Bodylock Pass

The Bodylock Pass is a fundamental pressure passing technique used to overcome the half guard position. By securing a tight bodylock around the opponent’s torso, you create immense control while systematically removing their defensive frames and barriers. This pass is characterized by heavy shoulder pressure, strategic hip positioning, and the methodical clearing of the bottom leg to achieve side control. The bodylock grip provides multiple offensive advantages: it restricts the opponent’s upper body movement, prevents them from creating effective frames, and allows you to transfer maximum pressure while maintaining balance. This technique is particularly effective against opponents who rely on knee shield or underhook defense, as the bodylock neutralizes these defensive structures. The pass combines elements of pressure, control, and strategic leg manipulation to create a high-percentage pathway from half guard top to dominant side control position.

Starting Position: Half Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%

Key Principles

• Establish tight bodylock grip before initiating pass to maximize control
• Apply constant shoulder pressure to opponent’s chest to restrict movement
• Keep hips low and heavy to prevent opponent from recovering guard
• Clear the bottom leg systematically while maintaining upper body control
• Use head position to control opponent’s ability to turn into you
• Progress through positions incrementally rather than forcing advancement
• Maintain connection throughout the pass to prevent escapes

Prerequisites

• Top position in half guard with opponent’s leg trapped
• Ability to secure bodylock grip around opponent’s torso
• Opponent’s knee shield removed or controlled
• Posture established with base on knees or toes
• Head position on chest side (not trapped side)
• Weight distributed to maximize pressure while maintaining mobility

Execution Steps

1. Establish bodylock grip: From half guard top position, thread your arm under the opponent’s far armpit and connect your hands behind their back in a tight bodylock configuration. Use a gable grip or S-grip depending on arm length and body proportions. Ensure the lock is high on their back, near the shoulder blades, to maximize control. (Timing: Initial setup phase)
2. Apply shoulder pressure: Drive your shoulder into the opponent’s sternum or upper chest, creating downward and forward pressure. Position your head on the far side of their body (opposite the trapped leg) to prevent them from turning into you. Your chest should be heavy on theirs, making it difficult for them to breathe or create space. (Timing: Continuous throughout pass)
3. Lower your hips: Drop your hips toward the mat while maintaining the bodylock, creating a heavy, low base that makes it nearly impossible for the opponent to roll or sweep you. Your weight should be distributed through your chest and hips onto the opponent, not supported by your own base. (Timing: Before advancing position)
4. Clear the knee shield: If the opponent has a knee shield, use your free hand or hip pressure to push their knee down and away. Walk your hips slightly toward their legs to create the angle needed to pass over or around their defensive knee. Maintain constant bodylock pressure during this adjustment. (Timing: Mid-pass progression)
5. Extract your trapped leg: Keeping the bodylock tight and pressure constant, begin to pull your trapped leg backward and upward, using small movements. You may need to slightly adjust your hip angle or step your free leg around to create space. Do not compromise upper body control while freeing your leg. (Timing: Progressive extraction)
6. Secure side control: As your leg clears the opponent’s half guard, immediately drive your knee across their belly and establish side control position. Keep the bodylock or transition to crossface and underhook control. Your chest should remain heavy on theirs throughout the transition. (Timing: Final consolidation)

Opponent Counters

• Opponent frames against your hips and creates distance (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Maintain bodylock grip and circle your hips away from their frames while keeping chest pressure constant. Use your head position to control their shoulder and prevent effective framing.
• Opponent secures deep underhook and attempts to come up on their side (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately sprawl your hips back and drive shoulder pressure downward to flatten them. Consider switching to a crossface grip temporarily to control their head and prevent them from building up to their knees.
• Opponent locks onto your ankle or pant leg to prevent leg extraction (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Increase upper body pressure to occupy their attention and hands. Use small circular motions with your hips to create angles that make it harder for them to maintain the grip. Break the grip with your free hand if necessary.
• Opponent bridges explosively to create space (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Anticipate the bridge and go with their momentum, maintaining the bodylock. As they bridge up, use the opportunity to step your free leg around and clear your trapped leg when they return to the mat.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Bodylock grip too loose or positioned too low on the back
  • Consequence: Opponent can create frames, turn into you, or escape their hips away from pressure
  • Correction: Ensure the bodylock is high and tight, with hands locked near shoulder blade level. Squeeze continuously and readjust grip if it begins to loosen.
• Mistake: Lifting head up or looking forward instead of keeping it low
  • Consequence: Reduces shoulder pressure and allows opponent to create space underneath your chest
  • Correction: Keep your head positioned on their far side with ear near their chest. Use your head as an additional control point to pin their shoulder.
• Mistake: Rising up on toes too early in attempt to advance quickly
  • Consequence: Creates space underneath your hips that opponent can exploit with shrimping or guard recovery
  • Correction: Stay heavy and low through the initial phases. Only rise up slightly when you have neutralized their frames and are ready for final leg extraction.
• Mistake: Forcing leg extraction before establishing sufficient upper body control
  • Consequence: Opponent can retain half guard, recover full guard, or sweep during your vulnerable transition
  • Correction: Patience is critical. Ensure opponent is completely flattened and controlled before attempting to free your leg. The pass happens in stages, not all at once.
• Mistake: Releasing bodylock grip prematurely during transition to side control
  • Consequence: Opponent escapes during the moment of lost control and recovers guard position
  • Correction: Maintain bodylock until your knee is completely across their belly and you have established crossface or underhook. Only then transition your grips.

Training Progressions

Week 1-2: Static Control - Bodylock grip establishment and pressure application Practice securing the bodylock grip from half guard top with minimal resistance. Focus on hand position, grip strength, and proper shoulder placement. Partner remains relatively static. Drill the feeling of heavy, low hips and chest pressure without attempting to pass. (Resistance: None)

Week 3-4: Controlled Passing - Full pass sequence with light resistance Execute the complete passing sequence from bodylock establishment to side control while partner provides light defensive frames and minimal half guard retention. Focus on maintaining pressure throughout each step. Reset and repeat 10-15 times per training session. (Resistance: Light)

Week 5-8: Counter Defense - Dealing with common defensive reactions Partner actively attempts specific counters (underhook, frames, bridges) at designated points during the pass. Practice recognizing and countering each defensive action while maintaining control. Isolate one counter type per session initially, then combine multiple defenses. (Resistance: Medium)

Week 9-12: Dynamic Integration - Combining bodylock pass with other half guard attacks Integrate the bodylock pass into your broader half guard passing game. Practice transitioning from other passing attempts into the bodylock pass and vice versa. Partner provides full resistance to guard retention. Work on recognizing optimal timing for this specific pass. (Resistance: Full)

Week 13+: Competition Application - Application under fatigue and pressure Use the bodylock pass during competition-style positional sparring and full rolling. Focus on maintaining technical precision even when tired. Film sessions and analyze where control breaks down. Develop personal variations based on your body type and strengths. (Resistance: Full)

Variations

Knee Slide Bodylock Pass: Instead of extracting your leg backward, drive your trapped knee forward and across the opponent’s bottom leg in a knee slide motion while maintaining the bodylock. This creates a different angle of pressure and can be faster when opponent’s half guard is shallow. (When to use: When opponent has a loose half guard or when you have superior hip mobility for the knee slide motion)

Bodylock to Mount Transition: Rather than settling in side control, use the bodylock control to walk your knees higher up the opponent’s body and transition directly to mount position. Requires exceptional balance and control but offers superior positional advantage. (When to use: When opponent is completely flattened and showing no effective resistance, or when you want to maximize positional points in competition)

Single Leg Bodylock Pass: Secure the bodylock while simultaneously controlling one of the opponent’s legs (usually the outside leg) by trapping it between your legs or controlling it with your free hand. This prevents them from using that leg to create frames or space. (When to use: Against athletic opponents who use their legs actively to create defensive frames and space)

Test Your Knowledge

Q1: What is the primary advantage of securing a high, tight bodylock grip during this pass? A: A high, tight bodylock grip positioned near the shoulder blades provides maximum control over the opponent’s upper body, restricts their ability to create effective frames with their arms, prevents them from turning into you, and allows you to transfer your weight efficiently through your chest onto their torso. This grip architecture neutralizes most upper body escapes and gives you a stable platform to work on clearing the leg entanglement.

Q2: Why is head position on the far side of the opponent’s body crucial for this passing technique? A: Positioning your head on the far side (opposite the trapped leg) serves multiple functions: it adds additional shoulder pressure to pin that side of their body, prevents the opponent from turning into you to recover guard or take your back, creates a crossface-like effect that limits their head movement, and protects your own back from exposure. This head placement is a fundamental control point that many beginners overlook.

Q3: What is the most effective response when your opponent secures a deep underhook during the bodylock pass? A: The deep underhook is one of the most dangerous counters to the bodylock pass. Your immediate response should be to sprawl your hips backward and increase downward shoulder pressure to flatten them before they can build up to their side or knees. Consider transitioning to a crossface grip temporarily to control their head and shoulder, preventing them from using the underhook to come up. You may need to abandon the bodylock temporarily to address the underhook threat, then re-establish the bodylock once they are flattened.

Q4: How does the bodylock pass specifically neutralize the knee shield defense commonly used in half guard? A: The bodylock pass neutralizes the knee shield by creating upper body control that makes the knee shield less effective. When you have a tight bodylock with heavy shoulder pressure, the opponent’s knee shield loses much of its structural integrity because they cannot effectively extend their leg into your chest or create distance. The bodylock allows you to pressure through or around the knee shield while maintaining dominant control, and you can use your free hand or hip pressure to push the knee down while keeping the upper body locked down.

Q5: What is the correct timing and sequence for extracting your trapped leg during the bodylock pass? A: Leg extraction should only be attempted after you have established complete upper body control with the bodylock and shoulder pressure, flattened the opponent so they cannot bridge or turn, and neutralized any frames or defensive structures they have created. The extraction itself should be progressive and patient, using small backward and upward movements rather than one explosive pull. You must maintain constant bodylock pressure during extraction and be ready to pause and consolidate control if the opponent creates any defensive reaction. Rushing the leg extraction before proper control is established is one of the most common errors that leads to failed passes.

Q6: Why is maintaining low, heavy hips essential throughout the bodylock pass sequence? A: Low, heavy hips serve multiple critical functions in the bodylock pass. They create maximum downward pressure that makes it difficult for the opponent to breathe, move, or create space through bridging. Heavy hips prevent the opponent from getting underneath you to sweep or reverse position. A low hip position also makes it harder for them to recover guard by shrimping away, as your weight is distributed effectively to control their movement. Finally, keeping hips low maintains your base and balance, preventing you from being rolled or swept during the passing sequence.

Safety Considerations

When practicing the bodylock pass, be mindful of the amount of pressure applied to your training partner’s chest and ribs. Excessive or prolonged pressure can cause discomfort, difficulty breathing, or rib injuries, particularly with significant weight disparities. Apply pressure progressively and check in with your partner regularly during drilling. When being passed, tap early if you experience sharp pain in the ribs or difficulty breathing. As the passer, release pressure immediately if your partner taps or indicates discomfort. Start with lighter pressure during initial learning phases and gradually increase intensity only as both partners become comfortable with the technique and its sensations.

Position Integration

The Bodylock Pass is a cornerstone technique in pressure-based passing systems and serves as a fundamental response to half guard positions. It integrates seamlessly with other half guard passing approaches, allowing you to switch between pressure passing, knee slice passing, and underhook-based passes depending on the opponent’s defensive reactions. The bodylock control can be established from various entry points including failed knee slice attempts, transitions from combat base, or when opponents attempt to come up to their knees from half guard bottom. Once the pass is completed and side control achieved, the bodylock control often transitions naturally into submission attacks such as arm triangles, Darce chokes, or Kimuras. Understanding the bodylock pass also improves your defensive game, as you learn the key control points that must be defended when you are on bottom.

Related Techniques

• Knee Slice from Half - Alternative passing approach from same position
• Underhook Pass - Complementary pass using different control strategy
• Over-Under Pass - Similar bodylock concept applied to different guard position
• Smash Pass - Pressure passing variation with similar principles
• Long Step Pass - Alternative when opponent defends bodylock effectively
• Arm Triangle - Common submission follow-up from side control after pass
• Darce Choke - Submission opportunity during passing sequence
• Kimura from Side Control - Follow-up submission after successful pass
• Deep Half Guard - Position opponent may attempt to escape into during pass
• Lockdown - Counter-position opponent uses to defend the pass

Expert Insights

• Danaher System: The bodylock pass represents a fundamental application of connection control theory in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When we analyze passing mechanics, we observe that the most reliable passes maintain dominant connections while systematically breaking the opponent’s defensive connections. The bodylock achieves this by creating what I call a ‘control hierarchy’ - your bodylock represents your strongest connection, while simultaneously preventing the opponent from establishing their primary defensive frames (underhooks, knee shields, crossfaces). The mechanical advantage is substantial: your arms encircle their torso, creating a closed kinetic chain that cannot be easily broken, while their defensive options require open kinetic chains that you can disrupt with pressure and positioning. The brilliance of this pass lies not in explosive athleticism but in methodical, progressive control advancement. Each micro-adjustment - the shoulder pressure, the hip lowering, the leg extraction - represents a calculated reduction in the opponent’s defensive options. Students must understand that this is not a race to side control; it is a systematic dismantling of defensive structure. The bodylock pass teaches the essential principle that superior positional control removes the need for strength or speed. When executed with proper technique, even a smaller practitioner can nullify a larger opponent’s advantages through structural dominance and pressure application.
• Gordon Ryan: The bodylock pass is absolutely essential in high-level competition, especially in no-gi where it becomes even more dominant without gi grips to defend. In my experience competing at the highest levels, the bodylock pass is one of the most reliable ways to pass half guard because it takes away so many of the opponent’s options simultaneously. The key thing people miss is that this isn’t just about squeezing hard and hoping - it’s about creating a pressure trap that forces your opponent into progressively worse positions. When I’m passing with the bodylock, I’m thinking several moves ahead: if they try to get an underhook, I already know I’m transitioning to a crossface; if they try to frame, I’m circling away from the frames while maintaining chest pressure. The pass works so well because you’re not giving them anything to work with - no space, no grips, no frames. In competition, I’ve found that combining the bodylock pass with submission threats makes it even more effective. When they’re worried about the arm triangle or D’arce choke, they make mistakes in their guard retention. Against elite opponents, you need to be patient with this pass. Don’t rush the leg extraction - wait until they’re completely flattened and hopeless, then the leg comes out easily. The other critical element is that you need to be comfortable being heavy. A lot of people apologize for their pressure, but in competition, that pressure is what wins matches.
• Eddie Bravo: The bodylock pass is one of those traditional techniques that still works incredibly well, especially when you add some 10th Planet-style adaptations to it. What I love about the bodylock is that it completely shuts down a lot of the modern half guard games - all these knee shields and underhooks that people rely on become way less effective when you’ve got that crushing bodylock established. In the 10th Planet system, we sometimes use what we call the ‘meat grinder’ pressure with the bodylock, where you’re not just static but you’re actually making small, circular grinding movements with your shoulder and chest to break down their frames and create discomfort. This makes them want to escape, which actually helps you complete the pass. Another thing I teach is to think about the bodylock pass as a submission position itself - when you’ve got someone completely flattened with that bodylock, you’re already setting up potential D’arces, anacondas, or arm triangles. The pass and the submission become interconnected, which is the whole philosophy behind creating systems rather than just isolated techniques. For guys training no-gi or MMA, the bodylock pass is even more valuable because without the gi grips to slow you down, you can really drive that pressure and make life miserable for the bottom person. I also like to drill this pass while the bottom guy is trying to get up to the old school sweep or electric chair - this teaches you to maintain control during dynamic movement, which is when most people lose the position.