A SIMPLE WAY TO SLICE THROUGH THE QUARTER GUARD
You want to pass the guard.
That’s why you’re here, and to do so, one of the things you must have in your arsenal is a pass for the quarter guard.
Why?
Because that’s a position that opponents will latch onto as a last ditch effort to stop the pass in several situations. They’ll also establish that position for a brief moment in the transition of escapes like the elbow escape from mount.
Why not punish them?
Even if they’re in the quarter guard for only a moment, a price must be paid, and with the pass we’ll be discussing here, you’ll be capable of exacting your pound of flesh.
Before we delve deep into it, check out this video breakdown of the pass:
Steps of Execution
| Step One | Get the underhook on the opposite of the trapped ankle. |
| Step Two | Post your on the mat on the same side as the trapped ankle |
| Step Three | Elevate the hips into the teepee position |
| Step Four | Slide the free knee across to the front of the hips and down to the mat. |
| Step Five | Use that same shin to kick away the opponent’s top thigh and free the trapped ankle. |
Why This Quarter Guard Pass Works
The first and foremost you should have this pass in your arsenal is that it’s simple and effective.
And the reason why it’s effective that it doesn’t stray from core principles. The first being that if you immobilize the upper body, it is easier to maintain control and pressure as you attack the opponent’s control below the waist.
Just having that underhook on one side and your head on the other will give you control of the situation.
Then if you can maintain that control while attacking the guard, the pass is hard to stop.
That’s why this pass has been in my arsenal for so many years.
And I’m confident that you too will have success with it.
What Could Go Wrong
Take a look at those steps of execution above again. Each step represents a micro battle that must be fought. And that also means that you can run into problems at each one of those points.
Keep that idea in mind because that process can be used to troubleshoot any technique. Break them down into steps and then identify exactly where you’re having the most issue.
Anyway, in this case, the first step is where you will run into the most difficulty. Savvy opponents will not let you get that underhook easily.
Once they recognize that they’re in the quarter guard, the framing will begin, then their hips will start to move, and if they’re good, you might lose the position almost as soon as you get it.
To progress in this attack, you have to flatten them out. You have to get the underhook.
Then the next fight in for head position.
The goal is to kill their ability to rotate above the waist. Their goal is to frame, base and move until they get back to an offensive position. That’s the battle, and it must be fought. My suggestion to you is to start in the quarter guard whenever possible and get used to that fight.
Once you do, passing quarter guard will almost feel like cheating.