Maintenance: Knee Hug

Maintaining the folding pass is crucial for conserving energy and depleting the opponent's stamina. To prevent the bottom player from escaping via hip escape, their feet must be kept off the floor. The knee hug technique is employed to lift the opponent's knees and remove their feet from the ground, making hip escapes challenging.

1. When the opponent attempts to hip escape, use the inside arm to hug under their bottom leg.
2. Roll the hip down towards the mat and clamp the shoulder tight to add weight and pressure.
3. Pull the opponent's knees towards the torso while lifting and driving into them, keeping the head low for better control.
4. Prevent the opponent's feet from touching the floor to inhibit their hip escape attempts.
5. Shelve the opponent's leg on top of the bottom side leg and thigh to further control their movement.
6. Take a big step forward with the outside leg to reclaim a head-to-head position and continue the pass.
7. If the opponent blocks the front side arm or makes grips difficult, scooping up the legs remains an effective strategy.
8. Drive weight heavily into the opponent's hip and torso through the shoulder and hip flexor, making them carry the weight.
9. Keep the body from flaring too much to avoid being rocked off balance or swept.
10. Use the knee hug as a tool to consistently apply pressure and prevent the opponent from creating space to escape.

This technique is a valuable asset in maintaining the folding pass and preventing the bottom player from regaining guard or escaping.