Over-Under Pass

The Over-Under Pass is a fundamental pressure-based guard passing technique that combines superior positioning with powerful control mechanics to bypass the opponent’s guard. This technique is characterized by controlling one leg over the opponent’s body while threading the other arm under their opposite leg, creating a stacking effect that neutralizes their defensive capabilities. The Over-Under Pass is particularly effective against half guard, butterfly guard, and open guard variations, making it a cornerstone technique in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What makes this pass especially valuable is its combination of pressure control and positional dominance - by stacking the opponent’s weight onto their shoulders, you eliminate their hip mobility and ability to re-guard while methodically advancing to side control. The technique requires excellent weight distribution, patience under pressure, and the ability to maintain chest-to-chest connection throughout the passing sequence. Unlike speed-based passes that rely on quick movements, the Over-Under Pass exemplifies the principle of using superior position and leverage to overcome an opponent’s defensive structure through systematic pressure application.

Starting Position: Half Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 65%, Advanced 80%

Key Principles

Establish chest-to-chest connection and maintain heavy shoulder pressure throughout the pass
Control the opponent’s far hip with your under-hook arm to prevent their hip escape
Stack their weight onto their shoulders to eliminate hip mobility and defensive frames
Drive your shoulder into their chest while keeping your hips low and heavy
Secure the far leg with your over-hook to prevent knee shield and guard retention
Circle your hips away from their remaining leg while maintaining pressure and connection
Complete the pass by establishing side control with proper weight distribution and control points

Prerequisites

Establish top position in half guard, open guard, or butterfly guard with posture control
Achieve grip on opponent’s far leg or pants with one hand
Secure under-hook on opponent’s near leg, threading arm deep under their thigh
Maintain heavy chest pressure and forward weight distribution
Break opponent’s frames and posture to create stacking angle
Control opponent’s upper body to prevent them from sitting up or creating angles

Execution Steps

Establish initial grips and position: From top position in half guard or open guard, secure a deep under-hook on the opponent’s near leg, threading your arm as far as possible under their thigh. Simultaneously grip their far leg at the knee or pants with your opposite hand. Your chest should be heavy on their torso with your head positioned on the over-hook side. (Timing: Take time to establish solid grips before advancing)
Create the stack: Drive your shoulder into the opponent’s chest while lifting their hips with your under-hook arm. Begin walking your feet forward toward their head, stacking their weight onto their shoulders. Your hips should remain low and heavy, with your weight distributed through your chest and shoulder into their torso. The stacking angle should be approximately 45 degrees, compromising their ability to hip escape. (Timing: Progressive stacking - increase angle gradually)
Secure the far leg over-hook: With your over-hook hand controlling the far leg, pull it tightly across your body and trap it against your torso. Your forearm should be across their shin or ankle, preventing them from recovering butterfly hooks or creating knee shield. Maintain this grip while continuing to drive pressure through your shoulder. (Timing: Lock the far leg before advancing position)
Control the near hip: Your under-hook arm should be controlling their far hip, preventing hip escape to that side. Your hand can grip their belt, pants, or reach across to their far hip. This control is critical - it blocks their primary escape route and maintains the stacking pressure. Keep your elbow tight to their body. (Timing: Maintain constant hip control throughout)
Begin hip circulation: While maintaining chest pressure and your grips, begin circling your hips away from the opponent’s remaining free leg. Your movement should be lateral, not backward - stay heavy and connected. As you circle, gradually flatten them out by driving your shoulder pressure while your hips move. Your knees should be wide for base stability. (Timing: Slow, deliberate hip movement - 3-5 seconds)
Clear the remaining leg: As your hips circle past their free leg, use your body position and continued pressure to pin this leg to the mat or push it away. Your chest-to-chest connection prevents them from following you or re-establishing guard. Continue circling until your hips are completely past their legs and you’re perpendicular to their body. (Timing: Wait for complete leg clearance)
Establish side control: Once your hips have cleared both legs, release the over-hook on their far leg and immediately establish side control grips. Your near arm should control their far arm or cross-face their neck, while your far arm controls their near hip. Distribute your weight through your chest onto their torso, with your hips low and head positioned high. Settle into side control with proper spacing and pressure. (Timing: Smooth transition from pass to control)

Opponent Counters

Opponent frames against your face/neck to create distance and prevent stacking (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Keep your head tight to their body on the over-hook side, making it difficult to frame against your neck. If they do establish a frame, drive through it with shoulder pressure while maintaining your under-hook depth. Alternatively, switch to a different pass direction or establish crossface control.
Opponent recovers butterfly hooks or half guard with their free leg during hip circulation (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Maintain constant chest pressure and keep your hips low throughout the circling motion. If they begin to recover guard, stop circling and re-establish your stacking pressure. Use your over-hook arm to actively control and suppress their free leg. Consider switching to knee slice or smash pass variations.
Opponent turns away or goes to turtle position to escape the pressure (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Follow their rotation and maintain your under-hook and over-hook grips. If they turn to turtle, you have excellent back-take opportunities or can transition to crucifix control. This is often a favorable outcome as turtle offers more attacking options than continuing the guard pass.
Opponent hip escapes toward the under-hook side, creating space (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Your under-hook arm controlling their far hip should prevent this escape. If they begin escaping, immediately drive your shoulder pressure harder and walk your feet further forward to increase the stack. Ensure your under-hook is deep enough - your hand should reach their far hip.
Opponent sits up or bridges explosively to break your posture (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Keep your base wide and weight distributed low. If they bridge, ride the bridge while maintaining your grips, then re-establish pressure as they come down. Your chest-to-chest connection should prevent them from sitting up if maintained properly. Drive forward pressure constantly.

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Lifting hips too high during the pass, losing pressure and connection
- Consequence: Opponent can hip escape, re-guard, or create frames to stall the pass
- Correction: Keep your hips low and heavy throughout the entire sequence. Your weight should be distributed through your chest and shoulder into their torso, not through your knees. Think of staying ‘glued’ to them with chest-to-chest pressure.
Mistake: Shallow under-hook that doesn’t control the far hip
- Consequence: Opponent can hip escape to the under-hook side and recover guard easily
- Correction: Thread your under-hook arm as deep as possible, reaching all the way to their far hip. Your hand should grip their belt, pants, or hip directly. A deep under-hook prevents hip escape and maintains stacking control.
Mistake: Releasing the over-hook on the far leg too early
- Consequence: Opponent recovers butterfly hooks, half guard, or creates knee shield to stop the pass
- Correction: Maintain your over-hook control on the far leg until your hips have completely cleared both of their legs. This leg control is essential for preventing guard recovery during hip circulation.
Mistake: Circling hips backward instead of laterally
- Consequence: Creates space between you and opponent, allowing them to re-guard or escape
- Correction: Circle your hips laterally (sideways) while maintaining forward pressure with your chest. Your chest should stay connected to theirs throughout the movement - never break chest-to-chest contact.
Mistake: Insufficient stacking angle on the opponent
- Consequence: Opponent maintains hip mobility and can defend effectively with frames and movement
- Correction: Walk your feet further toward their head to increase the stacking angle. Their hips should be significantly elevated and their weight on their shoulders. This position eliminates their ability to generate power with their legs.
Mistake: Head positioned on the under-hook side
- Consequence: Opponent can more easily frame against your face and create defensive structure
- Correction: Keep your head on the over-hook side, tight to their body. This makes it much harder for them to frame against you and gives you better control over their upper body.
Mistake: Rushing the pass and moving too quickly
- Consequence: Loss of connection, pressure, and control - opponent finds escape opportunities
- Correction: This is a pressure pass that requires patience. Take time to establish each position - grips, stack, hip control - before advancing. Slow, deliberate movement with constant pressure is more effective than speed.

Training Progressions

Week 1-2: Grip and Position Establishment - Learning proper grips, under-hook depth, and stacking mechanics Practice establishing the under-hook and over-hook grips from various top positions. Focus on threading the under-hook deeply and creating the initial stack. Partner provides no resistance, allowing you to feel proper body positioning and weight distribution. Emphasize chest-to-chest connection and maintaining heavy pressure. (Resistance: None)

Week 3-4: Stack Control and Hip Positioning - Maintaining the stack and beginning hip circulation Partner provides light resistance by attempting to maintain their guard structure. Practice walking your feet forward to create the stacking angle and begin the hip circulation movement. Focus on keeping hips low and maintaining constant pressure. Work on controlling the opponent’s far hip with your under-hook throughout the movement. (Resistance: Light)

Week 5-8: Full Pass Execution with Resistance - Complete pass from setup to side control against defending opponent Partner actively defends with frames, hip escapes, and guard recovery attempts. Practice the entire sequence from grip establishment through hip circulation to side control consolidation. Focus on troubleshooting common defensive reactions and maintaining pressure throughout transitions. Add variations based on opponent’s reactions. (Resistance: Medium)

Week 9-12: Positional Sparring and Combinations - Integrating the Over-Under Pass into your overall passing game Positional sparring starting from guard, with focus on recognizing Over-Under Pass opportunities. Practice chaining with other passes (knee slice, smash pass, double under). Work on entries from different guard positions and situations. Partner provides full resistance with the goal of passing or preventing the pass. (Resistance: Full)

Week 13+: Competition Application and Refinement - Using the Over-Under Pass in live sparring and competition scenarios Incorporate the pass into regular sparring sessions against various skill levels and body types. Analyze what works and what doesn’t against different opponents. Refine timing, pressure application, and transitions. Develop personal preferences for grips and positioning details. (Resistance: Full)

Variations

Double Under Pass: Instead of one under-hook and one over-hook, establish under-hooks on both legs. This creates an extremely powerful stacking position with both hands controlling the hips. The passing sequence is similar but often allows for even more dominant pressure and control. (When to use: When opponent’s guard is more open and you can access both legs for under-hooks. Particularly effective in gi when you can grip the belt with both hands.)

Over-Under to Knee Slice: If the opponent begins to defend the traditional Over-Under Pass by recovering their guard, transition to knee slice by releasing the over-hook, posting your hand, and driving your knee across their bottom leg. This creates a powerful combination that covers multiple defensive reactions. (When to use: When opponent is successfully defending the hip circulation by keeping their legs engaged. The knee slice becomes available as they focus on preventing the over-under completion.)

Over-Under with Crossface: Add a crossface component by threading your over-hook arm across the opponent’s face instead of controlling their far leg. This variation trades leg control for superior head and upper body control, often leading to easier pressure maintenance and side control transitions. (When to use: Against opponents who are very good at using their free leg to recover guard. The crossface prevents them from turning away or sitting up.)

Standing Over-Under Pass: Execute the pass from a standing position by lifting the opponent’s hips completely off the ground while maintaining the over-under grips. This creates maximum stacking pressure but requires more strength and carries higher risk of guillotine attacks. (When to use: In no-gi or against lighter opponents when you have significant strength advantage. Very effective for quickly passing butterfly guard or seated guard positions.)

Over-Under to Back Take: If the opponent turns away to escape the pressure, maintain your under-hook and follow their rotation to take the back. Your under-hook becomes a seat belt grip component and you can establish hooks while they’re still stacked. (When to use: When opponent’s defensive reaction is to turn away or go to turtle. This is often a higher-value outcome than completing the pass to side control.)

Test Your Knowledge

Q1: What is the primary purpose of the stacking angle in the Over-Under Pass? A: The stacking angle serves to elevate the opponent’s hips and load their weight onto their shoulders, which eliminates their hip mobility and ability to generate power with their legs. This position compromises their defensive frames and makes it difficult for them to hip escape or recover guard. The stack also creates a psychological pressure that can force defensive errors.

Q2: Why is it critical to maintain chest-to-chest connection throughout the entire passing sequence? A: Chest-to-chest connection ensures continuous pressure on the opponent and prevents them from creating the space needed to re-guard or escape. This connection allows you to feel their movements and reactions while maintaining control. If you break chest-to-chest contact during hip circulation, the opponent can immediately hip escape, turn away, or recover their guard structure. The connection also allows you to distribute your weight effectively through their torso.

Q3: How does the under-hook control prevent the opponent’s most common escape? A: The under-hook, when threaded deeply to control the far hip, prevents the opponent from hip escaping toward that side, which is their primary escape route from the stacking pressure. By controlling the far hip with your under-hook arm, you eliminate their ability to create the angle needed for effective hip escape. The depth of the under-hook is critical - a shallow under-hook can be defeated by a determined hip escape, while a deep under-hook reaching the far hip creates an insurmountable barrier.

Q4: What should you do if the opponent successfully frames against your neck during the stack? A: If the opponent establishes a frame against your neck, you have several options: drive through the frame with increased shoulder pressure while maintaining your under-hook depth; keep your head tight to their body on the over-hook side to make framing difficult; switch to a crossface variation by threading your over-hook arm across their face; or transition to an alternative pass like the knee slice if the frame is too strong. The key is not to back away from the pressure but to adjust your attack angle.

Q5: Why is lateral hip movement preferred over backward movement during the pass completion? A: Lateral (sideways) hip movement allows you to maintain chest-to-chest connection and forward pressure while simultaneously clearing the opponent’s legs. Moving backward would create space between you and the opponent, giving them the opportunity to re-guard, follow you, or escape. The lateral movement keeps you heavy on top while your hips circle around their defensive structure. This concept is fundamental to all pressure-based passing - maintain connection while changing angles.

Q6: How does the Over-Under Pass exemplify the principle of position over submission in BJJ? A: The Over-Under Pass demonstrates position-over-submission by prioritizing the establishment of dominant side control rather than rushing for submissions. By methodically advancing position through superior control and pressure, you create a more sustainable attack platform. This pass teaches patience under pressure, systematic advancement, and the value of controlling the opponent’s movement before hunting submissions. The completed pass to side control opens numerous high-percentage submission opportunities from a position of complete dominance.

Safety Considerations

Practice the Over-Under Pass with controlled application, especially regarding stacking pressure on your partner’s neck and spine. Excessive stacking can cause neck strain or cervical spine issues, so build intensity gradually and communicate with your training partner. Ensure adequate mat space for the technique as the stacking and circulation movements require room. When applying pressure, be mindful of your partner’s flexibility limitations - some individuals cannot safely be stacked to extreme angles. If your partner taps or shows discomfort, release pressure immediately. For the person being passed, learn to recognize when the pass is inevitable and accept the position transition rather than forcing defensive movements that could cause injury. As the passer, keep your weight distributed properly to avoid dropping all your weight onto their chest or face. The technique should feel like heavy, controlled pressure, not explosive force.

Position Integration

The Over-Under Pass is a cornerstone technique in the pressure passing system and represents a fundamental approach to guard passing through superior positioning and weight distribution. It connects directly to the broader concept of pressure-based passing, where the goal is to impose your weight and eliminate the opponent’s movement options before advancing position. This pass serves as a gateway technique that branches into multiple other passing positions - it can transition to double under pass, knee slice pass, smash pass, or back take depending on the opponent’s defensive reactions. Within the BJJ positional hierarchy, mastering the Over-Under Pass provides a reliable method for advancing from neutral guard positions to the dominant side control position, which is worth 3 points in IBJJF competition and opens numerous submission opportunities. The technique also teaches essential principles that apply throughout your guard passing game: maintaining connection, using stacking pressure to eliminate hip mobility, controlling the far hip, and circling laterally while staying heavy. Understanding the Over-Under Pass provides the technical foundation for more advanced passing systems, including modern leg weave passes, headquarters positions, and floating pressure passes.