## Toreando Guard Pass The Toreando Pass is a powerful and dynamic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) technique employed to transition from standing or open guard positions to a dominant top position, usually side control. The move is named for its resemblance to a bullfighting maneuver, where the practitioner swiftly moves around their opponent's legs akin to a matador stepping aside from a charging bull. ### Position **Position**: Open Guard, Standing ### Step-by-Step Instructions #### 1. Initial Setup - **Posture**: Begin in your opponent's open guard. Stand on your feet with a strong athletic stance to maintain agility and balance. - **Grips**: Secure a pant grip on each of your opponent's pant legs. Aim to grip just above the knees to control their leg movement. #### 2. Create Pressure - **Pull & Step**: Pull their legs slightly forward while simultaneously stepping back with one foot. This action creates tension and opens up space for the pass. - **Angle Your Body**: Turn your shoulders and step to one side to initiate an angular movement, like sidestepping their guard. #### 3. Execute the Pass - **Coordinate**: Push their legs downward towards the mat, guiding them away from your body. - **Timing**: As you guide their legs down, explosively step around the legs, using the back foot to pivot and initiate the body turn effectively. - **Leg Lift (Optional)**: Some practitioners lift one of their opponent’s legs momentarily to help facilitate a cleaner pass and prevent re-guarding. #### 4. Establish Side Control - **Secure Position**: Drop your hips low and secure side control by sliding into a chest-to-chest position. Ensure one arm is under your opponent's neck and the other under their far arm. - **Control**: Maintain chest pressure on their torso, keep your legs wide, and use your knees and toes to control and stabilize the position. - **Head Control**: Turn your head down towards their position for added pressure and control. ### Tips for Success: - Maintain strong posture throughout the maneuver to prevent counters. - Ensure your grips are solid to control the opponent's legs effectively. - Be both explosive and smooth to minimize your opponent’s chances to recover guard. - Practice both sides to become versatile, as some opponents may defend vigorously against one direction of passing. ### Common Issues: - Disengaging the grips prematurely, thereby allowing the opponent to re-establish guard. - Not maintaining posture, which might enable sweeps or submissions. ### Conclusion The Toreando Pass is an efficient way to bypass the guard and assert positional dominance. It is revered for its speed and effectiveness when executed correctly, and learning it can greatly enhance your guard passing arsenal.