Leg Weave Pass

bjjtransitionguard_passoffensecontrol

Transition Properties

• Transition ID: T812
• Classification: Offensive Guard Pass
• Starting Position: Open Guard (top), Half Guard (top)
• Target Position: Side Control, North-South
• Success Probability: Beginner (50%), Intermediate (65%), Advanced (80%)
• Execution Complexity: Medium
• Physical Attributes: Coordination (High), Timing (Medium), Strength (Medium)
• Risk Level: Medium - potential exposure to sweeps or submissions if pass fails
• Energy Cost: Medium - requires controlled movement and pressure
• Transition Type: Offensive Control Transition

Transition Description

The Leg Weave Pass is a strategic guard passing technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) used to transition from a top position in Open Guard or Half Guard to a dominant control position like Side Control or North-South. This technique involves weaving your legs through the opponent’s guard to disrupt their structure, pinning one of their legs with your own while using upper body control to bypass their defensive barriers. It is particularly effective against guards that rely on leg framing and hip mobility, embodying the BJJ principle of using intricate leg positioning and weight distribution to overcome resistance. The Leg Weave Pass is a versatile approach in both gi and no-gi grappling, offering a methodical path to positional dominance.

Visual Execution Sequence

Detailed description for clear visualization of the transition in action:

Starting in top Open Guard, you are on your knees with your opponent on their back, their legs framing against your torso, with their right foot near your left hip and their left foot near your right hip, while their hands grip your sleeves or collar to control your posture and set up sweeps or submissions. To initiate the Leg Weave Pass, you first establish a strong posture by straightening your back and tucking your elbows in, breaking their upper body control, while securing an underhook with your right arm under their left armpit to pin their torso and limit their mobility, preparing to target their right leg for the weave. You then shift your weight slightly to your left, stepping your left knee forward and over their right thigh, weaving your left shin across their right leg to pin it to the mat, while your right hand pushes their left knee down to prevent it from blocking your path, feeling their guard structure weaken as their right leg is trapped under your control. With controlled pressure, you drive your hips forward, sliding your right leg through the space between their legs, maintaining the underhook to keep their upper body pinned, as your left shin continues to trap their right leg, sensing their hip rotation falter under the combined leg and torso control. Mid-pass, you keep your head low to avoid submissions like triangles or guillotines, adjusting your left shin to apply more pressure on their trapped right leg, while your right leg clears their left leg, dropping your hips to pin their lower body, ensuring they cannot shrimp away or recover guard as your torso advances past their defenses. You complete the pass by settling into Side Control on their left side, driving your chest into theirs, securing their head with your right underhook and blocking their far hip with your left arm, or potentially transitioning to North-South if their upper body turns away, having successfully bypassed their guard with a precise leg weave. Throughout the movement, you remain aware of their attempts to frame or sweep, adjusting your weight distribution and leg pressure to counter their defenses, demonstrating an effective offensive passing technique that transforms a contested guard position into dominant control in a calculated, leverage-driven sequence.

Template: “From top Open Guard, on knees, opponent on back, legs framing torso, right foot near left hip, left near right hip, hands gripping sleeves or collar for control. Establish strong posture, straighten back, tuck elbows to break control, secure right underhook under left armpit to pin torso, target right leg for weave. Shift weight left, step left knee over right thigh, weave left shin across to pin right leg, push left knee down with right hand to clear path, weaken guard structure. Drive hips forward, slide right leg through guard, maintain underhook for torso control, keep left shin trapping right leg, disrupt hip rotation. Keep head low mid-pass against submissions, adjust left shin pressure on trapped leg, clear left leg with right leg, drop hips to pin, prevent guard recovery. Settle into Side Control on left, chest to chest, secure head with underhook, block far hip, or transition to North-South if they turn, bypass guard with leg weave. Stay aware of frame or sweep attempts, adjust weight and leg pressure to counter, transform contested guard into dominant control with calculated leverage.”

Execution Steps

1. Begin in top Open Guard or Half Guard, recognizing the opportunity to pass when the opponent’s legs are accessible and their guard structure can be disrupted with leg control.
2. Establish a strong posture by straightening your back and tucking your elbows in to break their grip control over your upper body, maintaining a stable base.
3. Secure an underhook with one arm under their armpit on the side opposite the leg you intend to weave over, pinning their torso to limit mobility and control their upper body.
4. Shift your weight to the side of the leg you will weave, stepping your knee on that side forward and over their thigh, weaving your shin across their leg to pin it to the mat.
5. Use your free hand to push their other knee down, preventing it from blocking your path, while driving your hips forward to slide your other leg through the space between their legs.
6. Maintain the underhook and keep your head low to protect against submissions, adjusting the pressure of your weaving shin on their trapped leg to prevent recovery, as you drop your hips to pin their lower body.
7. Complete the pass by settling into Side Control on the side opposite the trapped leg, securing their head and far hip with your arms, or transitioning to North-South if their upper body turns away.
8. Remain aware of their defensive attempts like framing or sweeping, adjusting your weight, leg pressure, and upper body control to counter and consolidate the dominant position.

Key Details

• Posture Maintenance: Essential to break opponent’s upper body control and prevent submissions.
• Underhook Control: Pins opponent’s torso to limit defensive mobility and sweeps.
• Leg Weaving Precision: Weaving shin must pin opponent’s leg effectively to disrupt guard.
• Secondary Leg Control: Free hand pushes other leg to clear path for passing leg.
• Hip Drive: Forward hip movement slides passing leg through guard space.
• Head Position Safety: Keep head low to avoid triangle or guillotine setups.
• Hip Pinning: Drop hips post-weave to apply pressure and prevent shrimping.
• Positional Flexibility: Adjust to Side Control or North-South based on opponent’s reaction.

Success Modifiers

Factors that influence the success rate of the transition:

• Posture Strength: Ability to break opponent’s control and maintain balance (+10%)
• Underhook Effectiveness: Secure control of opponent’s torso for pinning (+8