive, because that forces them to choose between defending the pass or setting up attacks. Against high-level guys, I’m constantly changing my passing angle to prevent them from timing my movements. The worst thing you can do is stay static—if you let them set their grips and establish rhythm, now you’re playing their game instead of yours. My entire passing philosophy from feet on hips is about creating pressure, breaking grips, and passing before they can develop offensive threats.
Eddie Bravo
The feet on hips position is interesting because most people approach it way too traditionally. In the 10th Planet system, we’ve developed some unconventional ways to deal with this that really mess with people’s timing. One thing I love is using aggressive pressure to force them into defensive positions they’re not expecting—instead of playing the grip fighting game, sometimes I’ll immediately pressure pass or even threaten submissions from top to disrupt their guard game. Another approach we use is the lockdown pass when they have feet on hips—you can trap one leg and immediately put them into a defensive lockdown situation where they’re dealing with your attacks instead of setting up sweeps. The traditional pressure passing stuff works, but I like to keep people guessing about what’s coming. Sometimes I’ll even engage their guard more deeply than expected, getting into their space and forcing them to react rather than setting up their planned attacks. The point is, don’t get stuck in one mindset about what this position is supposed to be. If everyone expects you to stand and pass, maybe you drop down and pressure. If they expect pressure, maybe you create space and use footwork. The innovation comes from not being predictable and using unconventional approaches that most people don’t train for.