Pendergrass Pass

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Pendergrass Pass: A Comprehensive Guide

The Pendergrass Pass is an efficient guard pass in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), primarily used from the Half Guard position. This technique is named after the BJJ practitioner who popularized it, and is renowned for its simplicity, control, and effectiveness.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Position: Half Guard (Top Position)

Establish Base:
- Begin in your opponent's half guard with your right knee on the mat, cutting across their body.
- Ensure your other knee is upright, maintaining balance and pressure on your opponent. Your hands should be on the mat or gripping their gi for stability.
Control the Far Underhook:
- Use your right arm to secure an underhook on your opponent's left arm.
- This prevents them from sitting up or creating space, making it difficult for them to re-establish guard.
Cross-Face with Shoulder Pressure:
- Use your left arm to reach over your opponent’s face, and position your shoulder underneath their jawline for cross-face control.
- Apply pressure by driving your shoulder in, limiting their ability to turn towards you.
Unlock the Half Guard:
- Begin working your trapped right leg free by swiveling your hips from side to side.
- Keep the foot of your right leg active; use your toes to peel open the opponent’s locked legs slightly.
Knee Slide Over:
- Once the legs are loosened, slide your knee across your opponent's leg, aiming to reach the mat on the opposite side.
- Keep the pressure constant with your upper body to prevent their movement.
Switch Base and Secure Side Control:
- As your knee touches down, switch your hips to establish side control, pulling your right arm (with underhook) out to trap closer to their shoulders.
- Stabilize by adjusting your hips low and chest to chest, controlling their near-side arm with your left hand.
Finalize Control:
- Consolidate your side control by either transitioning to a more dominant position like Mount or maintaining side control pressure, using frames and hands-on hips when necessary.

Tips and Key Points

Always maintain pressure to prevent counter attempts.
Keep hips down, and do not over-commit with the upper body to avoid sweeps.
Be prepared to adjust grips based on your opponent’s defensive responses.

Conclusion

The Pendergrass Pass is a reliable guard passing technique that emphasizes pressure and control from the half guard. By practicing the movement consistently, you can efficiently pass the half guard and establish a dominant position against your opponent.

How to Execute

# Pendergrass Pass from Half Guard

## Setup
- **Initial Position Details**: You are in your opponent's half guard position. Your opponent has one of your legs trapped between their legs while you maintain a top position.
- **Grips and Controls Needed**: 
  - Use your free hand to control your opponent's far side collar (cross-collar grip) with a firm grip.
  - Use your other hand to post on the mat for balance or control their near-side sleeve or wrist.
  - Ensure your head is positioned on the same side as your grip on their collar to maintain pressure.

## Steps
1. **Establish Base**:
   - Stay low and maintain a strong base. Ensure your trapped leg is slightly forward to prevent them from advancing their position.
   - Use your free hand to post or control your opponent’s body, ensuring you are not overextended.

2. **Create Pressure**:
   - Drive your shoulder into your opponent's chest while pulling on the collar to create downward pressure. This will help to pin them and limit their mobility.

3. **Free the Trapped Leg**:
   - Slide your knee of the trapped leg towards your opponent's hips, using your body weight to assist in breaking their grip.
   - Use your free foot to push against their bottom leg, helping to create a gap for your knee to slide through.

4. **Knee Slide Through**:
   - Once your knee is free, slide it across their hips towards the mat, moving into a more dominant side control position.
   - Keep your cross-collar grip tight to prevent them from turning into you.

5. **Secure Side Control**:
   - As your knee passes through, switch your grip from their collar to control their head or underhook their far arm to prevent them from bridging or turning.
   - Flatten your opponent by sprawling your leg back and applying chest pressure.

## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember**:
  - Maintain a strong base throughout the pass to avoid being swept.
  - Use your shoulder pressure effectively to pin your opponent's upper body.

- **Common Mistakes to Avoid**:
  - Do not allow your opponent to underhook your arm, as this will give them leverage to escape or sweep.
  - Avoid lifting your hips too high when freeing your leg, as this can lead to losing balance and being reversed.
  - Ensure your transitions are smooth; rushing the pass can create openings for your opponent to counter.

By following these steps with attention to detail, the Pendergrass Pass can be a highly effective technique for transitioning from half guard to a dominant position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Pendergrass Pass

About This Technique