Long Step Pass
Dynamic pass that steps the free leg long around the opponent’s hips to clear inversion and high-leg retention from headquarters.
From Headquarters / Open Guard TopTo Side Control
Overview
The long step pass answers high-leg, inversion, and knee-shield retention that stall a straight knee-cut. From headquarters, you pin or control one leg, then step the free foot long around their hip line, circling past their retention angle into side control or north-south.
#Secure HQ
Do not step without a pin.
- Control one leg inside HQ
- Clear immediate sleeve/collar frames
- Feel whether they will shield, smash-fold, or invert
- Commit to long step when inversion/high-leg appears
#Step Long
- Keep the controlled leg heavy
- Step the free foot wide around their hip line
- Circle your hips past their retention angle
- Maintain hand control so they cannot follow
#Settle Top
Dynamic passes still end in pins.
- Drop to side control or north-south
- Clear last frames and turtle turns
- Establish cross-face/underhook
- Only then attack submissions
Key Grips & Control Points
- Hands pinning the near knee or pants/collar to freeze their hips
- Inside control of one leg so they cannot reinsert both hooks
- Posture that stays over their center while the free leg travels
- Far-side underhook or belt grip as you clear the hip
Timing & Movement Cues
- Long-step when they high-leg or invert to kill the knee-cut
- Circle as their hips turn past your staple line
- Finish when their retention foot loses the hip connection
Pressure & Weight Distribution
- Keep the controlled leg heavy while the free leg travels far
- Do not hop both feet — one pin, one step
- Drop chest pressure immediately after clearing the hip
Typical Counters to Expect
- Recomposing reverse De La Riva or K-guard mid-step
- Elevators that catch the stepping leg
- Berimbolo / back-take entries if you abandon upper-body control
Follow-Up Options
- Side control or north-south after a clean clear
- Knee-on-belly if they shrimp hard away
- Smash-pass if they fold instead of inverting
Setups & Entries
- Headquarters after a stalled knee-cut
- X-pass feints that force a high-leg reaction
- Standing open-guard pin that invites inversion
Training Drills
- HQ to long-step circling reps on a cooperative high-leg
- Knee-cut vs long-step decision drills
- Side-control consolidation after dynamic clears
Coaching Notes
- One leg pins; the other travels
- Long step is a circle past retention, not a leap into space
- Reconnect chest pressure the instant the hip clears
Related Study
Connect this movement with complementary positions and attacks.
Summary
Long step clears high-leg and inversion from headquarters by pinning one leg and circling the free foot past the hip. Keep upper-body control, land heavy, and treat the step as a pass into a pin — not a scramble leap.