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50-50 Pass | BJJ Technique | BJJ Graph

Oct 25, 202516 min read

50-50 Pass

bjjtransitionguard-passleg-entanglementadvanced

Visual Execution Sequence

From 50-50 guard top position, both legs are entangled with your right leg trapped inside their legs and your left leg controlling over their right leg. Your opponent controls your trapped leg and threatens heel hooks or transitions. You clear your hips back while posting your free hand for base, creating space to extract your trapped leg. As you pull your knee up and out of their leg triangle, you maintain downward pressure on their top leg to prevent them following. Once your leg clears, you immediately backstep away from their guard while maintaining top pressure and controlling their legs. You circle to a superior position such as headquarters or ashi garami top, or continue backing away to standing to fully disengage from the leg entanglement safely.

One-Sentence Summary: “From 50-50 guard top, you clear your hips back and extract your trapped leg while preventing their follow-up, backing out to superior top position.”

Execution Steps

  1. Setup Requirements: Recognize 50-50 position with your leg trapped, control opponent’s top leg, establish hand posts for stability
  2. Initial Movement: Clear your hips backward away from opponent while maintaining downward pressure on their legs
  3. Opponent Response: Opponent typically attempts to maintain leg triangle control, threatens heel hooks, or tries to follow your hips
  4. Adaptation: Pull your trapped knee up and toward yourself while pressing down on their top leg to create extraction space
  5. Completion: Extract your leg completely from their triangle while backstepping away from their guard
  6. Consolidation: Circle to headquarters position, ashi garami top, or standing position with control maintained and leg entanglement cleared

Key Technical Details

  • Grip Requirements: Control opponent’s top leg with your hand, establish posts for base stability during extraction
  • Base/Foundation: Wide base with free leg posted, hips mobile and ready to clear backward quickly
  • Timing Windows: Extract when opponent’s leg triangle control weakens or during their transition attempts
  • Leverage Points: Downward pressure on their top leg combined with pulling your knee up creates extraction space
  • Common Adjustments: If they maintain tight control, rock your hips side-to-side to create looseness before extraction

Common Counters

Opponent defensive responses with success rates and conditions:

Decision Logic for AI Opponent

If [leg extraction telegraphed early]:
- Execute [[Inside Heel Hook]] (Probability: 55%)

Else if [triangle control strong]:
- Maintain [[Leg Triangle]] and follow hips (Probability: 45%)

Else if [extraction committed and space created]:
- Execute [[Backside 50-50 Transition]] (Probability: 50%)

Else [optimal extraction conditions]:
- Accept transition (Probability: Base Success Rate + Applied Modifiers)

Expert Insights

John Danaher

“The 50-50 position is one of the most complex leg entanglements in modern jiu-jitsu. The pass from top 50-50 requires understanding that both practitioners have similar control over each other’s legs - the position is symmetrical with slight advantages to whoever establishes superior control first. The key to passing is creating enough space to extract your trapped leg while simultaneously preventing your opponent from improving their position. This requires hip mobility, precise timing, and constant awareness of heel hook threats during the extraction.”

Gordon Ryan

“In competition, I view top 50-50 as a position to either attack leg locks from or escape quickly. If I’m passing, I focus on controlling their top leg and clearing my hips back aggressively. The biggest mistake people make is being tentative - you need to commit to the extraction once you start. Half-committed extraction attempts are when you get caught in heel hooks. I also watch for them inverting to backside 50-50, which is actually more dangerous for leg locks. If I feel that transition coming, I might abandon the pass and stand up completely to disengage safely.”

Eddie Bravo

“The 50-50 is a staple in modern leg lock systems, but in 10th Planet we teach specific counters and escapes. When passing from top 50-50, you need to be aware they can hit you with leg locks just as easily during your escape. The key is controlling their movement - if they can invert or follow your hips, you’re still in danger. We emphasize the backstep motion combined with leg pressure to prevent their hips from following. Some students prefer to stand completely and disengage rather than staying in close range during the pass. Safety first, especially with heel hooks involved.”

Common Errors

Error 1: Attempting extraction without clearing hips back first

  • Why It Fails: Keeps you in range of leg locks and allows opponent to maintain tight triangle control
  • Correction: Clear hips backward significantly before attempting to pull knee out of triangle
  • Recognition: Getting caught in heel hooks or unable to create space for extraction

Error 2: Not controlling opponent’s top leg during extraction

  • Why It Fails: Allows opponent to follow your hips and maintain entanglement or transition to other positions
  • Correction: Maintain downward pressure on their top leg throughout entire extraction sequence
  • Recognition: Opponent easily follows your movement and maintains guard or improves position

Error 3: Pulling trapped leg straight back instead of up and out

  • Why It Fails: Doesn’t create the necessary angle to clear the triangle, potentially increases heel hook danger
  • Correction: Pull knee up toward your chest first, then extract outward from triangle
  • Recognition: Leg feels stuck in triangle or extraction creates dangerous heel hook exposure

Error 4: Being tentative or stopping mid-extraction

  • Why It Fails: Half-committed extraction is most dangerous moment for heel hooks and position loss
  • Correction: Once you commit to extraction, complete it fully and quickly with decisive movement
  • Recognition: Getting caught in submissions during slow or hesitant extraction attempts

Error 5: Not backstepping away after leg clears

  • Why It Fails: Remaining in close range allows opponent to re-engage with different leg entanglements
  • Correction: Immediately backstep in large circular motion away from their guard after extraction
  • Recognition: Getting immediately re-entangled in ashi garami or other leg locks after clearing 50-50

Timing Considerations

  • Optimal Conditions: When opponent’s triangle control loosens, during their transition attempts, or when they’re fatigued
  • Avoid When: Opponent has extremely tight triangle with active heel hook threats, or when your trapped leg is deeply controlled
  • Setup Sequences: After defending heel hook attempt creates space, or after opponent fails transition to backside 50-50
  • Follow-up Windows: Must complete backstep and circling motion within 2-3 seconds to prevent re-entanglement

Prerequisites

  • Technical Skills: Understanding of 50-50 mechanics, leg entanglement concepts, heel hook defense, hip mobility
  • Physical Preparation: Hip flexibility for extraction, core strength for hip clearing, leg strength for pressure maintenance
  • Positional Understanding: Leg lock positions hierarchy, 50-50 dangers and escapes, ashi garami positions
  • Experience Level: Advanced - requires extensive knowledge of leg entanglements and submission defense

Knowledge Assessment

  1. Mechanical Understanding: “What creates the space needed to extract your leg from 50-50?”

    • A) Pulling your leg straight back with force
    • B) Standing up immediately
    • C) Clearing your hips backward while pulling knee up and pressing their top leg down
    • D) Rolling to your back
    • Answer: C

  2. Timing Recognition: “When is the optimal moment to attempt extraction from 50-50?”

    • A) When opponent has tight triangle and active heel hook threat
    • B) When opponent’s triangle control loosens or during their transition attempt
    • C) Immediately upon entering 50-50
    • D) When you are fatigued
    • Answer: B

  3. Error Prevention: “What is the most dangerous mistake during 50-50 extraction?”

    • A) Extracting too quickly
    • B) Being tentative or stopping mid-extraction
    • C) Controlling their top leg too much
    • D) Clearing hips too far back
    • Answer: B

  4. Setup Requirements: “Which control is essential during the extraction?”

    • A) Grabbing their ankle
    • B) Controlling their gi collar
    • C) Maintaining downward pressure on their top leg
    • D) Grabbing both their legs
    • Answer: C

  5. Adaptation: “How should you adjust if opponent follows your hips during extraction?”

    • A) Stop and reset to 50-50
    • B) Increase downward pressure on their top leg and accelerate backstep motion
    • C) Roll to your back
    • D) Go for your own leg lock
    • Answer: B

Variants and Adaptations

  • Gi Specific: Use gi grips on their pants to control legs during extraction, collar grips can assist with pressure
  • No-Gi Specific: Rely more on leg pressure and hip position since grip control limited, requires faster extraction
  • Self-Defense: Standing extraction preferred for street scenarios to fully disengage and create distance
  • Competition: Risk-reward assessment critical - sometimes maintaining 50-50 safer than risky extraction under submission-only rules
  • Size Differential: Smaller practitioners may find extraction easier due to mobility advantage, larger practitioners use strength for pressure

Training Progressions

  1. Solo Practice: Hip clearing motion and leg extraction angles without partner, mobility development
  2. Cooperative Drilling: Partner maintains light triangle while you practice extraction sequence and timing
  3. Resistant Practice: Partner progressively defends extraction and threatens submissions as you develop safety awareness
  4. Sparring Integration: Practice extraction during live rolling from 50-50, recognize optimal windows and danger signs
  5. Troubleshooting: Identify common failures - usually insufficient hip clearing or poor leg pressure control

LLM Context Block

Purpose: This section contains structured decision-making logic for AI opponents, narrative generation, and game engine processing.

Execution Decision Logic

decision_tree:
  conditions:
    - name: "Triangle Control Looseness Check"
      evaluation: "triangle_control < 70_percent OR opponent_transitioning"
      success_action: "proceed_to_hip_clear"
      failure_action: "execute_heel_hook_attack"
      failure_probability: 55
 
    - name: "Hip Clearing Check"
      evaluation: "hips_cleared_backward AND leg_pressure_maintained"
      success_action: "proceed_to_extraction"
      failure_action: "maintain_triangle_and_follow"
      failure_probability: 45
 
    - name: "Extraction Commitment Check"
      evaluation: "knee_pulled_up AND extraction_decisive"
      success_action: "accept_transition_with_modifiers"
      failure_action: "execute_backside_transition"
      failure_probability: 50
 
  final_calculation:
    base_probability: "success_probability[skill_level]"
    applied_modifiers:
      - setup_quality
      - timing_precision
      - opponent_fatigue
      - knowledge_test
      - position_control
    formula: "base_probability + sum(modifiers) - sum(counters)"

Common Troubleshooting Patterns

troubleshooting:
  - symptom: "Cannot create space to extract leg from triangle"
    likely_cause: "Insufficient hip clearing or opponent following your movement"
    diagnostic_questions:
      - "Are you clearing your hips backward significantly?"
      - "Are you maintaining downward pressure on their top leg?"
      - "Is your base wide and stable?"
    solution: "Clear hips further back, increase leg pressure downward, establish better base before extraction attempt"
 
  - symptom: "Getting caught in heel hooks during extraction"
    likely_cause: "Extracting too slowly or with poor leg angle"
    diagnostic_questions:
      - "Are you committing fully to extraction once started?"
      - "Is your knee pulling up first before pulling out?"
      - "Are you aware of heel hook exposure during extraction?"
    solution: "Commit decisively to extraction, pull knee up toward chest first, accelerate extraction motion, watch for heel hook setup"
 
  - symptom: "Opponent immediately re-entangles after extraction"
    likely_cause: "Not backstepping away or remaining in close range"
    diagnostic_questions:
      - "Are you backstepping in large circular motion?"
      - "Are you staying in close range after leg clears?"
      - "Is your backstep motion immediate after extraction?"
    solution: "Immediately backstep in large arc away from their guard, circle to safe position, maintain distance during transition"

Timing and Setup Guidance

timing_guidance:
  optimal_windows:
    - condition: "Opponent's triangle control loosens or weakens"
      success_boost: "+15%"
      recognition_cues: ["Triangle not tight", "Legs not flexed", "Space visible"]
 
    - condition: "After defending heel hook attempt"
      success_boost: "+12%"
      recognition_cues: ["Opponent adjusted grip", "Moment of reset", "Control momentarily reduced"]
 
    - condition: "Opponent attempting transition to backside or other position"
      success_boost: "+18%"
      recognition_cues: ["Hip movement", "Inverting motion", "Position change attempt"]
 
  avoid_windows:
    - condition: "Opponent has extremely tight triangle with active heel hook"
      success_penalty: "-30%"
      recognition_cues: ["Very tight leg control", "Heel isolated", "Breaking mechanics established"]
 
    - condition: "Your trapped leg is deeply controlled at ankle or foot"
      success_penalty: "-25%"
      recognition_cues: ["Deep leg control", "Foot trapped", "Limited mobility"]
 
    - condition: "Opponent is fresh and actively attacking"
      success_penalty: "-15%"
      recognition_cues: ["High energy", "Multiple attack attempts", "Constant adjustments"]
 
setup_sequences:
  - sequence_name: "Heel Hook Defense to Extraction"
    steps:
      - "Defend heel hook attempt by clearing heel"
      - "As opponent resets grip, immediately clear hips back"
      - "Extract leg during reset window"
      - "Backstep to safe position"
    success_boost: "+15%"
 
  - sequence_name: "Triangle Loosening to Pass"
    steps:
      - "Rock hips side-to-side to create looseness"
      - "When triangle loosens, clear hips backward"
      - "Pull knee up and extract decisively"
      - "Circle away to headquarters or standing"
    success_boost: "+12%"

Narrative Generation Prompts

narrative_prompts:
  setup_phase:
    - "You recognize the 50-50 entanglement, assessing their triangle control and heel hook threats."
    - "Your hand establishes pressure on their top leg as you prepare your hip clearing motion."
    - "You feel for looseness in their triangle, waiting for the optimal extraction window."
 
  execution_phase:
    - "You clear your hips backward decisively, creating space as you press down on their leg."
    - "Your trapped knee pulls up toward your chest, beginning the extraction from their triangle."
    - "The leg clears as you accelerate the motion, escaping the dangerous entanglement."
 
  completion_phase:
    - "You backstep in a large circular motion, fully disengaging from their guard."
    - "Your position establishes at headquarters or standing, the leg entanglement cleared safely."
    - "Control is secured with the dangerous 50-50 position successfully passed."
 
  failure_phase:
    - "They tighten the triangle and threaten the heel hook as you attempt extraction."
    - "They follow your hips as you clear, maintaining the entanglement and improving position."
    - "They invert to backside 50-50 as you extract, creating a more dangerous situation."

Image Generation Prompts

image_prompts:
  setup_position:
    prompt: "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 50-50 guard position, legs entangled symmetrically, top practitioner preparing extraction with hand controlling opponent's leg, both wearing blue and white gis, mat background, technical illustration style"
    key_elements: ["50-50 entanglement", "Leg control", "Symmetrical position", "Extraction preparation"]
 
  mid_execution:
    prompt: "BJJ 50-50 pass in motion, top practitioner clearing hips backward while pulling knee up from triangle, maintaining pressure on opponent's leg, leg extraction visible, dynamic movement, technical illustration"
    key_elements: ["Hip clearing", "Knee extraction", "Leg pressure", "Escape motion"]
 
  completion_position:
    prompt: "BJJ headquarters or top position after 50-50 pass, practitioner backstepped away with legs disengaged, control established at distance, opponent on bottom, technical illustration style"
    key_elements: ["Headquarters position", "Legs cleared", "Safe distance", "Top control"]

Audio Narration Scripts

audio_scripts:
  instructional_narration:
    script: "From 50-50 guard top, control their top leg with your hand. Clear your hips backward significantly while maintaining downward pressure on their leg. Pull your trapped knee up toward your chest first. Extract your leg decisively from their triangle. Immediately backstep in a large circular motion away from their guard. Establish headquarters position or stand to complete the pass safely."
    voice: "Onyx"
    pace: "Moderate"
    emphasis: ["control their top leg", "clear your hips", "pull your knee up", "extract decisively", "backstep", "safely"]
 
  coaching_cues:
    script: "Control that leg. Clear your hips back. Now pull that knee up. Extract! Backstep away. Circle out. Good distance. Safe position. Well done."
    voice: "Onyx"
    pace: "Energetic"
    emphasis: ["clear", "extract", "backstep", "safe position"]
 
  competition_commentary:
    script: "Watch the 50-50 top position here. Good leg control established. Hips clearing backward. Knee pulls up for extraction. Clean leg clearing. Immediate backstep away from danger. Headquarters established safely. Textbook 50-50 pass execution with excellent safety awareness."
    voice: "Onyx"
    pace: "Fast"
    emphasis: ["Good leg control", "Clean leg clearing", "Textbook 50-50 pass", "excellent safety awareness"]

Competition Applications

  • IBJJF Rules: Legal at brown and black belt in gi, legal at all belts in no-gi, critical for modern competition game
  • No-Gi Competition: Essential skill for leg lock heavy rule sets like EBI, ADCC, submission-only
  • Self-Defense: Standing extraction preferred to fully disengage and create distance from ground entanglement
  • MMA Applications: Modified standing extraction essential for MMA to avoid ground entanglement and enable striking

Historical Context

The 50-50 guard position gained prominence in modern jiu-jitsu through the work of practitioners like Ryan Hall and the Danaher Death Squad. As leg lock systems evolved, the 50-50 became recognized as both a powerful attacking position and a complex entanglement requiring sophisticated escape and passing techniques. The modern 50-50 pass emphasizes safety awareness of heel hook threats during extraction, reflecting the evolution of leg lock knowledge in sport BJJ.

Safety Considerations

  • Controlled Application: Deliberate extraction motion prevents knee and ankle injuries for both practitioners
  • Mat Awareness: Ensure adequate space for backstep motion and emergency disengagement if needed
  • Partner Safety: Communicate about leg lock threats during training, tap early to heel hooks
  • Gradual Progression: Build up extraction speed and pressure gradually, develop safety awareness before live training

Position Integration

Common combinations and sequences:

Graph View

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