If you’ve been struggling to pass the guard of today’s ultra-flexible, inversion-happy practitioners, Jozef Chen’s “Tripod Passing: Beating Inside Position” might just be the tactical blueprint you’ve been searching for. This comprehensive instructional breaks down a deceptively simple yet devastatingly effective passing system that works against even the most sophisticated guard players.
What’s It About?
“Tripod Passing” focuses on a specific approach to overcoming one of modern BJJ’s toughest challenges: breaking through when your opponent controls the inside space. Instead of fighting fire with fire by trying to win back inside position (a battle many guard passers lose), Chen presents a systematic tripod-based passing method that neutralizes inside control through superior mechanical leverage.
This multi-volume instructional runs approximately three hours, spread across six detailed sections. Each builds logically on the previous, taking you from foundational concepts through advanced applications and troubleshooting against common counter-strategies.
Detailed Breakdown: The Tripod System Explained
Chen’s tripod passing framework is built around three key contact points (hence “tripod”) that create an unshakeable base while applying positional pressure that forces guards to collapse. Here’s what you’ll learn:
Volume 1: Foundations & Principles
- The tripod concept – Why three points of contact create mechanical advantages impossible with traditional passes
- Weight distribution mechanics – How to make yourself feel twice as heavy without changing position
- Entry strategies – Multiple methods to establish the initial tripod depending on opponent’s guard
- Body positioning details – Small adjustments that prevent common escapes
Volumes 2-3: Core Techniques & Applications
- Passing sequences against various guards – Specific applications against butterfly, RDLR, and shin-to-shin
- Progressive pressure application – How to incrementally increase control while maintaining balance
- Hip connection principles – The often-missed details that determine whether your pass succeeds or fails
- Upper body control variations – Different gripping strategies based on opponent reactions
Volumes 4-6: Advanced Applications & Troubleshooting
- Counter-reactions to common defenses – What to do when opponents attempt various escape strategies
- Transition chains – Flowing between different variations when initial attempts are defended
- Submission integration – Opportunistic submissions that present themselves during passing sequences
- Competition-specific tactics – Strategic considerations for tournament scenarios vs. training
What makes this system particularly valuable is its mechanical efficiency. Unlike passing methods that rely on explosive movement or crushing pressure, the tripod approach uses leverage and positioning to create passing opportunities with minimal energy expenditure.
This clip showcases some of Chen’s guard passing principles that form the foundation of his tripod system
My Experience Implementing the Tripod Pass
As someone who has traditionally favored pressure passing, I was initially skeptical of the tripod approach. My first attempts felt awkward—like trying to play jazz after years of classical training. However, once the positioning clicked (around my third training session), the results were eye-opening.
What impressed me most was how effectively the system neutralized dynamic guard players. Against practitioners who typically run circles around me with inversions and leg entanglements, I suddenly found myself able to establish consistent passing pressure without getting caught in their transitional traps.
The hip connection details Chen emphasizes throughout the instructional proved to be the game-changer. That slight adjustment in how I connected my hips to my opponent’s legs transformed my passing from a position they could anticipate and counter to one that consistently collapsed their structure.
Key Takeaways & Unique Details
- The “invisible weight” concept – Chen’s method of creating pressure that doesn’t feel forceful but is nearly impossible to escape
- Knee positioning hierarchy – The specific knee placements that determine passing success
- Preventative grip fighting – Shutting down common defensive grips before they’re established
- Dynamic balance adjustments – How to maintain the tripod base during opponent movement
- “Sticky” passing principles – Maintaining constant connection throughout the passing sequence
The most valuable aspect is Chen’s troubleshooting methodology. Rather than presenting the pass as a singular technique, he approaches it as a problem-solving framework, showing how to adapt when opponents present different defensive puzzles.
Pros & Cons
What I Liked
- Systematic approach – Builds logically from fundamentals to advanced applications
- Mechanically sound – Based on leverage and positioning rather than attributes
- Adaptable to different body types – Works for both shorter and taller practitioners
- Energy efficient – Creates passing pressure without excessive muscular effort
- Modern guard solutions – Specifically addresses contemporary guard retention tactics
Potential Drawbacks
- Learning curve – Takes time to develop the proprioception for ideal positioning
- Initial awkwardness – Doesn’t feel natural until you’ve repped it significantly
- Some gi adaptation required – Primarily no-gi focused but principles apply to gi with modifications
- Assumes certain baseline knowledge – Not ideal for absolute beginners
- Length – At three hours, requires significant time investment to absorb fully
Who This Instructional Is For
“Tripod Passing” is particularly well-suited for:
- Intermediate to advanced grapplers looking to solve modern guard retention puzzles
- Technically-minded practitioners who prefer leverage over brute force
- Competition-focused athletes seeking reliable passing strategies for tournaments
- Coaches wanting to update their passing curriculum with contemporary methods
- Smaller grapplers who struggle with traditional pressure passing against larger opponents
If you’re primarily a guard player, this instructional still offers valuable insights into the mechanics that make passes effective, which can inform your defensive strategies.
The B-Team Influence
Chen’s B-Team lineage is evident throughout the instructional, particularly in the systematic approach to position-solving that has become the team’s hallmark. Like other B-Team instructors, Chen excels at breaking down complex positions into digestible components while maintaining the cohesive system.
This training footage with Craig Jones demonstrates Chen’s application of the passing principles in live scenarios
Final Verdict
“Tripod Passing: Beating Inside Position” represents one of the most comprehensive and immediately applicable passing systems available in the current BJJ instructional landscape. At roughly three hours across six volumes, it’s a substantial time investment, but one that delivers tangible results against the most challenging modern guards.
The instructional shines in its detailed breakdown of positioning and its focus on adaptability rather than rigid technique. Chen doesn’t just teach a pass; he develops your understanding of passing mechanics that apply across numerous scenarios.
For intermediate to advanced practitioners struggling with modern guard retention, this earns a solid 9/10. For beginners still developing fundamentals, it’s a 7/10—valuable but perhaps best supplemented with more basic positional instructionals first.
If you’re tired of getting stuck in guard-passing limbo against flexible, technically savvy opponents, “Tripod Passing” provides a systematic framework to finally break through. It’s not a magic bullet (no instructional is), but it’s about as close as you’ll find to a complete solution for one of BJJ’s most persistent problems.
Ready to transform your passing game? Grab Tripod Passing: Beating Inside Position today and start dismantling those frustrating guards!
And if you want to perfect your initial engagement before diving into the passing phase, Chen’s complementary instructional Engaging Without Regrets provides the perfect lead-in to this system.
