You can never have too few techniques. The more the better. So it’s high time to learn something new today. It’s gonna be hot right now guard passing technique – body lock pass. Of course, there are various other types of passes out there. However, if you are up to date with the biggest grappling events, etc. you might notice that certain passes techniques are more popular than others. Body lock pass is certainly one of them. Among fans of this technique, you can find people from the top of BJJ professional scene such as Lachlan Giles.
What is the Body Lock Guard pass?
The most common scenario to use this technique is when you are standing and want to pass your opponent’s sitting/butterfly guard. Your main goal at the start is to stop one leg from being out to go onto the outside. So first you are blocking one leg with one your hand and with another hand, you are getting under hook. To take better control over the blocked leg you use also your leg. When you do that, with the hand that was blocking leg you are going to control your opponent’s upper thigh and hip. Your head should be on the same side as this hand. The next step is locking your hands together. Next, you should turn your opponent’s hips to the side where you got your head. When you do that you can pass the leg. Then you can switch your head to the other side. At this point probably your opponent will catch you in a half guard. In response to this you get up a little and with the help of the other leg, you free yourself. After all this you got side control. In the video below you can check how it looks in practice and listens to Lachlan Giles as he talks about all the body lock pass details.
Things to remember when doing body lock pass:
- Your opponent can’t lay flat on the mat. You want his back to be exposed.
- Remember to control your opponent’s leg. It is important from preventing him from freeing the leg and/or bringing his knee to chest.
- Remember to have the head on the same side as a blocked leg.
- Don’t keep your head to low to not get caught in a submission.
- While linking your hands try to still control the leg. To do that try to go as deep as you can with the hand that wasn’t blocking leg.
