The Leg Weave Pass is executed from half guard top by threading your inside leg between and over the opponent’s legs while maintaining crushing upper body pressure. The technique creates a configuration where your shin pins both of the opponent’s legs flat to the mat, eliminating their hip mobility and guard retention ability. The pass proceeds through three distinct phases: establishing upper body control with crossface and hip grip, completing the leg weave to immobilize the opponent’s lower body, and extracting the trapped leg to finish in side control. Each phase must be completed methodically before advancing to the next. The key mechanical insight is that the weave transfers leg control responsibility from your trapped leg to your free leg, allowing you to extract the trapped leg without the opponent being able to re-engage their guard.
From Position: Half Guard (Top)
Key Attacking Principles
- Maintain constant downward pressure through chest and shoulder throughout the entire pass sequence to prevent shrimping
- Thread the inside leg completely through the opponent’s guard to create the weave configuration that pins both legs
- Control the opponent’s far hip with your free hand to prevent them from turning or creating angular movement
- Keep your weight distributed primarily on your chest and shoulder contact points rather than on your knees or hands
- Progress systematically through each stage of the pass without rushing - patience prevents common reversal opportunities
- Use shoulder pressure to flatten the opponent and prevent them from achieving a side-facing position
- Extract the trapped leg only after the opponent’s legs are completely controlled and immobilized by the weave
Prerequisites
- Established top position in half guard with opponent on their back or partially flattened
- Crossface control or underhook position secured to manage upper body and prevent opponent from turning
- Inside leg positioned close to the opponent’s bottom leg with knee ready to begin threading through
- Far hand controlling opponent’s far hip to prevent angular movement and bridging
- Opponent’s knee shield cleared or controlled so it does not obstruct the threading path
- Hips positioned low and forward to prevent the opponent from recovering full guard or creating distance
Execution Steps
- Establish heavy crossface pressure: From top half guard, drive your shoulder across the opponent’s face while securing a strong crossface with your near arm. Your weight should be distributed primarily through your chest and shoulder, creating downward pressure that makes it difficult for the opponent to turn into you or create effective frames. Keep your head positioned on the far side of the opponent’s head to maximize the crossface angle.
- Control the far hip: With your far hand, reach across and grip the opponent’s far hip or pants at the hip level. This grip is crucial as it prevents the opponent from turning into you or bridging effectively. Your elbow should be positioned tight to your body to maintain connection and prevent the opponent from creating space between your bodies. This grip acts as a tether throughout the entire passing sequence.
- Thread the inside leg through: Begin threading your inside leg (the leg trapped between the opponent’s legs) by lifting your knee and driving it forward and over the opponent’s bottom leg. Your shin should slide across the opponent’s bottom thigh as you weave your leg through. This creates the characteristic weaving pattern that gives the technique its name. Maintain heavy chest and shoulder pressure throughout this movement to prevent the opponent from shrimping away or inserting a knee shield.
- Complete the leg weave configuration: Continue threading your leg until your foot emerges on the far side of the opponent’s legs, with your shin positioned across both of their thighs. Your leg should now be weaved through so that both of the opponent’s legs are trapped beneath your shin. Keep your hips low and forward pressure constant. The opponent’s ability to use their legs for framing, shrimping, or guard recovery should now be severely compromised by the weight of your weaved leg.
- Drive the opponent’s knees to the mat: Using the pressure from your weaved leg combined with forward hip pressure, drive the opponent’s knees flat to the mat. This completely removes their ability to create frames with their legs or recover guard. Your chest should be heavy on their upper body while your weaved leg controls their lower body. Maintain the crossface and hip control throughout this phase. You should feel no resistance from their legs before proceeding.
- Extract your trapped leg: With the opponent’s legs controlled and flattened, begin extracting your previously trapped leg (the original half guard leg). Since their legs are now pinned by your weave, they cannot re-grip your leg. Pull your knee through smoothly while maintaining all other pressure and control points. Keep your hip low throughout extraction to prevent them from inserting a knee shield into the gap as your leg comes free.
- Transition to side control: Once your leg is free, swing it behind you and establish full side control. Your chest should drop onto the opponent’s chest with perpendicular alignment, your hips should be low and heavy, and you should maintain the crossface control. Transition your hip grip to an underhook or establish your near knee tight against their hip. Unweave your other leg and settle into a proper side control configuration before considering the pass complete.
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Side Control | 60% |
| Failure | Half Guard | 25% |
| Counter | Half Guard | 15% |
Opponent Counters
- Opponent bridges explosively as you begin the weave (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Anticipate the bridge by keeping your base wide and your hips low. When they bridge, use their momentum to complete the weave more quickly as their legs momentarily lighten. If they create excessive space, transition to a knee slice pass instead of forcing the weave. → Leads to Half Guard
- Opponent secures a deep underhook on the near side (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If they get the underhook before you establish the weave, abandon this pass and address the underhook first. Use a whizzer to control their arm, switch your passing direction to the opposite side, or transition to a different passing approach. Never force the weave against a deep underhook as it exposes you to sweeps and back takes. → Leads to Half Guard
- Opponent shrimps away repeatedly as you thread the leg (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Follow their hip movement while maintaining pressure with your entire body, not just your legs. Each time they shrimp, advance your position slightly and reset your crossface and hip control. The key is moving your whole body forward as a unit rather than chasing with just your legs. → Leads to Half Guard
- Opponent inserts knee shield before weave is completed (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If the knee shield is inserted early, switch to the knee shield leg weave variation. Use your crossface-side hand to push their knee down toward their bottom leg, then re-initiate the threading sequence. Alternatively, abandon the weave and chain to a smash pass or long step pass that addresses the knee shield directly. → Leads to Half Guard
- Opponent rolls for a leg lock as you establish the weave (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Your weaved leg position provides excellent defense against most leg attack attempts from bottom half guard because the weave creates a natural entanglement that protects your knee line. Maintain heavy top pressure and keep your leg woven. If they commit to rolling, follow their rotation and establish a more dominant position or take the back. → Leads to Side Control
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the primary purpose of threading your leg through the opponent’s guard in the leg weave pass? A: The primary purpose is to create a configuration that traps and immobilizes the opponent’s legs beneath your shin, preventing them from using their legs to create frames, shrimp away, or recover guard. This transfers leg control responsibility from your trapped leg to your weaved leg, allowing you to extract the trapped leg without the opponent being able to re-engage their half guard.
Q2: Why is maintaining constant pressure on the far hip critical throughout the leg weave pass? A: Controlling the far hip prevents the opponent from turning into you or creating angular movement that would allow them to escape. Without this grip, they can bridge away from the weave or turn to face you, accessing better defensive positions like deep half guard or recovering full guard. The hip control acts as a tether that keeps them flat and unable to generate effective angles for escape.
Q3: When should you extract your trapped leg during the leg weave pass sequence? A: You should only extract your trapped leg after the opponent’s legs are completely flattened to the mat and controlled by your weaved leg. The key indicator is that you feel no resistance from their legs - they should be pinned and immobile. Attempting to extract too early allows the opponent to re-grip your leg and return to half guard. Patience in this phase is the single most important factor for pass completion.
Q4: Your opponent establishes a strong knee shield as you attempt to begin the weave - how do you adjust? A: Switch to the knee shield leg weave variation. Use your crossface-side hand to control their knee shield knee and push it downward toward their bottom leg, collapsing their defensive frame. Once the knee shield is neutralized and their legs are stacked, thread your leg through in the standard manner. Alternatively, if the knee shield is too strong to collapse, transition to a smash pass or long step pass that addresses the frame differently.
Q5: What is the most critical upper body grip for the leg weave pass and why? A: The crossface is the most critical upper body grip because it controls the opponent’s head position and prevents them from turning into you, which is the primary defensive movement that defeats the pass. The crossface also creates uncomfortable shoulder pressure that flattens the opponent and limits their ability to create defensive frames. Without an effective crossface, the opponent can turn to their side, establish an underhook, and sweep or take the back.
Q6: What direction of force should your weaved leg apply when driving the opponent’s knees to the mat? A: The force should be directed downward and slightly away from you, using your shin as a lever across both of the opponent’s thighs. The direction combines your hip weight driving forward with the mechanical advantage of your shin pressing their legs flat. The key is that the force is not just downward but also forward, pinning their legs in a direction that prevents them from bending their knees or creating any space between their thighs and the mat.
Q7: How should you respond if the opponent secures a deep underhook before you complete the weave? A: Abandon the leg weave pass and address the underhook first. A deep underhook gives the opponent too much control and leverage to effectively fight the weave - they can generate sweeps, take the back, or transition to dogfight position. Apply a whizzer to control their underhook, switch your passing direction to the opposite side, or transition to a completely different approach such as a kimura trap from the whizzer position.
Q8: Your opponent begins shrimping aggressively as you thread your leg through - what is the common mistake in responding to this? A: The common mistake is chasing the opponent’s hips with only your legs while your upper body stays behind, creating a disconnect between upper and lower body pressure. This gives the opponent windows to create frames and recover guard. The correct response is to follow their hip movement with your entire body as a unit - chest, hips, and legs advance together so that the pressure relationship remains constant. Each time they shrimp, you advance your whole body slightly forward.
Q9: What chain attacks are available if the opponent defends the leg weave by turning into you? A: When the opponent turns into you during the leg weave, they expose their neck and far arm, creating opportunities for darce choke entries if their arm is inside, or arm triangle setups if you can capture their head and arm together. The turning motion also opens back take opportunities if you can follow their rotation and establish hooks. Additionally, if they turn aggressively enough to get to their knees, you can transition to a front headlock position for guillotine or anaconda choke threats.
Q10: What are the conditions that must exist before you can initiate the leg weave from half guard top? A: Four conditions must exist: first, you need established upper body control through either a crossface or underhook to prevent the opponent from turning; second, your inside leg must be positioned close to the opponent’s bottom leg with a clear threading path; third, the opponent’s knee shield must be cleared or controlled so it does not obstruct the weave; and fourth, your hips must be low enough that the opponent cannot recover full guard during the threading motion. Missing any of these prerequisites will result in a stalled or failed pass attempt.
Q11: What are the key differences between the standard leg weave and the lockdown counter variation? A: The lockdown counter variation uses the same leg threading mechanics but serves a dual purpose: it both breaks the opponent’s lockdown structure and establishes the passing position simultaneously. In the standard version, you thread through an open half guard configuration where the legs offer moderate resistance. In the lockdown counter, you thread through the opponent’s locked ankles, requiring more deliberate force and slightly different positioning to break through their ankle connection. The lockdown version begins as a defensive counter but transitions to the same offensive passing configuration.
Safety Considerations
When practicing the leg weave pass, maintain control of your weight distribution to avoid placing excessive pressure on the opponent’s neck or spine. The crossface should create control without cranking the neck laterally. When your partner is defending, be aware that attempting to forcefully extract your trapped leg before proper control is established can lead to knee strain for both practitioners. Communication is essential during drilling - the bottom person should tap if they feel uncomfortable pressure on their neck or if they cannot breathe properly. When threading the leg through, move deliberately rather than explosively to avoid accidentally kicking or kneeing your partner. In competition or advanced training, be aware that aggressive bridging attempts from bottom can create injury risk if you’re not properly based, so maintain wide base and low hips throughout.