Setting Up The Knee Cut

The goal of many guard passing techniques is to get one leg in the middle. This limits the opponent's ability to attack. Here are a few ways to achieve this:

1. If your partner has inside position, you need to claim it back. Push their hook down with your hand and turn your knee in, applying weight on top of their hook. As you bring your heel to your butt, it becomes difficult for them to follow, allowing you to take the inside position.
2. If your partner is in a seated guard, don't step in and allow them to attack. Instead, take your lead leg forward and post the same side hand on their shoulder. Take a calculated step inside while pushing their shoulders back. This gets you into a one knee in, one knee out position, ready to start your guard passing.
3. Against a more skilled opponent who is protecting the inside position, start to pass one way and then switch sides. As they turn to follow you, step your leg inside to get into a one knee in, one knee out position.
4. If your partner is laying on their back with their knees to their chest, put a hand on their knee and another on their hip. Cut an angle to force them to react. As they follow you, step your leg in the middle to get into a one knee in, one knee out position.

These techniques help you establish one leg in the guard and one leg outside the guard when passing, reducing the opponent's opportunities to attack.