Pinwheel pass

I have been playing with this guard pass for a little while now. I haven't seen anybody do it, but that's not to say it's never been done. I was sitting in my office thinking about guard passing for a client of mine, from the up/down position and was thinking of a cooler way to get passed the arm. I figured, "I'll try to pass it under the leg and pull on it." So I tried it out grappling some of my students, and then tried it out live rolling with some of the guys at an Erik Paulson seminar I recently attended, and had good success with it. Since I hadn't seen anybody do it before I didnt know what to call it so I have been calling it "the pinwheel pass." Now before you say, "Well what if they...(insert anything here), there's more options for this technique," I realize that there are a lot of things that your opponent can do, I have an answer for most of them: just hang tight and I'll post all of the options I have played with as well. If I don't address an idea or situation that you have with this technique, just ask! I also have some submissions off of it that I have had good success with and I'll post those pictures in the coming days.. but until then,, I give you the pinwheel pass!

• 1

Start in the up/down position. You may end up here by standing up in your opponents guard, or if they butt scoot toward you.
• 2

As soon as they get into range, start to work the head, pushing it down, letting it come up, and then snapping it down again. You really need to sell it though. Snap that head like you mean it!
• 3

Continue working the head.
• 4

Eventually they will get tired of you working their head, and they will start to fence one of your hands off.
• 5

When they do that, swing that arm out to the side in a circle.
• 5 (alternate view)

Alternate view
• 6

While you swing that arm down, pass their arm under their leg that's on the same side.
• 6

(Close up of the grip)
• 7

(alternate view) While keeping a grip on your opponent's arm with your other arm, work your way around to which ever side you have your opponent's arm trapped under. Also drive your head into them, and start to pass his hand off to your other hand (for instance, if I initially used my right hand to pass his arm under his leg, I will start to pull with my left while im passing).
• 8

Completely pass to the side of his body..
• 9

Lower your weight down into the cross body position.