The Long Step Pass is a fundamental pressure passing technique used to control and pass open guard positions. This pass involves establishing grips on the opponent’s pants or belt, using a long stepping motion to bypass the guard while maintaining heavy pressure and base. The technique is particularly effective against seated guards, butterfly guard, and De La Riva variations where the passer can control the distance and dictate the pace of engagement.
The Long Step Pass exemplifies the principle of pressure over speed, using superior positioning and weight distribution to nullify the guard player’s defensive frames and movement. By stepping deep to the side while controlling the opponent’s lower body, the passer creates angles that make guard retention extremely difficult. This technique forms the foundation of many modern passing systems and connects seamlessly with other pressure-based approaches.
What makes the Long Step Pass particularly effective is its ability to shut down the opponent’s ability to create space or re-guard. The combination of grip control, strategic stepping, and pressure application forces the bottom player into increasingly defensive positions until the pass is complete. This makes it one of the highest-percentage passes in both gi and no-gi grappling.
Starting Position: Open Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
Key Principles
- Maintain constant forward pressure while controlling opponent’s lower body
- Step deep to the side while keeping hips low and weight distributed forward
- Control opponent’s near leg to prevent re-guarding and create passing angle
- Use crossface or shoulder pressure to control upper body and prevent framing
- Keep base wide and stable throughout the passing sequence
- Drive chest toward opponent’s chest while circling around guard
- Transition to consolidation position before opponent can escape or re-guard
Prerequisites
- Standing or combat base position with ability to control distance
- Grip established on opponent’s pants, belt, or collar
- Opponent in seated guard, butterfly guard, or open guard variation
- Clear understanding of opponent’s guard retention patterns
- Base and posture that allows forward pressure without compromising balance
- Recognition of opponent’s near leg position and defensive frames
- Timing awareness to step when opponent’s guard is momentarily open
Execution Steps
- Establish Control Grips: From standing or combat base position, establish strong grips on the opponent’s pants at the knees or belt. In gi, you can also control the collar with one hand while controlling the near leg with the other. Your posture should be upright with hips pushed forward to create pressure and prevent the opponent from off-balancing you backward. Your weight distribution should favor your lead leg, allowing the back leg to step freely. (Timing: Initial setup phase - take time to establish dominant grips)
- Create Passing Angle: Begin to angle your body approximately 45 degrees to the side you intend to pass. Push the opponent’s knees down and away while maintaining your upright posture. This creates the initial angle and begins to flatten the opponent’s guard structure. Your head should stay over your hips to maintain balance and prevent being pulled forward into closed guard or triangles. (Timing: Continuous pressure - don’t allow opponent to recover guard structure)
- Execute Long Step: Take a large step with your outside leg, placing your foot near the opponent’s hip on the side you’re passing. This is the defining characteristic of the Long Step Pass - the step should be deep enough to put your knee past the opponent’s hip line. As you step, drive your weight forward and down, using your chest to create heavy pressure on the opponent’s torso. Your hips should remain low and mobile. (Timing: Explosive step combined with weight commitment - full commitment to the pass)
- Control Near Leg: With your near-side hand, secure control of the opponent’s near leg, typically by cupping behind the knee or controlling the ankle. This prevents the opponent from inserting the knee shield or recovering guard. Your opposite hand should now move to control the upper body, either with a crossface, underhook, or collar grip. The combination of upper and lower body control creates a powerful passing frame. (Timing: Immediate after the long step - don’t allow time for opponent to create frames)
- Apply Crossface Pressure: Drive your shoulder across the opponent’s face while maintaining control of the near leg. This crossface pressure serves multiple purposes: it prevents the opponent from turning into you, controls their head position, and creates significant discomfort that encourages defensive reactions. Your chest should be heavy on the opponent’s chest, making it difficult for them to breathe or create space. (Timing: Sustained pressure throughout the pass completion)
- Circle to Side Control: While maintaining crossface and leg control, circle your hips around the opponent’s guard until you achieve side control position. Your inside leg should slide back as you rotate, allowing your hips to settle next to the opponent’s hips. Keep constant pressure throughout this movement - any space you allow gives the opponent opportunity to re-guard or escape. (Timing: Smooth circular motion - no pauses or hesitation)
- Consolidate Side Control: Establish proper side control position with chest-to-chest pressure, underhook or crossface control, and hip placement that prevents the opponent from turning in or creating space. Your weight should be distributed across the opponent’s chest and your base should be wide enough to prevent being rolled. Secure your grips and prepare for submission attacks or positional advancement. (Timing: Final consolidation - ensure position is secured before attacking)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent creates knee shield or frames before long step completes (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Switch to Knee Slice Pass or use underhook to flatten opponent and continue passing sequence with modified angle
- Opponent sits up aggressively and attempts to take your back during the pass (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Sprawl your hips back immediately while maintaining upper body control, then circle to dominant position or front headlock
- Opponent uses butterfly hooks to elevate and sweep as you commit to the pass (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Keep hips low and base wide, drive weight forward to prevent elevation, and clear hooks with leg control before continuing pass
- Opponent grabs your belt or pants to prevent forward pressure and create distance (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Break grips systematically while maintaining posture, use leg pressure to keep opponent’s hips pinned to the mat
- Opponent inverts or goes upside down to avoid the pass and recover guard (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Follow the inversion while maintaining leg control, drive opponent to their back and continue passing sequence or transition to turtle control
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the primary purpose of the long step in this passing technique? A: The long step serves to bypass the opponent’s guard structure by placing your knee past their hip line, creating an angle that makes it extremely difficult for them to insert defensive frames or recover guard position. It commits your weight forward and establishes the passing angle that will be maintained throughout the technique.
Q2: Why is crossface pressure critical to the success of the Long Step Pass? A: Crossface pressure serves multiple essential functions: it controls the opponent’s head and prevents them from turning into you, it creates significant discomfort that encourages defensive reactions rather than offensive guard retention, and it helps maintain your chest pressure on their chest which is crucial for preventing space creation and re-guarding attempts.
Q3: How should you adjust the Long Step Pass when your opponent creates a knee shield? A: When the opponent establishes a knee shield, you should immediately transition to a Knee Slice Pass variation by using your underhook to flatten the opponent while driving your knee through the shield. Alternatively, you can step back and switch to a different passing approach like the Toreando Pass. The key is recognizing the knee shield early and adapting rather than forcing the original passing angle.
Q4: What are the key differences between executing the Long Step Pass in gi versus no-gi? A: In no-gi, the grip configurations shift from pants and belt grips to controlling the head, hips, and wrists. The mechanical principles remain identical but pressure application becomes even more critical without gi friction to assist control. Underhooks and overhooks replace collar grips, and you must be more conscious of maintaining constant contact since grips are less reliable. The pass often happens faster in no-gi due to reduced friction.
Q5: How does the Long Step Pass connect to the broader pressure passing system? A: The Long Step Pass is foundational to pressure passing systems because it establishes the key principles of controlling distance, maintaining forward pressure, and using strategic stepping to create passing angles. It connects seamlessly with the Knee Slice Pass, Over-Under Pass, and Smash Pass, allowing the passer to flow between techniques based on the opponent’s defensive reactions. The skills developed in the Long Step Pass - particularly crossface pressure and leg control - transfer directly to all other pressure-based passing approaches.
Q6: What should your weight distribution be during the long step execution? A: During the long step, your weight should be distributed primarily forward over your lead leg, with your chest driving down toward the opponent’s chest. Your hips should remain low but mobile, and your base should be wide enough to prevent being rolled or swept. The weight commitment should be full and forward while maintaining enough base to prevent being off-balanced by guard retention attempts.
Q7: Why is it important to maintain continuous motion from the long step through to side control consolidation? A: Any pause or hesitation during the passing sequence allows the opponent to insert frames, create space, or recover guard position. The pass should be one flowing movement because the opponent’s best defensive opportunities occur during transitions between positions. Continuous pressure and movement prevent the opponent from establishing defensive structures and force them into increasingly compromised positions until the pass is complete.
Safety Considerations
The Long Step Pass is generally a safe technique when executed with proper control and awareness. The primary safety concern is avoiding excessive pressure on the opponent’s neck and face during the crossface application - while the crossface should be firm and controlling, it should not create dangerous cranking pressure on the cervical spine. When practicing, partners should communicate about pressure levels and reduce intensity if the crossface becomes uncomfortable. Additionally, be aware of your weight distribution to avoid dropping all your weight onto the opponent’s ribcage, which can restrict breathing or cause discomfort. During training progressions, increase resistance gradually to prevent injuries from explosive movements when practitioners are still learning proper mechanics. Pay particular attention to knee and hip positioning to avoid hyperextension injuries during the stepping motion.
Position Integration
The Long Step Pass is a cornerstone technique in the guard passing hierarchy and serves as a fundamental entry point into pressure-based passing systems. It connects directly to Side Control, which is one of the most dominant positions in BJJ, making it a high-value technique for positional advancement. The pass integrates seamlessly with other pressure passes including the Knee Slice Pass, Over-Under Pass, and Smash Pass, allowing practitioners to develop a cohesive passing game where each technique flows naturally into the next based on the opponent’s defensive responses. From a systems perspective, the Long Step Pass is particularly valuable because it teaches the fundamental principles of pressure passing - forward weight commitment, crossface control, and strategic stepping - that apply across all pressure-based approaches. It works effectively against seated guards, butterfly guard, De La Riva variations, and many other open guard positions, making it an extremely versatile tool. The technique also serves as an excellent foundation for beginners learning guard passing concepts while remaining effective at the highest levels of competition when executed with proper timing and pressure.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Long Step Pass represents one of the most biomechanically sound methods of guard passing because it addresses the fundamental problem of guard passing - how to control both the opponent’s upper and lower body simultaneously while maintaining your own base and balance. The beauty of this technique lies in its systematic approach to creating and maintaining passing angles. By stepping deep to the side, you create a geometric advantage where the opponent’s defensive frames become significantly less effective because you are attacking from an angle their body is poorly positioned to defend. The crossface pressure is not merely about applying force - it is about controlling the opponent’s head position, which in turn controls their ability to generate power with their hips and create the space necessary for guard retention. What makes this pass particularly valuable for systematic development is that it teaches practitioners the essential skill of pressure application - not just pushing forward blindly, but strategically distributing weight to nullify specific defensive mechanisms while maintaining enough base to prevent counters. When you understand the Long Step Pass deeply, you understand the fundamental architecture of all pressure passing.
- Gordon Ryan: The Long Step Pass is one of my highest percentage techniques in competition because it allows me to impose my game on the opponent rather than reacting to their guard. What people don’t understand is that the pass isn’t really about the step itself - it’s about creating a situation where the opponent has no good options. When I establish my grips and begin pressuring forward, I’m already forcing them to make defensive decisions, and every decision they make opens up a different passing opportunity. If they try to frame and create distance, I drive the long step and commit my weight. If they try to sit up and fight for underhooks, I switch to a different pass or use the crossface to drive them back down. The key to making this work at the highest levels is understanding that you need to make the opponent carry your weight - not just be heavy on them, but position yourself so that they are supporting your weight in a way that exhausts them and limits their movement. I also use this pass to drain the opponent’s energy early in the match. By forcing them to defend against sustained pressure for several minutes, I fatigue their defensive muscles and make later passes much easier. The Long Step Pass isn’t just a technique - it’s a strategy for breaking down the opponent’s guard systematically over time.
- Eddie Bravo: The Long Step Pass is fundamentally sound, but where it gets really interesting is when you start adding dynamic entries and combining it with other techniques in unpredictable ways. In 10th Planet, we don’t just drill the pass in isolation - we practice hitting it from scrambles, transitioning to it from failed submission attempts, and using it as a recovery mechanism when other passes get defended. One thing I emphasize is the importance of grip fighting before you even attempt the long step. You need to control the distance and the opponent’s ability to create frames before committing to the pass. What I’ve found is that the Long Step Pass works exceptionally well in no-gi when combined with aggressive hand fighting and head control. In gi, you can rely on the pants grips, but in no-gi, you need to be more creative with your control points - I like to use wrist control combined with head pressure to set up the pass. Another innovation we use is combining the Long Step with leg locks. If the opponent defends the pass by inverting or creating distance, that often opens up entries to leg entanglements, particularly outside ashi positions. The key is being fluid and not getting married to one passing sequence. The Long Step gives you a strong foundation, but you need to be ready to adapt and flow to other positions based on how the opponent reacts.