Pressure Passing Guide | Heavy Top Control
BJJBJJ App Team·⏱️ 1 min read·🔄 Mar 31, 2026
☰Contents
Master pressure passing in BJJ. Learn to use weight and control to pass guard methodically and systematically.
Contents
What is Pressure Passing?
Pressure passing uses your entire body weight, positioning, and leverage to systematically break down your opponent's guard. Rather than relying on speed, you control every inch of their body.
1
Base and Weight Distribution
The foundation of pressure passing:
- Keep your base wide and your feet grounded
- Distribute weight across your opponent's hips and chest
- Never let them create space under your body
- Maintain constant contact and pressure
2
The Long Step Pass
One of the most reliable pressure passes:
- Post hands to break their guard structure
- Step one foot far to the side (outside their hip)
- Lower your hips and pin their leg
- Step the other foot through for side control
3
Controlling the Pass
Maintaining control during the pass:
- Keep their hips flat with your weight
- Control their knee to prevent re-guard
- Pin their far arm with your body
- Establish side control immediately
💡 Pro Tip: The best pressure passers never rush. Take your time, apply constant pressure, and wait for your opponent to exhaust themselves. Patience is the key to pressure passing dominance.
Passing Different Guard Types with Pressure
Pressure passing works equally well against closed guard, open guard, spider guard, and half guard variations.