Effective guard passing requires more than just physical strength—it demands technical precision and strategic hand fighting. Jozef Chen recently shared some of his guard passing secrets with Shintaro Higashi, revealing techniques that focus on neutralizing an opponent’s frames and establishing dominant control.
Chen’s approach to guard passing centers on hand fighting from the top position, an aspect he believes isn’t discussed enough in jiu-jitsu circles. Rather than simply driving through an opponent’s guard, Chen prioritizes taking away their defensive frames first.
“Something that I think is fairly useful that isn’t necessarily discussed so much is the act of hand fighting whilst being on top,” Chen explained during the demonstration.
His technique begins by driving weight into the opponent, forcing them to frame defensively. This creates a predictable reaction that Chen exploits by stripping and pinning the opponent’s wrist to their chest. He combines this with a tricep grip on the top side, creating what he describes as a “push-pull dynamic” that severely limits the opponent’s ability to frame or create space.
Chen emphasizes that this control over the upper body allows him to progressively turn the opponent’s hips flat, making it easier to break through the knee shield. The technique isn’t static—it involves continuous grip fighting and adjustments as the opponent tries to escape.
What makes Chen’s approach particularly effective is how he reinforces his grips using the opponent’s body or the mat itself rather than relying solely on grip strength. By pinning the opponent’s wrist to their chest or to the floor, he creates a control point that’s difficult to break.
“I’m not just relying so much on the actual strength of my grip, but reinforcing it with either your body, the floor,” Chen explained as he demonstrated the technique.
When Higashi asked about defending against such techniques, Chen acknowledged the inherent advantage the top player has in this scenario. The top position allows the passer to put weight through their grips, making them considerably harder to strip compared to a neutral standing position.
The effectiveness of Chen’s technique was evident throughout the demonstration, with Higashi noting how uncomfortable and controlling the positions felt. “That’s really annoying because it’s stuck here and then there’s a push-pull that’s turning my shoulders,” Higashi remarked while caught in one of Chen’s control positions.
Chen’s approach to guard passing highlights the importance of hand fighting and grip control in no-gi jiu-jitsu. By focusing on neutralizing frames before attempting to pass, he creates a methodical system that relies more on technical control than brute force. For practitioners looking to improve their guard passing game, Chen’s insights offer valuable techniques that can be immediately applied on the mats.
