Getting stuck in top Half guard can be a pain and it’s also a vulnerable place to be for attacks and sweeps. One of the more commonly used methods to pass the position is from doing the Reverse sit position. This involves switching your hips from the top position and effectively changing your position in the process. It is also not to be confused with the long-step pass which has similar mechanics but is quite different.
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How to set up the Reverse Sit pass
To achieve the Reverse Sit pass you firstly need to control the opponent’s head. In Nogi this can be done via a crossface, but in the Gi you can put your hand in the opponent’s near collar. From here you can then sit backwards onto your side. This means your body has moved from hovering over your opponent’s legs to the mat. It’s important here to keep good weight on top of your opponent’s body to stop them from recovering a guard.
However, it’s equally as important to keep your near knee pinned to their near hip. As well as this your far leg should be posted out. The reason for this is if you fall too quickly into the position, the opponent may follow you on top and get a sweep. This means controlling their head properly too.
Controlling the head is a key part of this move. If the opponent’s head is not crushed by your ribs then you need to control their far arm instead. This is because they can otherwise snake upwards and threaten a back take. Because of this your superior position could be compromised and end up getting submitted. Similarly, if the opponent is experienced in the Octopus guard, they can use their arm to post and set it up. This Half guard variation can also take the back as well as set up sweeps. With this in mind, it’s important to either crush down the head or scoop up the far arm.
How to pass using the Reverse Sit position
When in this position you can do a few things to pass. The first is to grab their foot. From here you can use your free foot to start pushing their knee down and free your trapped leg. At this point, you can then pass into side control. Remember, it’s important to be aware of your base whilst doing this to stop any sneaky sweep attempts.
Another method here is to instead push the opponent’s far knee away from you to also free the leg. Switching between the leg and foot can cause a dilemma for your opponent as they can’t defend both simultaneously.
Similarly, this position can also be used to gain mount. Here if you jump over the opponent’s legs you now enter quarter guard. Using a crossface and kicking their feet away will eventually lead to mount. Alternatively from top quarter guard you can even do a forwards Ninja roll to take the back.
Submissions from the Reverse Sit Pass
Another option from the top Reverse Sit pass is to start attacking the far arm with a Kimura. This involves using both arms to get the Kimura grip. As the opponent’s upper body is flat and dominated, you can now start attacking the finish. This may lead the opponent to panic and even open their legs. From there you can pass to side control or even keep hold of the Kimura and see where it goes.
If the opponent doesn’t open their legs then finishing the Kimura is still an option. Here you will need to pin the opponent’s hand further behind their back than usual to add extra tension. Because your leg is trapped in half guard, you cannot step over their head to finish like a side control Kimura. However as mentioned there are ways to still secure the submission.
Alternatively, the Kimura can even turn into a straight arm lock. This is when the opponent extends their arm to defend the shoulder. Here you can adjust your arm positions and place the bottom arm under their elbow. By pushing this arm up and the top arm down you can break the elbow joint. As a result this can also finish the opponent.
Final thoughts on the Reverse Sit Pass
Overall the Reverse Sit pass is a good option to have from top Half guard. It can be used in both Gi and Nogi and there are several paths to use from there. As mentioned the position can also lead to taking the back or even finishing with a Kimura. The one issue with this pass however is if done badly it can lead to a sloppy pass or even back take. As a result, whilst this pass is effective you still have to be wary whilst pursuing it.
