I'm starting to train again. When we start from the knees and I'm playing top, I tend to pass from the knees. I really don't know what to do when someone grabs my sleeves and starts off-balancing me by pushing on my arms with their feet. (I'm mostly a guard player, no gi guy).
Is the only answer to break the grips? When my opponent grabs my sleeves he's locking his arms to my arms so I'm wondering if there are any passes that take advantage of that
If grip-breaking is the answer, what are your go-to grip breaks?
How to approach the guard to minimize the risk of sleeve grips?
Thanks!
Sounds like you're describing what is referred to as Spider Guard. It's not a hugely popular guard at my gym so I'm no specialist at passing it, but before you'll be able to pass, you need to break (and possibly continue to re-break as he re-grips) the sleeve grips. Even if you think you can pass while he still has his grips, he is either baiting you into a sweep or else will be able to re-guard much easier, so break the grips, then control and pass.
might get some more responses in atama forum?
this is relevant to my interests. as a relatively new white belt myself, i struggle with the same problem when people like to play spider guard.
If you are just starting out, try a simple grip break like blading your hands and then rolling your hand inside opponents wrist and circling back out away from you and back over his wrist. You need to do this before they get their feet in your elbows or it is very unlikely to work.
If you are new to BJJ, I would not expect you to be in spider guard much; I would want the senior students to be working their traditional guard and letting you work on opening and passing their guard 