The Toss Pass attacker operates from an already dominant double unders control position, using the bilateral underhook grip to execute an explosive lateral redirection of the opponent’s legs. The attacker’s primary challenge is disguising the toss direction while maintaining sufficient forward pressure to prevent early defensive adjustment. Success requires coordinating grip mechanics, hip rotation, and immediate follow-through into side control within a narrow execution window. The attacker must read the opponent’s frame orientation to select the optimal toss direction and commit fully to the directional change, as half-committed attempts allow easy defensive recovery.
From Position: Double Unders (Top)
Key Attacking Principles
- Load vertical pressure before redirecting laterally to create misdirection that catches defensive frames in the wrong orientation
- Generate toss power through hip rotation and core engagement rather than arm strength alone for sustainable and explosive redirection
- Commit fully to the toss direction with no hesitation, as partial commitment allows the defender time to adjust their frames
- Follow the toss immediately with chest-to-mat contact on the passing side to eliminate guard recovery space
- Select toss direction based on opponent’s weaker frame side and your preferred side control configuration
- Maintain deep grip behind opponent’s back throughout the entire toss motion to prevent legs from separating mid-redirection
Prerequisites
- Both arms fully threaded under opponent’s legs with forearms deep and elbows tight to your ribs
- Hands clasped (gable grip or S-grip) or gripping belt/pants behind opponent’s lower back with no slack
- Forward stacking pressure driving opponent’s weight onto their shoulders for minimum 2-3 seconds before toss
- Feet positioned with toes engaged, allowing explosive hip rotation toward the chosen toss direction
- Head positioned on the opposite side of the intended toss to maintain balance through the redirection
Execution Steps
- Confirm double unders control: Verify both arms are fully threaded under opponent’s legs with hands clasped deep behind their lower back. Elbows must be tight to your ribs with no gaps for the opponent to insert frames. Confirm the grip will hold through explosive lateral movement.
- Establish vertical pressure: Drive forward pressure through your chest into opponent’s thighs, stacking their weight onto their shoulders. This loads their defensive frames in the vertical plane and disguises the incoming lateral redirection. Maintain this pressure for 2-3 seconds to commit their defensive structure.
- Select toss direction: Read the opponent’s frame orientation and select the side where their defensive structure is weaker or absent. Note which hand is framing higher on your body versus lower - toss toward the side of the weaker or lower frame. Shift your head position to the opposite side of the intended toss.
- Load the hip rotation: While maintaining forward pressure on the surface, subtly shift your weight to the balls of your feet and pre-load your hips for rotation toward the toss direction. Your grip should shift minimally toward the toss side. This loading phase must be brief to avoid telegraphing the direction change.
- Execute the toss: Explosively rotate your hips toward the toss direction while sweeping your arms laterally, redirecting the opponent’s legs to one side. The power comes from core rotation amplified through the arm sweep. The motion should be one continuous explosive action, not a two-part lift-and-redirect. Their legs should clear past your hip line completely.
- Follow through to the mat: Immediately after the legs clear, drop your chest to the mat on the passing side. Your near arm drives across for crossface control while your body fills the space where the opponent’s legs were. This follow-through must happen within one second of the toss to prevent guard recovery. Speed of follow-through determines success more than the toss power itself.
- Consolidate side control: Establish crossface with your near arm driving forearm pressure across the opponent’s jaw and neck. Your far hand blocks their near hip to prevent knee insertion. Drop your hips heavy against their hips with perpendicular chest alignment. Settle your weight and transition from dynamic passing mode to static control mode, eliminating all remaining space.
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Side Control | 55% |
| Failure | Double Unders | 20% |
| Failure | Half Guard | 15% |
| Counter | Open Guard | 10% |
Opponent Counters
- Opponent inserts butterfly hook on the toss side during redirection, preventing legs from clearing (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If you feel the hook engaging mid-toss, immediately shift to a leg weave passing configuration on that side rather than fighting the hook. Use the momentum of your toss to drive past the hook into a half guard top position, then work to complete the pass from there. → Leads to Half Guard
- Opponent frames against your shoulder and hip escapes during the toss, creating distance to recover open guard (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Accelerate your follow-through and chase their hip movement with your chest. If they create significant distance, abandon the toss pass and re-establish double unders control by driving forward into their retreating hips before they can fully recover their guard structure. → Leads to Open Guard
- Opponent grips your sleeve or wrist to prevent arm release during toss, stalling the redirection (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Strip the grip by circling your wrist out of their grip direction while continuing the toss motion. If the grip holds, maintain pressure and revert to forward stacking, then attempt the toss again after re-establishing full pressure and breaking the grip with a sharp elbow retraction. → Leads to Double Unders
- Opponent anticipates toss direction and pre-rotates hips toward the toss side, turning into you (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: If the opponent turns into the toss direction, they expose their back. Redirect immediately to a back take by following their rotation and establishing seat belt control as they turn. Their pre-rotation actually assists your transition to a superior position if you read it correctly. → Leads to Side Control
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the optimal timing for initiating the toss after establishing double unders control? A: The toss should be initiated after driving sustained forward pressure for 2-3 seconds, loading the opponent’s defensive frames vertically. The ideal moment is when you feel the opponent committing their frames fully to resist your forward drive, as their defensive structure is then oriented in the wrong plane to resist lateral redirection. Initiating too early before establishing forward pressure telegraphs the toss and allows easy defensive adjustment.
Q2: How does grip positioning differ between the standard stack pass and the toss pass from double unders? A: For the toss pass, the grip should be slightly asymmetric compared to the centered grip used for stacking. Shift your clasped hands subtly toward the side you intend to toss, pre-loading the lateral vector while still appearing to drive forward. The grip must remain deep behind the opponent’s back to maintain control throughout the explosive redirection - shallow grips will separate during the toss motion, releasing the legs prematurely.
Q3: Your opponent is successfully framing against your forward pressure with stiff arms on your shoulders - how do you transition to the toss pass? A: Their stiff arm frames are oriented to resist vertical stacking pressure, making this the ideal moment for the toss pass. Continue driving forward to maintain their frame commitment, then explosively redirect their legs laterally to the side where their frame is weaker. The stiff arms cannot redirect quickly enough to resist the lateral force, and by the time they attempt to adjust, your chest should already be dropping to the mat on the passing side.
Q4: What body mechanics generate the most effective toss from the double unders position? A: The toss is generated primarily through hip rotation combined with a lateral sweeping motion of the arms, not through arm strength alone. Your hips should rotate toward the toss direction while your arms guide the legs, using your core as the primary force generator. Think of it as a lateral hip thrust combined with an arm sweep. Your feet must be positioned with toes engaged to allow the hip rotation - a wide flat-footed stance limits rotational power.
Q5: What should your immediate priority be in the first two seconds after completing the toss? A: Immediate chest-to-mat contact on the passing side is the absolute priority. Your crossface arm must reach across and control the opponent’s head before they can turn toward you, and your hips must drop heavy against their hips to prevent any guard recovery. The two-second window after the toss is critical because the opponent is momentarily disoriented by the directional change. Any delay allows them to establish defensive frames or insert a knee for half guard.
Q6: When should you choose to toss to the left versus the right side? A: Toss toward the side where the opponent’s defensive frames are weaker or absent. If they have a strong frame on your right shoulder, toss left. Also consider your own dominant side for establishing crossface, as most practitioners have a preferred side control side. Additionally, if the opponent has one leg slightly more extended than the other, toss toward the extended leg side as it provides less resistance to the lateral redirection.
Q7: You attempt the toss pass but the opponent hooks your leg with a butterfly hook mid-toss - what is your immediate adjustment? A: Do not fight the butterfly hook directly or try to restart the toss. Instead, immediately transition to a leg weave or half guard passing configuration using the momentum you already generated. Continue driving forward past the hook rather than pulling back. Your weight should pin their hooking leg while you work to clear it from a half guard top position. The toss momentum actually assists this transition if you redirect rather than resist.
Q8: How do you prevent the opponent from diving to deep half guard during the toss attempt? A: Maintain a low, compressed posture with your hips close to the opponent’s body throughout the toss, eliminating the space they need to rotate underneath you. If you sense them attempting to dive under during the loading phase, immediately walk your knees forward to pin their hips before initiating the toss. The deep half entry requires space under your hips - by keeping your posture low and hips connected, you deny the prerequisite space for this escape.
Safety Considerations
The Toss Pass involves explosive lateral redirection of the opponent’s lower body which can stress the lumbar spine and hip joints if performed with excessive force. Partners should communicate comfort levels during drilling, especially regarding the intensity of the toss. The technique works through precise redirection rather than raw power - avoid slamming legs to the mat. Be mindful of training partners with lower back, hip, or knee injuries. During the follow-through, control your chest drop to avoid landing with full force on the opponent’s ribs. Always allow controlled landing and avoid explosive toss practice with significantly smaller partners where the force differential creates injury risk.