What is Ariel Tabak Outside Passing System?
The Ariel Tabak Outside Passing System connects movement beyond the defender’s legs to upper-body control, using side changes, leg traps, and north-south routes when the guard recovers.
Getting around the feet is often only the start of an outside pass. A defender can turn, pummel a leg back inside, or frame on the upper body before control settles. This study plan separates the initial flank from the finish so you can see which part of the exchange actually needs work.
Outside Passing Compendium by Ariel Tabak is the matched instructional. Tabak covers outside-leg access, upper-body connection, high-pummel responses, leg-trap finishes, and cross-grip passing. The drills, sequence, and assessment criteria below are an original BJJGraph study plan; use them to organize practice alongside the course and feedback from a coach.
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Outside Passing Compendium
with Ariel Tabak
Who it suits: Gi passers who can reach the outside of a guard but struggle to finish. Several positioning ideas transfer to no-gi, while the course also uses collar, sleeve, and trouser grips.
Tabak covers outside-leg access, upper-body connection, high-pummel responses, leg-trap finishes, and cross-grip passing.
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Core Principles
- Distinguish getting outside the legs from controlling the torso.
- Recognize a returning leg before settling your weight.
- Use a side change to solve a problem rather than to move aimlessly.
- Keep the selected grip arrangement consistent during early drills.
- Observe where the defender’s shoulders remain free to turn.
Key Components
Flank without a finish (Separate reaching an angle from securing a pass.) Start against a supine guard and aim only to get outside the legs while the defender tries to square up.
Upper-body connection (Find the missing link between angle and control.) Begin from an established flank and work toward a defined chest or shoulder control while the defender frames.
High-leg recovery (Account for the most immediate guard recovery.) Let the defender pummel one leg back between the bodies and rehearse a reviewed continuation or side change.
Leg-trap branch (Make a broad passing catalog into a manageable branch.) Choose one leg-trap grip arrangement and test a single finish before adding alternative grips or routes.
Implementation Sequence
- Flank without a finish: BJJGraph study task: Start against a supine guard and aim only to get outside the legs while the defender tries to square up. Key points:
- Separate reaching an angle from securing a pass.
- Upper-body connection: BJJGraph study task: Begin from an established flank and work toward a defined chest or shoulder control while the defender frames. Key points:
- Find the missing link between angle and control.
- High-leg recovery: BJJGraph study task: Let the defender pummel one leg back between the bodies and rehearse a reviewed continuation or side change. Key points:
- Account for the most immediate guard recovery.
- Leg-trap branch: BJJGraph study task: Choose one leg-trap grip arrangement and test a single finish before adding alternative grips or routes. Key points:
- Make a broad passing catalog into a manageable branch.
- Connect and review: Link the first two practiced tasks in a constrained round, then add the next stage only when both partners can identify the cue and stopping condition. Record the earliest control failure and return to that stage for the next set.
Where to begin in the instructional
Begin with outside-leg access and upper-body progression, then high-pummel responses; add the leg-trap and cross-grip material afterward.
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How to Measure Your Progress
Flank without a finish: Separate reaching an angle from securing a pass. Proficiency indicators:
- Can describe the starting condition for flank without a finish.
- Recognizes the agreed defensive response without prompting.
- Can identify where the task broke down and select a relevant reset.
Upper-body connection: Find the missing link between angle and control. Proficiency indicators:
- Can describe the starting condition for upper-body connection.
- Recognizes the agreed defensive response without prompting.
- Can identify where the task broke down and select a relevant reset.
High-leg recovery: Account for the most immediate guard recovery. Proficiency indicators:
- Can describe the starting condition for high-leg recovery.
- Recognizes the agreed defensive response without prompting.
- Can identify where the task broke down and select a relevant reset.
Leg-trap branch: Make a broad passing catalog into a manageable branch. Proficiency indicators:
- Can describe the starting condition for leg-trap branch.
- Recognizes the agreed defensive response without prompting.
- Can identify where the task broke down and select a relevant reset.
Take one idea into your next session
BJJGraph practice suggestion: Start against a supine guard and aim only to get outside the legs while the defender tries to square up. Then connect it to upper-body connection. Compare the first lost control point after each round.
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Check the sample and current price on BJJ Fanatics: Outside Passing Compendium →