Use the folding pass to smash knees together, beat modern guards, and finish your pass with clear, repeatable steps.
The Bottom Line
You will learn to pin the knees, win inside position, and chain to finishes against DLR, butterfly, half guard, spider, and SLX. You will not rely on speed passing or risky leaping cuts. The course shows how to connect drilling to live passing so your pressure builds without stalling.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Guard passers who like control
Skip if: You only play leglocks
Tech focus: Folding Pass, Knee Pin, Weave Pass, Leg Drag, Back Step, Butterfly Solutions, Spider Stack
Biggest takeaway: Pin the knees, finish deliberately.
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What You'll Learn
A single passing system that folds the opponent's knees together, then finishes across common guards. The method addresses DLR, RDLR, butterfly, half guard, lasso, spider, and SLX.
You learn the 'hammer' position, finishing hubs, and sequencing so your pass does not stall after the initial fold.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Folding Pass
- Knee Pin
- Leg Drag
- Weave Pass
- Back Step
- Butterfly Solutions
- Shin To Shin Solutions
- Spider Stack
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual, Drill Heavy
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Format: Both
- Runtime: 1 hour and 53 minutes
- Volumes: 4
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I like how the course defines a finish hub so the fold becomes a pass, not a holding pattern.
Why Thomas Rozdzynski?
Thomas Rozdzynski is a 3rd-degree black belt, ROL Academy head instructor, and co-host of The ROL Radio. He favors structured passing paths that reduce decision fatigue. His folding pass curriculum shows how to make opponents carry your weight before you cut across.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Folding pass structure helps people avoid getting stuck in knee shield wars.
- Clear finish hubs make passes feel repeatable beyond the first stack.
- Older players like knee-pin control because it reduces explosive scrambles.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Some feel heavy knee-pin passing can be rough on partners during long rounds.
- Spider and lasso specialists say grips still shut down basic folding ideas.
Smart Alternatives
- Killing The Knee Shield Half Guard (Andre Galvao) – If knee shield is your main roadblock.
- Fundamentals of Pressure Passing (Bernardo Faria) – Classic pressure sequences to complement folding mechanics.
- Guard Retention Anthology (Giles/Tabak) – Learn what stops your pass and preempt it.
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View Be a Hammer Smash The Knees: Folding Pass on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
