CARTWHEEL GUARD PASS MADE EASY
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Cartwheel Pass·Invisible Jiu Jitsu
Think Gymnastics is only for small people? Witness all 6'4" and 220lbs of Black Belt, David Morcegao soaring through the…
Cartwheel Pass
SubFamily側転パス
TransliterationTranslation
Not yet documented
Overview
The Cartwheel Pass is a dynamic, acrobatic guard pass where the passer cartwheels over the guard player's legs, landing in side control on the other side — a surprise technique that bypasses the guard entirely through aerial movement. [1] While athletic and visually spectacular, the cartwheel pass is a legitimate competition technique used by agile guard passers to outflank defensive guard players. [1],[2]
CartwheelAcrobatic PassSpinning Pass
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Lineage
Developed within the modern BJJ competition passing evolution. [1]
Competition Record
Used at IBJJF and ADCC competition. [1]
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Navigating past the opponent's guard legs using this specific passing mechanic to achieve side control
Joints Involved — Hips (hip switching and pressure), knees (cutting, wedging, or stepping), hands (grips on pants or legs for control)
Force Vector — Varies by technique — forward pressure for knee-based passes, lateral for toreando variations, backward for backstep
Pass Mechanic — Each variant exploits a specific guard weakness: knee passes split the guard from inside, toreando variants outflank from outside, backstep approaches from behind, and pressure variants flatten through heavy contact
Position & Entry
From headquarters position — Initiate this pass from the standard headquarters stance based on the opponent's guard reaction
From standing — Begin the pass from a standing position in front of the opponent's open guard
From guard break — After breaking the closed guard, transition directly into this passing technique
Videos
Butterfly Pass Modified Cartwheel
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Cartwheel Pass·Great Grappling
In this video I show one of my highest percentage Butterfly Guard Passes The Modified Cartwheel. This is a great option…
2 videos
Learn This Technique
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
2
Low2/10
Guard passes carry minimal injury risk for both fighters under normal conditions
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— IBJJF — Legal, guard pass scores 3 points
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal — transitioning past opponent's legs is part ...
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— ADCC — Legal, guard pass scores 3 points
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Drill this pass from the appropriate starting position until the mechanics are automatic
✓Chain this pass with 2-3 other passes to create an unpredictable passing system
✓Grip fighting before the pass is as important as the pass itself
✓Practice against progressive resistance
Common Mistakes
!Not establishing grips before initiating
!Not consolidating with crossface after passing
!Only passing to one side
!Rushing without reading the guard player's position
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Establish Position
2Strip Grips
3Initiate Pass
4Navigate Legs
5Consolidate Side Control
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Description sources — [1] Modern BJJ passing methodology [2] Competition passing analysis
2BookBJJ competition analysis
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Description sources — [1] Modern BJJ passing methodology [2] Competition passing analysis
5CitationBJJ competition analysis
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip mobility, grip strength, timing
Favours
athletic ability, good reflexes
Key muscles
core, quadriceps, forearms
Sub-techniques
Notes
The cartwheel pass uses an acrobatic lateral movement to jump over the opponent's guard. High-risk but extremely fast when executed properly. (BJJ competition records)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the key mistake people make when doing the cartwheel pass?
According to Great Grappling, the piece that people miss is not bringing their body to 90° and properly holding that position before pushing through—many try to just hop over the leg instead of controlling the angle first.
How should I position my head and hands at the start of a cartwheel pass?
Great Grappling recommends bringing your hands toward your opponent's heels to cup their ankles, then leading with your head to the opposite side of where you want your legs to go, which helps you pass to your dominant side.
What's the correct body positioning once I'm up in the cartwheel pass?
Great Grappling emphasizes posting your hand on the floor and bringing your body up to 90°, holding that position with all pressure on your shoulder before pushing with that arm to land in side control.
When is the best timing to attempt a cartwheel pass from the seated guard?
According to Invisible Jiu Jitsu, time the cartwheel pass as your opponent is sitting up, since that's when it's very hard for them to reverse the position.
How does the Cartwheel Pass work?
The Cartwheel Pass is a dynamic, acrobatic guard pass where the passer cartwheels over the guard player's legs, landing in side control on the other side — a surprise technique that bypasses the guard entirely through aerial movement. While athletic and visually spectacular, the cartwheel pass is a legitimate competition technique used by agile guard passers to outflank defensive guard players.
Where does the Cartwheel Pass come from?
This passing technique is part of the modern BJJ guard passing curriculum, refined through competition at IBJJF and ADCC.
Is the Cartwheel Pass legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal, guard pass scores 3 points; IJF: legal — Legal — transitioning past opponent's legs is part of newaza; ADCC: legal — Legal, guard pass scores 3 points; Unified MMA: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Cartwheel Pass?
Danger rating 2/10. Low — guard passes carry minimal injury risk for both fighters under normal conditions
How do I set up the Cartwheel Pass?
The standard setup chain: Establish Position → Strip Grips → Initiate Pass → Navigate Legs → Consolidate Side Control.
How do I defend against the Cartwheel Pass?
Standard counters include: Guard retention / Frame and shrimp / Sweep timing / Re-guarding.
What are the variants of the Cartwheel Pass?
Common variants: Standard execution (the fundamental version of this pass); Modified version (adapted for specific guard types); Chain variant (transitioning to this pass from another pass that was def…).
How effective is the Cartwheel Pass in competition?
Used at IBJJF and ADCC competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Cartwheel Pass?
Top errors to watch for: Not establishing grips before initiating / Not consolidating with crossface after passing / Only passing to one side / Rushing without reading the guard player's position.
What are other names for the Cartwheel Pass?
The Cartwheel Pass is also known as Cartwheel, Acrobatic Pass, Spinning Pass.