Knee Staple Pass
Pressure pass that staples the bottom player’s top thigh with your knee, pinning the shield and clearing to side control.
From Half Guard / Z-GuardTo Side Control
Overview
The knee-staple pass pins the bottom player’s top leg to the mat with your knee or shin, removing the knee shield and creating a clear path to free your trapped leg. It is distinct from the double-under stack pass: this is a half-guard / Z-guard pressure tool built on stapling the thigh, not folding both legs to the shoulders.
#Flatten the Shield
Make the top thigh available to staple.
- Establish cross-face or far underhook from half guard
- Drive chest pressure into the knee shield
- Pinch elbows to shrink frames
- Feel the top thigh settle toward the mat
#Staple and Free
- Place your knee/shin as a staple on their top thigh
- Keep pressure so the shield cannot rebound
- Extract your trapped leg as the bottom hook weakens
- Maintain head control through the clear
#Settle Side Control
Finish away from half guard.
- Drop into side control with cross-face and underhook
- Sprawl hips to kill bridges
- Clear any remaining hooks
- Stabilize before mounting or attacking
Key Grips & Control Points
- Cross-face or far underhook to stop sit-ups
- Knee or shin stapling their top thigh to the mat
- Chest pressure keeping the shield flat
- Hands ready to clear the bottom hook as the staple lands
Timing & Movement Cues
- Staple when the knee shield drops or turns flat
- Free your trapped leg as soon as the top thigh is pinned
- Pass when their far shoulder cannot sit up into you
Pressure & Weight Distribution
- Staple with bone-on-muscle pressure, not a light touch
- Keep the cross-face so they cannot shrimp the staple off
- Walk hips forward as the bottom hook dies
Typical Counters to Expect
- Recovering the knee shield before the staple settles
- Deep half or lockdown entries if your underhook is weak
- Framing the neck and forcing you to post
Follow-Up Options
- Side control once both legs clear
- Knee slide if they turn to a hip under the staple
- Leg weave if the thigh lifts and offers an under-hook path
Setups & Entries
- Smash the Z-guard flat, then staple the top thigh
- Fake a knee cut to make them lower the shield
- Win the underhook/cross-face race before stapling
Training Drills
- Knee-staple inserts from cooperative half guard
- Staple-to-clear rounds focusing on cross-face integrity
- Pass consolidations against intentional shield recoveries
Coaching Notes
- Staple the thigh, then free your knee — order matters
- This is not a double-under stack; keep the mechanics local to half guard
- Heavy chest and honest cross-face beat athleticism
Related Study
Connect this movement with complementary positions and attacks.
Summary
Knee-staple passes pin the top thigh in half guard, free your trapped leg, and clear to side control. Flatten the shield, staple with real pressure, and keep the cross-face honest through the clear.