Double Unders

Position

Double Unders is a guard passing position where the top player threads both arms under the bottom player's legs, gripping around the thighs or hips. It gives the top player strong control to stack or redirect the bottom player's hips, while the bottom player must address the grip threat and hip control to recover guard or enter sweeping positions.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · The top player locks hands together (gable grip or S-grip) behind the bottom player's back or on the belt line to consolidate control.
  • · Driving forward and stacking the bottom player loads their weight onto their shoulders, limiting hip mobility and defensive frames.
  • · The top player keeps elbows tight to the bottom player's thighs to prevent leg re-insertion or guard recovery.
  • · The bottom player must immediately fight grip connections and create hip angle before being fully stacked.
  • · Anticipate the bottom player grabbing cross-sleeve or collar grips to set up inversions or granby escapes.

Execution

  1. 1 From inside closed or open guard, swim both arms under the opponent's thighs so your biceps are behind their knees or hamstrings.
  2. 2 Lock your hands together with a strong grip behind their lower back, pulling their hips toward you to break their guard structure.
  3. 3 Drive forward with your hips and posture, walking your feet up to stack the bottom player onto their upper back and shoulders.
  4. 4 Keep your head tight to one side of their torso to prevent cross-face counters and maintain chest-to-hamstring pressure.
  5. 5 From the stacked position, choose to pass via stack pass to either side or transition to knee cut by releasing one underhook.

Common mistakes

  • × Locking the grip too low on the legs instead of deep behind the hips, allowing the bottom player to easily pummel their legs free and re-guard.
  • × Staying upright without driving forward after securing the grips, giving the bottom player time to establish defensive frames, invert, or enter deep half.
  • × Leaving space between your chest and their thighs, which lets the bottom player insert a knee shield or hip escape to create angle.

Attacks & transitions

Offense available from Double Unders.

Stack Pass pass
2 less common
Deep Half Entry transition Knee Cut Pass pass

Escapes & defense

Getting out of Double Unders, or shutting it down.

Frame And Shrimp escape Granby Roll escape Hip Escape escape