Bernardo Faria Pressure System is a intermediate difficulty Passing System system. Integrates 5 components.
System ID: System Type: Passing System Difficulty Level: Intermediate
What is Bernardo Faria Pressure System?
The Bernardo Faria Pressure System is a comprehensive top game framework built on relentless forward pressure, precise weight distribution, and systematic guard passing principles. Developed through years of elite competition, this system prioritizes making opponents carry your weight while maintaining dominant control positions. The methodology emphasizes knee slice variations, over-under passing, and bodylock control as primary weapons, combined with strategic grip fighting and base management. Rather than speed or explosiveness, this system relies on technical precision, timing, and pressure application to systematically break down guards and achieve dominant positions. The framework is particularly effective in gi competition where grips and control can be maximized, though the fundamental pressure principles translate effectively to no-gi contexts. This system represents a masterclass in making opponents exhausted through constant pressure while conserving your own energy through proper technique and weight placement.
Core Principles
- Constant forward pressure forces opponent to work continuously
- Weight distribution creates exhaustion without requiring strength
- Systematic passing sequences create multiple attack paths
- Grip control establishes dominant hand fighting positions
- Patient pressure beats explosive counters through timing
- Base management prevents sweeps during passing attempts
- Position consolidation before advancing to next stage
Key Components
Knee Slice Passing (Primary guard passing tool that applies maximum pressure while advancing position) The foundational passing technique involves driving the knee across opponent’s thighs while controlling their upper body with strategic grips. The pass emphasizes weight distribution onto opponent’s hips and chest, making them carry your bodyweight while preventing guard retention. Timing the slice with opponent’s breathing and movement creates higher success rates.
Over-Under Control (Control position that exhausts opponents and creates passing opportunities) Establishing one arm over opponent’s leg and one arm under creates asymmetric pressure that prevents effective guard retention. The over-under position allows for strategic weight placement onto opponent’s chest and hips while limiting their mobility. This control position sets up both passing opportunities and back exposure through systematic pressure application.
Bodylock Passing (Eliminates opponent’s hand fighting while creating maximum control for passing) Connecting hands around opponent’s torso creates complete control of their core while eliminating grip fighting. The bodylock allows for strategic weight drops, pressure angles, and position advancement without giving opponent hand fighting opportunities. This position is particularly effective against butterfly and half guard structures where traditional grip fighting proves difficult.
Half Guard Maintenance (Control position in half guard that creates passing opportunities through pressure) When opponent establishes half guard, the system emphasizes maintaining dominant underhook position, crossface control, and strategic weight placement to flatten opponent. Rather than immediate passing, the focus becomes making opponent carry weight while systematically clearing the bottom leg through precise technique and timing. Patience in this position creates exhaustion and eventual passing opportunities.
Mount Consolidation (Dominant position that maximizes points and submission opportunities) After passing, the system emphasizes immediate mount consolidation through grapevine control, high mount positioning, and strategic weight distribution. The goal becomes making opponent carry maximum weight while preventing escape opportunities. This position serves as both a scoring position and submission platform within the overall system architecture.
Implementation Sequence
- Grip Establishment: Begin standing or from combat base by establishing strategic grips that control opponent’s collar, sleeves, or pants. Priority grips include cross collar, sleeve control, or pant grips at the knees. Key points:
- Fight for dominant grips before posture engagement
- Control opponent’s collar to prevent guard pulling
- Establish sleeve control to limit defensive frames
- Maintain strong base during grip fighting exchanges
- Pressure Application: Drive forward weight onto opponent through strategic positioning, forcing them to carry your bodyweight. Focus on placing pressure on their hips, chest, and shoulders rather than using muscular strength. Key points:
- Drop hips to create downward pressure vector
- Distribute weight through chest and shoulder contact
- Maintain forward momentum without losing base
- Force opponent to work continuously under pressure
- Guard Opening: Systematically open closed guard through posture control, grip breaks, and strategic pressure application. Use knee placement, elbow positioning, and weight distribution to create guard opening opportunities. Key points:
- Establish strong posture before attempting guard break
- Use elbow placement on thighs to create opening
- Combine grip control with pressure application
- Transition immediately when guard opens
- Passing Execution: Execute primary passing techniques including knee slice, over-under, or bodylock based on opponent’s guard structure and defensive reactions. Maintain constant pressure throughout passing sequence. Key points:
- Select passing technique based on guard type
- Maintain pressure during entire passing sequence
- Control opponent’s hips to prevent guard retention
- Consolidate position before advancing further
- Half Guard Navigation: When opponent establishes half guard, immediately secure underhook position and crossface control. Focus on flattening opponent through weight placement and clearing bottom leg through systematic technique. Key points:
- Win underhook battle immediately
- Apply crossface pressure to limit mobility
- Flatten opponent’s back to mat
- Clear bottom leg through precise technique and timing
- Position Consolidation: Upon passing to side control or mount, immediately consolidate the position through proper weight distribution, control points, and base management. Prevent immediate escape attempts through strategic pressure. Key points:
- Establish crossface and underhook in side control
- Secure grapevine or high mount in mount position
- Distribute weight to prevent bridging escapes
- Maintain base while applying submission pressure
- Submission Attacks: From consolidated positions, attack high-percentage submissions including ezekiel choke, arm triangle, americana, or kimura. Maintain pressure throughout submission attempts to prevent escapes. Key points:
- Attack submissions while maintaining position
- Use pressure to limit defensive movements
- Chain submissions when first attempts fail
- Return to position consolidation if submission escapes occur
How to Measure Your Progress
Guard Passing Success Rate: Percentage of guard encounters that result in successful passes to side control, mount, or back control Proficiency indicators:
- Beginner: 30-40% passing success in training
- Intermediate: 50-65% passing success with systematic approach
- Advanced: 70%+ passing success against comparable opponents
Pressure Maintenance: Ability to maintain constant forward pressure throughout passing sequences without exhaustion Proficiency indicators:
- Can maintain pressure for 2+ minute passing sequences
- Opponent shows visible exhaustion before practitioner
- Technique rather than strength creates pressure effect
Half Guard Dominance: Success rate in achieving dominant position and passing from half guard top position Proficiency indicators:
- Win underhook battle 80%+ of time
- Successfully flatten opponent within 30 seconds
- Pass half guard within 90 seconds average
Position Consolidation Time: Speed and effectiveness of securing dominant positions after passing Proficiency indicators:
- Establish side control crossface within 3 seconds of passing
- Secure mount grapevines within 5 seconds of achieving mount
- Opponent unable to immediately escape consolidated positions
Submission Rate from Top: Percentage of dominant positions that result in submission attempts or finishes Proficiency indicators:
- Attempt submission from 60%+ of passed positions
- Finish submissions from top 30%+ of matches
- Chain 2+ submission attempts before position loss
Expert Insights
- John Danaher: The genius of Bernardo Faria’s pressure system lies in its systematic approach to energy conservation through proper biomechanics. Rather than relying on muscular strength or explosive athleticism, this methodology employs precise weight distribution and skeletal alignment to create pressure that exhausts opponents while preserving the practitioner’s energy. The system’s emphasis on controlling the distance between your center of gravity and opponent’s center of gravity creates a mechanical advantage that transcends strength disparities. The half guard passing protocol within this system represents perhaps the most technically refined approach to this common defensive position, utilizing crossface control and underhook dominance to systematically flatten and pass opponents. What separates this system from other pressure-based methodologies is its patience and timing emphasis—understanding that rushing the passing sequence undermines the very pressure principles that make the system effective. The progression from grip establishment through passing execution to position consolidation represents a complete theoretical framework for top position dominance.
- Gordon Ryan: Bernardo’s pressure system proved incredibly effective at the highest levels of competition, winning multiple world championships through pure technical execution rather than athleticism. The beauty of this approach in tournament settings is its sustainability—you can maintain this style of passing throughout an entire competition day without burning out because you’re using technique and weight rather than explosive energy. The knee slice variations within this system are among the highest percentage passes in modern competition when executed with proper timing and pressure. What I’ve incorporated from this methodology is the patience aspect—understanding that a systematic three-minute pressure pass that results in dominant position is more valuable than a quick explosive pass that leaves you scrambled. The half guard passing elements are competition gold; winning the underhook battle and establishing crossface control gives you such dominant position that opponents often concede the pass to prevent worse outcomes. In my own competition preparation, drilling these pressure principles improved my top game sustainability and submission finishing rates because I wasn’t exhausting myself during passing sequences.
- Eddie Bravo: While Bernardo’s system is definitely gi-focused, the fundamental pressure principles translate beautifully to no-gi grappling when you understand the core concepts behind the techniques. The bodylock passing elements are pure gold in no-gi competition where you can’t rely on collar and sleeve grips—connecting your hands around opponent’s torso and using weight drops creates incredible pressure without grip fighting. What’s interesting about this system from an innovation perspective is how it challenges the modern speed passing meta-game; Bernardo proved that patient, technical pressure can beat explosive, athletic passing when executed with proper timing and technique. I’ve adapted several of his half guard pressure concepts into our 10th Planet system, particularly the emphasis on flattening opponents and controlling their breathing through chest pressure. The position consolidation principles are universal—whether gi or no-gi, immediately securing dominant grips and weight placement after passing prevents those scramble situations where positions get lost. For students developing their top game, this system provides an excellent framework that doesn’t require freak athleticism or strength, just technical precision and understanding of pressure mechanics.