The Double Under Pass is a classic stack pass where you secure both of your opponent’s thighs with underhooks, elevate their hips, and drive their knees towards their chest to immobilize their guard. This pass is highly effective against open guard players and is a staple in both gi and no-gi competition due to its direct pressure and control.
Start
Inside open guard with both underhooks on thighs
End
Side control / mount
Prerequisites: Posture maintenance in open guard · Grip breaking from open guard · Hip mobility for stack passing
Steps
1
Establish Double Underhooks
From inside their open guard, shoot both arms underneath their thighs, securing deep underhooks with your palms facing up and elbows tight to your ribs.
2
Connect Hands Behind Hips
Clasp your hands together behind their tailbone using a gable grip or S-grip, keeping your wrists close to their hips to prevent them from sliding away.
3
Pull Hips Onto Your Knees
Pull their hips onto your thighs by curling your arms and sitting back slightly, ensuring their lower back is off the mat and their weight is loaded onto your legs.
4
Drive Forward and Stack
Post your forehead or shoulder into their sternum and drive forward, stacking their knees towards their chest while keeping your hips low and chest heavy.
5
Pin Legs and Control Hips
Use your top arm to pin their thigh to their chest, and flare your elbows outward to widen their knees, limiting their hip mobility.
6
Clear One Leg
Release one underhook (usually the side you plan to pass to), and use that arm to push their knee across their body, creating space to slide your body around their legs.
7
Circle to the Side and Drop Hips
Circle your body to the outside of their legs, keeping your chest glued to their thigh, and drop your hips to the mat to secure side control.
8
Secure Side Control
Establish a cross-face with your far arm and an underhook with your near arm, settling your weight chest-to-chest for tight side control.
Key details most people miss
Keep your elbows pinched tightly to prevent opponent from pummeling their legs inside for re-guarding.
Drive your weight through your forehead or shoulder, not your arms, to maximize stacking pressure and minimize fatigue.
Angle your stack slightly to the side you plan to pass toward, making the final leg clearance smoother.
Use your knees as a shelf for their hips to prevent them from scooting backwards.
Common mistakes
If you leave space between your elbows and their thighs, they can pummel for underhooks or insert hooks for butterfly guard.
If you stack straight forward without an angle, they can trap your arm for a triangle or omoplata.
If you don't keep their hips elevated, they can shrimp away and reset open guard.
If you try to pass before controlling their hips, they can recover guard with a knee shield or lasso.
Counters & responses
They try: Opponent frames on your shoulders and pushes away
You do: Drop your chest lower, drive your forehead into their sternum, and walk your knees forward to collapse their frames.
They try: Opponent attempts to triangle by swinging a leg over your trapped arm
You do: Keep your elbows tight and posture up slightly, then redirect their leg with your free hand as you continue stacking.
They try: Opponent scoots their hips backward to escape the stack
You do: Use your grip behind their hips to pull them back onto your knees and immediately drive forward to restack.
They try: Opponent pummels a butterfly hook inside
You do: Pin their thigh tightly with your elbow and flare your knee outward to block the hook, then re-secure your underhook.
Drill prescription
5 rounds × 3 minutes; 50% resistance; each round, passer must achieve side control with the double under pass at least 3 times (reset after each pass); track successful passes per round.
How the masters teach it
Bernardo Faria
Emphasizes deep stacking and heavy chest pressure, often combining with over-under passing for maximum control.
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Saulo Ribeiro
Focuses on precise hip control and angling the stack for efficient leg clearing and minimal risk of submissions.