Like an onion, the guard has many layers. You pass by peeling the layers back one by one.
Passing the guard involves getting past multiple layers of defenses:
- Generally, you first need to get past your opponent’s legs…
- Then, you need to get past your opponent’s arms…
- And finally, you need to stabilize the position after you’ve passed.
There may be some unusual exceptions to the description above, but the key takeaways for passing most guards are:
- focus on getting past your opponent’s legs before you worry about their arms
- focus on getting past your opponent’s arms before you complete the pass and stabilize the position.