5 Tips To Pass ANY Guard by John Danaher 

What is your favorite way to pass the guard?

At this point, I consider Jon one of my coaches lol

1) 1:00 Posture and base. 2) 7:10 Break their points of connection. 3) 12:10 Distance management. 4) 19:56 Gain advantage in a neutral position. 5) 25:06 Shut down the hips when consolidating.

"Super excited to LEARN from him " says the world champion...Gotta love that.

John: Bernardo try go out of my side control Bernardo: *violently shakes his head doing nothing else* John: You see that's extraordinary difficult even for world champions

"Short, choppy steps" is my new 2020 Resolution.

"I' dont have an opinion on that" and John confusing heel with lapel were what I took away from this video. Two thumbs up

God level coaching 😭 this got me my blue belt thank you !!!

"I don't have an opinion about that" scares me just as it scares them xD

John, This is exactly how I approach women at the bar.. I make sure I use short choppy steps to secure the hips. This lesson transcends jujitsu and has far reaching applications.

John is like a mutant Jiu-Jitsu savant. I really respect him. He’s so direct and robot like and I dig it. No emotion. He just states facts.

Prof Danaher’s literacy rate is off the charts. Never stuttered or even used “uhm” in between sentences. Just shows how much he has mastered his craft like counting 1-10. Great man!

I've been doing judo for 6 years and cross train with a lot of BJJ friends. This has been the most systematic, clear concept and details on guard breaking I've ever seen. Thank you

He has evolved to Darth Danaher. Is this his final form?

I am a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and I learn so much every time I watch John coach through very basic concepts still! Good work, guys.

He is amazing not only at BJJ but also at putting its technique into words.

Okay gais i'm here today first comment YUGE honour for me as always

*9:59** I was so confused my headphones made it sound like it was from my room*

Just started bjj 2 months ago and I just love how John explains everything so well and always gives you a reason for what's happening. I hate when I do something someone told me to do, but I don't know why.

I started jiujitsu a year ago and nobody has given me this much structured methods to follow. I’m so hyped for practice tomorrow thank you so much🙏

Man... Bernardo enthusiasm as a learner even as a high-level black belt is very admirable!....so much respect!

It's official. This man is Yoda. I can't believe he has thought of every little detail.

@8:57 Hey Siri, how do I get out of Bernardo's DLR? Siri: "I don't have an opinion on that..."

1) Stance Integrity 1:10 (base/posture/structure- balance) * knees forward, weight in feet evenly distributed, head high 2) Eliminate Opponent's Connections (grips) 7:10 to stop his push/pull forces- no more than 2, ideally none 3) Distance Control 12:10- supine and seated situations *center line- line up your knee with his center line *toe line- don't enter past his toe line 4) Gain advantage (technical or mechanical) in the neutral position 19:56 5) Establish head control AFTER you shut down his hips. 25:06 After passing hips, you want your knee close to his tailbone and your elbow close to your knee. After you pass hips: *Turn head to face his hips *knees just off the mat and point towards his hamstrings *Follow his hips with short choppy steps. Your knees stay under his hamstrings. *When you feel the hips are under control, inch your way up to head control w/chest to chest and control of head and shoulders .

Even with no voice Professor Danaher still explains everything in detail and at length, a true class act.

Very helpful video. My first week in BJJ. My blue belt rolling partner yesterday took a guard position the whole time and I had no idea how to pass his guard. Just tired my ass out real quick trying to get passed his legs! You always do a great job of pointing out the fundamentals principles or ideas, instead of just showing techniques. Very helpful for a beginner.

5:00 I practiced de la riva about a week ago, then I forgot everything. This explained it well and refreshed it for me. Thank you.

this 36min. video is such a gift, thank you guys!

I'm six minutes in. I was just thinking "Wow this is so much great information for free. This video must be about over." Nooooope! Thirty more minutes. Imagine getting to learn from John every single day...

Phew! I'm a brown belt that was out of the game for years, and now I'm old and not close to being as athletics. Danaher may have answered all my questions in this video.

This really makes me realise how deep BJJ is. It's insane. These videos are incredible as well thanks for sharing you two

These are the kinds of videos as a white belt i find myself coming back every few weeks/months to review. Invaluable information here

Only thing i might add is once you pass fully to side guard, I always get double underhooks and use that control to do a super close knee on belly full mount take. I saw Nicky rod do it one time and it’s literally works every time for me lol

- Only John Danaher is the best to expalain details, better than brazilian black belts. John is a Gem.

I watched this before my training last night, and immediately noticed a huge difference in my rolling, my sparring partners were positively surprised

Some say this was the biggest honor. Love this video series, huge thanks for sharing this all for free!

man no wonder Danaher boy's are good, my school don't go into these fundamentals

ironically it's the first time I understand John clearly without turning the volume up.

that detail on controlling the hips after the guard pass is exactly what I was looking for and what I needed to see! thanks for the content bro!

Bernardo you are worth everything you gain with your sword, very happy to see you succeed and give us knowledge

I've watched a lot of clips with various BJJ masters, I've never heard anything like that. As if my eyes were opened. Now I know why Jon is the best trainer in the world.

You can tell even Bernado is learning a few things. This is why jiu-jitsu is so amazing. Everyone is always a student. Danaher is on another level of explaining what is going on.

Ive watched this 5-6 times. The information is so concentrated. So much information, i can watch it another 100 times and still get stuff

Superb instruction, to say the least, and incredibly inspiring. Also, can we all take a moment to appreciate Bernardo's "struggle face" at 24:42?

John Danaher is a national treasure to the sport of Jiu Jitsu!

Interesting how this also provides useful tips on guard retention as well. John always gives a complete breakdown.

It's mind-blowing how simple and effective that is. Thank you, Bernardo and John.

JD is the expert behind the science and mechanics of BJJ. No one comes close to his details.

John Danaher is a genius

I am a white belt and I have to say its one of the best videos on guard pass JD is a legend 🙌

Can't believe this was filmed in one shot. Danaher is so clear and articulate he was able to convey the principles so well even to a newbie like me..

Man, this guy is really awesome explaining. He's very pedagogical, systematic and analytical.

oh my. I can't watch enough of this

A westernized/scientific approach to BJJ... SUPER! Obrigado Prof Faria and Prof Danaher. OSS!

His voice is putting me to sleep dam even his voice is a submission 😆. Danaher is dope

This video lit so many lights in my brain that my head is on fire. I can smell burning.

1. Balance and Our stance We never want situations where our head gets taken lower than our hips and situations where our opponent employ a push-pull force of upper and lower body (juxtaposition) to slap our hands on the mat. On the contrary, you got to spend a lot of time desperately defending yourself from the attacks (find the primary elements of opponents ability off balance eg. the control of the head and take it away. And then the secondary one eg. the foot). Then we found a situation where we are much more stable and much more wiling and able to hold a strong posture, strong stance and get into the business of passing So the integrity of our stance, posture and the balance (knees go forward and the weight distribute evenly on my soles of my feet) there is always our number one thing, the first concern we have. 2. The idea of connection Nothing is gonna happen until I stop breaking points of connection . I can't form an angle and change the distance. Usually the most significant connections are the collar and the de la Riva hook (hook nice and tight, look up the shoelaces have locked into the hamstring. The beauty of the de la Riva hook is at the foot connection locks his leg in place. This is reinforced by the hand). We are gonna start by breaking the primary connection like the collar and keep control of the hand (we break the grip go in the direction that your training partners thumb wont point if it were open), then we are gonna put our hand right here "the shin". From this position, i just push and turn my knee faces his knee and as a result the foot comes right out. So the opponent still has a de la Riva hook but not the shoelaces inside (the shoelaces is popped out). Our opponent is difficult to manipulate us now. Now the opponents still has a point of connection on another leg here so we grip the foot and the collar gave our own point of connection and step back, over and we are a possession. Now the only connection the opponent has is at the foot and that won't stop me from moving laterally across my opponent in knee slide direction and into a good position to attack. Always try to break those four points of connection and reduce it hopefully down to at least two points of connection and maybe even one or zero them. 3. Distance Management Understand when we are gonna pass the guard and we have no contact with our opponent. There are two main scenarios we have to deal with supine situations (where the opponent is down on his back) and seated situations. To break up your opponent's body into demarcation lines which gives you a simple guide as the way you should position yourself relative to your opponent (the center line that runs down his body and the toe line that runs across in front). So when the feet come up I never want to boldly go beyond the toe line running to his offense. Keep the lower body to stop just outside the toe line. It is ok for me to put my upper body over the top. Be aware that when you do grab them, your opponent will be able to access your sleeves. So as a general rule when we first make contact, John generally prefers to make contact with the hands without the gi pants (just grip the ankles). So we bring our foot on to the center line (we offer opponent one foot and stay outside of the toe line). Never stand on either side of the center line. 3.1Now bait naïve opponent who allows their knees to extend (beyond the line of his hips) their legs become is a vulnerable leg and it is extremely easy for us to take the advantage now that on the bulky to start the passing game. Knees that go beyond the line of the hips are overextended and easily thrown by, to push the knee down and start coming forward. A good man in bottom position will always keep his knee line behind the hip line and keep the elbows close to the knee. They will never become overly incautious reaching with his legs. 3.2 (we have a staggered stance and we are very circumspect and how far we come) Now we step up to the centerline and i stay behind the towline. We can bring our upper body to the knee line and what we are gonna do is put our hands into a winning position, we catch. It is too late for opponent defend. We focus now on a simple pin of our opponent knees on the mat and once we are in the perfect position. I soak all my body pass the knee by bring head down, butt up clear our legs out to the side, running our opponent's hip out to the way (if we make our opponent knees and their frame face in opposing direction, those frames get very weak very quickly). Come around the core. We are gonna use our feet with what they call short choppy steps (don't take big running steps) is the best way to transfer your weight to your opponent legs. 4. Gaining advantage in a neutral position We are always looking for some kind of prior advantage. That is the hallmark and the overall philosophy in the sport of Jiu-jitsu (gets some kind of advantage first, then launch your attacks). Use double over pass as an example. It is the situation where the opponent is close to the ground it is very hard for me to be effective. Awfully difficult. Now lets contrast that with a situation we are starting off instead of me going underneath the hips trying to attack the heavy hips. Start off by taking the V grips either getting to the sole of the feet or underneath the Achilles tendon. Take our opponent feet up high place the ceiling (it is tough to bring his feet back)that exposes his lower back and gives me want I want a cross grip and the butt grip. What i am gonna do is touch his toes to the mat over his head. Now i take my head and i get angle, i push to the opposite hip and flip my elbow to the top. I jam my ear to his hip. We take short choppy steps. Use our head as part of the pin. (i think what John wants to bring out is to drive your opponent into 100 % defensive here and we have a massive technical and mechanical advanatage) 5. Control of the hip before we control of the opponent's head John wants his knee close to the tailbone and he wants his elbow over the other side to come in very close to his own knee. If opponent creates frame and strong shrimp, I can't stop him from moving by my elbow but I can move with his movement. And the key wants to steading this is the idea of getting your knee off the ground and short choppy steps to follow his body. Don't go chasing the head, go chasing the hips. Follow under his hamstrings with my knees. I look to the hips to protect the shoulder. Don't just come out square. Be patient and transfer to the head and pin the guy to the mat.

He breaks down the movement so well. Very easy to follow! Thank you

Just wow amazing not even a week in Bjj and I’m learning so much. Love technique why do people in Bjj always think I’m gonna use weight on them cause I’m in th me heavier side. I want to work smarter not harder. 6+ years practicing Kung Fu helped me understand the concept of technique not just strength and weight. Thank you so much

What an absolutely brilliant video. Thank you so much for this. I’m new and waste so much time and energy passing guard just to get put straight back into guard again. I’m gonna use these tips

I love how the focus was keeping control your stance, this helps a lot to keep focus while sparring, since everything can get so hectic and you can lose your ground so easily. Thanks for the video

Oh my god! He really knows EVERY SINGLE DETAIL in BJJ! Amazing explaining! Thank you for that!

I've watched hundreds of vids over the years of my Bjj career, and a rate this one as one of my favorites. 5 stars

Great stuff!

Danaher sir there is none who can explain Jiu Jitsu better than you in this world. Great regard for you.

Pure gold, as always.

Now the Bob Ross of grappling arts.

JD BJJ Anointed Teacher 🙏🏼

So good!

This is so good!

I’ve been spending the majority of my blue belt focusing on guard passing this is just what I’ve been needing.

As a white belt this helped a bunch i keep getting stalled out trying to get past guard while standing. Thank you!! 🙏

Great help. Thank you.

John is so detailed 😮

Great explanations! Love them!

Dropping gold as always Thanks you for the knowledge

Incredible teacher. Thanks

fantastic content, so helpful, thanks

amazing explanation!

Thank you so much for giving such a detailed explanation of not just how, but why you’re doing each movement. You just really helped me understand positions that were once very confusing to me.

excellent. thank you

Excellent. Thanks a lot.

This is gold. Wow.

Totally great and simple steps and overall approach! 👍🏽

Fantastic lesson. Thanks guys👍🏻

Major props to Bernardo for being able to hold his legs up for half an hour!

This man is SO technical and didatic. Excellent video, thank you

Very awesome video, thank you!

Best videos on the subject! Thank you.

one of the most useful videos on fundamentals that i have ever seen on youtube

amazing video thanks Bernardo and Danaher for sharing your knowledge

Tanks jiujitsu fanatics... Obrigado ossssss!

Wow, he has a wonderful way of teaching and explaining the mechanics!

I love how john views jiu jitsu very technical and very precise in technique, we need more videos of john!

Such absolute, specific clarity on technique and purpose. An absolutely brilliant way to learn. Thank you.

Oh what educational videos these are. I love them. Keep it up!

Brilliant tutorial.

Quality content bernardo.

Amazing John, THANK YOU. Thank you Bernardo too my friend!

I like how he explains things.