The Art of the Pass: Guard Passing Seminar (No-Gi) – Felipe Grez

Welcome & Seminar Briefing

• Introduction to the seminar theme: “Passing with Pressure and Purpose”

• Felipe shares his philosophy on top control, mindset, and how guard passing plays into real-world confrontation and combat sports.

• Setting expectations: learning frameworks, safety, and partner etiquette.

Guard Passing Concepts & Strategy

• Understanding the principles of positional dominance

• The 3 pillars of effective passing: Structure, Pressure, and Timing

• How to recognise and dismantle guard retention frames

• Importance of posture, base, and controlling the hips

Pressure-Based Passing Series – Closed & Half Guard

• Breaking posture & opening the closed guard without giving up base

• Knee-cut vs smash passing against half guard

• Pressure transitions: from pass to pin (crossface + underhook control)

• Timing and weight distribution for consistency across different body types

• Drills & Reps with Coaching Feedback

Dynamic Guard Passing – Open Guard & Framing Guards (Z/De La Riva)

• Stapling legs and managing distance

• Dealing with frames and collar grips

• Predictable vs reactive guard types: how to dictate tempo

• Using knee shields and backsteps to transition to dominant side control

Scramble Management & Guard Recovery Prevention

• How to follow a guard recovery with forward pressure

• Redirection: forcing the opponent into predictable escapes

• Countering late-stage guard retention

• Transitioning from pass attempts to submissions or re-passes

Positional Rounds – Guided Rolling

• Controlled rounds focused exclusively on top position vs guard

• Felipe coaches in real-time, correcting posture, tempo, and transitions

• Opportunity for Q&A during rest breaks between rounds

Wrap-Up & Final Reflections

• Key takeaways from the session

• Q&A with Felipe: training mindset, integrating techniques, security insights

• Info on future training, seminars