Tony Pacenski, a black belt with the Carlson Gracie BJJ Revolution Team under Rodrigo Medeiros, has produced a fantastic instructional DVD based on the guard passing method made popular by top BJJ players from Sao Paulo.
In his DVD -The Faixa Preta Series (vol.4) The Sao Paulo Approach to Passing the Guard & Smash Passing – Pacenski shows a few simple concepts on how to constantly redirect the opponent’s hips when applying guard passing pressure, greatly eliminating the opponent’s options for escape.
All the moves on this instructional – and there are many, many variations covered – seem to revolve around only a handful of essential details. These can be added to your guard passing game almost instantly, making this DVD essential viewing for both the competitor and the recreational player alike.
As his nickname ‘Little Tony’ suggests, the small statured Pacenski cannot force his way through life – and BJJ. Combining years of training at Gracie Torrance and his current mentor Rodrigo Medeiros with his professional background in education, Pacenski shows a smart and highly refined technical approach to the art, with a clear curriculum and teaching method. Introducing basic concepts first, followed by all the logical and realistic variations in application.
At first, the Sao Paulo approach seems counter-intuitive. Instead of blasting past the opponent’s legs using straightforward pressure, the Sao Paulo approach is a method of rotating the opponent’s legs and hips in opposite direction to the side you are passing. As if you’re moving back into the guard, while passing. But by moving this way, you turn the opponent on his side and expose a clear path to attack the back or mount. It also blocks the opponent’s guard retention. As Pacenski shows, this can be done using your gi grips, but also using your elbows, hips, knees, shins and feet – making a good percentage of the moves on The Faixa Preta Series Vol. 4 applicable to no-gi training as well.
The Sao Paulo approach itself has been a bit of a mystery in the BJJ scene for quite a while. Top fighters from Sao Paulo, mostly from the Behring lineage: Macro Barbosa, Fernando ‘Margarida’, Roberto Godoí, Roberto Tozi, Jorge ‘Macaco’ and Wilson Reis have shown great dominance using this strategy. But also Alliance stars Leo Vieira, Cobrinha, Andre Galvao and recently the Mendes Brothers have all developed and mastered this particular style of hip control. Up to this point, the basic concepts have not been put into a systematic curriculum for English speaking students. The Faixa Preta Series Vol. 4 fills this gap perfectly.
Using this method of hip control and redirection, the Sao Paulo approach and the additional postures for positional control create a sprawling, twisting and smashing style of guard passing pressure. And the great thing is, the moves seem to require very little strength or physical attributes. All of which make great viewing material for jiu jitsu enthusiasts with a love for sadism.
Review by Daniël Bertina (Brown Belt under Marcos Flexa, Carlson Gracie Holland)