The Double Under Pass is a fundamental pressure-based guard passing technique that relies on establishing bilateral underhooks beneath the opponent’s legs. This pass is characterized by its heavy control orientation, making it extremely difficult for the opponent to retain guard once proper positioning is achieved. The technique involves methodically breaking down the opponent’s defensive frames, consolidating position with chest-to-chest pressure, and using controlled lateral movement to clear the legs and establish side control.
Historically favored by top-position specialists and pressure passers, the Double Under Pass represents a cornerstone technique in the modern guard passing hierarchy. Unlike dynamic, explosive passing techniques, this pass emphasizes sustained pressure, weight distribution, and positional dominance. The bilateral underhook configuration neutralizes many of the opponent’s defensive options, particularly hip movement and leg frame creation, forcing them into a defensive shell where their offensive options are severely limited.
The Double Under Pass is particularly effective in gi grappling where grips can be used to enhance control, though it remains highly viable in no-gi competition. Advanced practitioners use this pass as part of a comprehensive passing system, often combining it with headquarters position, knee slice variations, and other pressure-based attacks to create multiple layers of offensive threat. The technique’s reliability stems from its fundamental soundness—when executed correctly, the opponent must defend against immense pressure while having limited mechanical advantages to create distance or recover guard.
Starting Position: Open Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
Key Principles
- Establish bilateral underhooks deep beneath opponent’s legs before advancing
- Maintain constant chest-to-chest pressure to limit opponent’s hip mobility
- Control opponent’s upper body by driving their shoulders to the mat
- Use small, controlled steps rather than explosive movements to prevent scrambles
- Keep your hips low and heavy throughout the pass to maximize pressure
- Clear one leg at a time using lateral movement while maintaining underhook control
- Consolidate position completely before releasing underhooks to establish side control
Prerequisites
- Opponent is in open guard (butterfly, de la riva, or seated guard variations)
- Ability to break opponent’s grips and frames on your upper body
- Posture broken down with opponent’s back approaching the mat
- Space created to swim underhooks beneath opponent’s legs
- Strong base with knees wide and hips dropped for pressure application
- Control over opponent’s ability to create distance or stand up
Execution Steps
- Establish first underhook: From open guard top position, begin by breaking any grips the opponent has on your upper body using grip breaks or hand fighting. Drop your weight forward slightly and swim your first arm deep underneath one of the opponent’s legs, achieving an underhook position with your elbow on the inside of their thigh. Your hand should reach across their body toward the opposite hip, establishing a deep hook that prevents them from easily extracting their leg. (Timing: Initial setup phase, no rush)
- Establish second underhook: With the first underhook secure, immediately work to establish the second underhook beneath the opponent’s other leg. This requires you to drop your chest pressure onto their hips and legs while swimming your second arm underneath. Both hands should now be behind the opponent’s body, with your forearms crossed or parallel beneath their legs. This bilateral underhook configuration is the foundation of the entire pass. (Timing: Quickly after first underhook, before opponent can frame)
- Consolidate chest pressure: Once both underhooks are established, drop your full chest weight onto the opponent’s hips and thighs, driving them toward the mat. Your head should be positioned on one side of their body (typically the side you plan to pass toward), with your ear near their ribcage or shoulder area. Lock your hands together behind their back if possible, creating a tight grip that prevents separation. This pressure should be overwhelming and constant, making it extremely difficult for them to create space or move their hips. (Timing: Immediate consolidation after achieving double unders)
- Control upper body: While maintaining the underhook control and chest pressure, use your head and shoulder position to drive the opponent’s upper body to the mat. Your head should apply pressure to their chest or shoulder, preventing them from sitting up or creating frames. If they attempt to post on your head or shoulders with their hands, use your superior position to drive through these frames, keeping their back flat or nearly flat to the mat. This upper body control is essential for neutralizing their defensive capabilities. (Timing: Continuous throughout the passing sequence)
- Begin lateral movement: With heavy chest pressure established and the opponent’s upper body controlled, begin taking small lateral steps with your feet toward the direction you intend to pass. Your hips should remain low and heavy, with your knees wide for base. As you step laterally, the opponent’s bottom leg (the one on the mat side) will begin to clear past your hip. Continue this controlled lateral movement while maintaining constant pressure—do not rush or make explosive movements that could allow the opponent to create space. (Timing: Slow, methodical steps)
- Clear the legs: As you continue your lateral movement, focus on clearing the opponent’s legs one at a time. The bottom leg should clear first as you move your hips past it. The top leg may require you to slightly adjust your chest pressure, potentially posting your near-side leg out to create the angle needed to slide past. Throughout this clearing process, maintain your underhook grips and chest-to-chest pressure. Do not allow any space to develop between your chest and the opponent’s body. (Timing: Progressive clearing over 2-3 seconds)
- Establish side control: Once both legs are cleared and you are perpendicular to the opponent’s body, transition from the double under grips to traditional side control controls. Release your hands from behind their back and immediately establish cross-face control with your near arm while your far arm underhooks their far arm or controls their hip. Your chest should still be heavy on their torso, and your hips should sprawl backward to prevent any guard recovery attempts. Consolidate your weight and pressure fully before considering any subsequent attacks or transitions. (Timing: Smooth transition as legs clear)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent frames on your head and neck to create distance (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Drive through their frames by lowering your head position and increasing chest pressure while circling toward the side of the frame. Do not allow them to create vertical space—instead, keep your weight dropping down onto them continuously.
- Opponent grabs your belt or pants to prevent forward pressure (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Circle your hips and use lateral movement to break the mechanical advantage of their grips. If they hold your belt, your lateral stepping will eventually force them to release or be pulled with you as you pass. Maintain underhook depth throughout.
- Opponent locks closed guard or half guard during the pass (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If they achieve closed guard, you must break the guard before continuing. If they capture half guard, transition to a half guard passing sequence, maintaining your underhook control on the trapped leg side and working to clear the lockdown or hook.
- Opponent sits up explosively or attempts to granby roll (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Your chest pressure and head position should prevent them from sitting up. If they attempt to granby or invert, follow their movement while maintaining your underhooks, potentially achieving back control or transitioning to a turtle attack.
- Opponent pushes on your hips to create space before underhooks are deep (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If they successfully push your hips away, you may need to transition to a different passing approach. To prevent this, establish your first underhook deeply and immediately drop pressure before attempting the second underhook.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the most critical element to establish before attempting to clear the opponent’s legs in the double under pass? A: The most critical element is establishing heavy, constant chest-to-chest pressure while maintaining deep bilateral underhooks. Without this consolidated pressure, the opponent can easily create space with frames, recover guard, or execute sweeps. The pressure must be so dominant that the opponent’s mobility is severely restricted before you begin the lateral movement to clear legs.
Q2: Why is lateral movement preferred over forward movement when clearing legs in the double under pass? A: Lateral movement is preferred because it allows you to maintain constant chest pressure throughout the pass while methodically clearing one leg at a time. Forward movement tends to create vertical stacking pressure that can allow the opponent to invert, granby, or create scrambles. Lateral stepping keeps the opponent flat and controlled while systematically removing their defensive frames and leg barriers.
Q3: What should you do if the opponent successfully frames on your head and begins creating distance during the pass? A: Drive through their frames by lowering your head position and increasing downward chest pressure while circling toward the side of the frame. Do not allow vertical space to develop—instead, continuously drop your weight onto them. If necessary, transition your head to the opposite side of their body while maintaining underhook control, negating the mechanical advantage of their frame.
Q4: At what point in the double under pass sequence is it safe to release your underhook grips? A: You should only release your underhook grips when both of the opponent’s legs are completely cleared and you are perpendicular to their body in a position to immediately establish traditional side control controls (cross-face and far arm control). Releasing the grips prematurely is one of the most common errors and often results in immediate guard recovery by the opponent.
Q5: How does the double under pass exemplify the pressure passing philosophy compared to dynamic guard passing approaches? A: The double under pass exemplifies pressure passing through its emphasis on sustained control, heavy weight distribution, methodical progression, and positional dominance over speed and athleticism. Unlike dynamic passes that rely on explosive movement and timing, the double under pass creates a prison of pressure that systematically eliminates the opponent’s defensive options. This approach favors technical precision, weight distribution, and grinding pressure over scrambling or racing through the pass.
Q6: What are the primary defensive tools the opponent loses once the double under position is properly established? A: Once double under position is established with proper pressure, the opponent loses the ability to create effective frames with their legs, significantly restricted hip mobility and movement, the ability to sit up or create upward pressure, and the mechanical advantage to create meaningful distance. Their arms alone cannot generate enough force to overcome the chest pressure, and their legs are controlled beneath your underhooks, leaving them in a highly compromised defensive position.
Safety Considerations
The double under pass is generally a safe technique for both practitioners when executed properly, but several safety considerations should be observed. When driving pressure onto the opponent, ensure you are using chest and shoulder pressure rather than driving your head into vulnerable areas like the neck or throat, which could cause injury. Be mindful of the opponent’s spine and neck when stacking—avoid excessive forward pressure that hyperextends the cervical spine, particularly when using the stack variation. When training with less experienced partners, moderate your pressure to allow them to develop defensive capabilities without being overwhelmed. Always respect the tap if the pressure becomes uncomfortable or if breathing is compromised. For the person being passed, do not panic or use explosive bridging movements that could strain your own neck or spine—instead, focus on technical defensive responses. Both practitioners should communicate about pressure levels during training, especially when learning the technique, ensuring that the passer develops proper control without injuring their training partner.
Position Integration
The double under pass is a cornerstone technique within the pressure passing system and integrates seamlessly with several fundamental BJJ positions and concepts. It most commonly initiates from open guard top positions, particularly when the opponent is using butterfly guard, de la riva variations, or seated guard positions. The technique serves as an excellent complement to the headquarters passing system—many practitioners establish a single underhook in headquarters position and then transition to double under when appropriate. Once side control is achieved via the double under pass, the natural progressions include maintaining side control for submissions (kimura, americana, arm triangle), transitioning to mount, or advancing to knee on belly for increased control and submission opportunities. The pass also chains effectively with other pressure-based techniques like the smash pass, over-under pass, and bodylock pass, creating a comprehensive pressure passing system where if one technique is defended, another becomes available. Understanding the double under pass’s position within this larger framework allows practitioners to develop a cohesive top game where pressure is constantly applied through multiple passing strategies. The technique also exemplifies the fundamental principle of position before submission, as it prioritizes overwhelming positional control before considering any offensive attacks.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The double under pass represents fundamental principles of positional control applied to guard passing. When we examine this technique through a biomechanical lens, we see that the bilateral underhook configuration creates a control system where the opponent’s defensive tools are systematically neutralized. Their legs, which normally provide both offensive and defensive capabilities in guard, are rendered ineffective because your underhooks control them from beneath—a position where they have minimal mechanical advantage. Your chest pressure, when applied correctly, creates a weight distribution that prevents hip movement, which is the foundation of all guard retention. The beauty of this pass lies not in athleticism or speed, but in the creation of a positional hierarchy where your control points dominate their defensive structure. This is pressure passing in its purest form—you create a position where time works in your favor because the opponent’s energy expenditure to defend vastly exceeds your energy expenditure to maintain pressure. From a systematic perspective, this pass should be viewed as part of a larger passing framework where headquarters, knee slice, and stack passing all interconnect based on the opponent’s defensive reactions.
- Gordon Ryan: The double under pass is one of the highest percentage passes I use in competition because it’s fundamentally sound and extremely difficult to defend when executed with proper pressure and timing. In high-level competition, this pass works because it doesn’t give opponents the dynamic opportunities they’re looking for—it forces them into a grinding, pressure-based defensive scenario where their athleticism and explosive reactions are largely neutralized. I typically enter this pass from headquarters position when I feel the opponent overcommitting to defending the knee slice. The key in competition is understanding that you don’t need to rush the pass—if you have the position locked down with both underhooks and heavy pressure, you can take your time clearing the legs because the opponent has very limited options to escape or counter. I’ve finished this pass against world-class competitors because it’s a technique where superior pressure and weight distribution overcome even exceptional guard retention skills. The most important competition detail is ensuring your underhooks are deep enough that you can weather any defensive storm the opponent creates. If your hooks are shallow, high-level guys will extract their legs immediately. But with deep hooks and relentless pressure, this pass becomes nearly unstoppable against any level of competition.
- Eddie Bravo: While the double under pass is definitely more of a traditional, old-school technique, there are ways to make it work in modern no-gi grappling, especially when you adapt it with some creative elements. In 10th Planet, we look at the double under position as a control platform that can lead to multiple outcomes—not just side control. If you’re passing someone’s guard with double unders and they turn to their side to defend, that’s a perfect opportunity to transition to the truck position or take the back instead of forcing the side control pass. We also combine the double under control with lockdown passing strategies when someone catches half guard during the pass attempt. The key innovation I’d suggest is thinking about the double under pass not as a single technique but as a control position that opens up multiple pathways—you can pass to side control, you can take the back, you can even transition to leg attacks if the opponent tries to invert or create distance. Don’t be so married to the traditional completion that you miss creative opportunities. That said, the fundamental pressure principles are solid, and understanding how to apply crushing chest pressure is essential for any top player. Even in the rubberguard era, you still need to know how to pass with pressure when the situation calls for it.