Over-Under Pass

Quick Introduction

The over-under pass is one of the most reliable pressure passes in BJJ. One arm goes over their top leg, the other under their bottom leg, hands clasped. Your shoulder drives into their hip, making the position miserable while you methodically walk around their legs. Bernardo Faria used this as his primary pass to win multiple world championships.

Position Overview

From: Closed guard (after opening), half guard top, any open guard | Leads to: Side control, north-south, knee on belly

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Standard Over-Under

1. From between their legs, get head and shoulder low
2. Overhook their top leg with your near arm (wrap the thigh)
3. Underhook their bottom leg with your far arm (scoop the thigh)
4. Clasp hands — Gable grip preferred
5. Drive shoulder into their hip — heavy, constant pressure
6. Walk your legs toward their head in small steps
7. When you've walked past their hips, release and establish side control

Key detail: Keep your head LOW — ear to their hip. High head = no pressure = they re-guard.

Against Half Guard

1. In top half guard, underhook their far leg
2. Overhook their near leg (the one trapping yours)
3. Clasp hands and apply shoulder pressure
4. Their half guard grip weakens under the pressure
5. Extract your trapped leg and complete the pass

Key detail: The over-under from half guard often comes when they block the knee cut. It's the heavy Plan B.

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Core Principles

1. Pressure is the technique — This pass works because it's miserable to be under
2. Low head — Ear on their hip, heavy shoulder, no space
3. Methodical walking — Small steps around, never jump or rush
4. Grip integrity — If they break your clasp, re-grip immediately
5. Patience — This is a grinder pass, not a speed pass

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Head too high	Ear to hip level — if you can see the ceiling, you're too high
Loose grip	Gable grip tight — re-clasp immediately if broken
Rushing	Small deliberate steps — the pressure does the work
Hips too high	Drop your hips low, maximize chest-to-hip contact

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Next Steps

1. Pressure Passing — Over-under is part of the pressure passing system
2. Side Control — Destination position after passing
3. Half Guard Passing — Over-under variant from half guard