This video is a great demonstration of not just technique but the logic behind how branches of technique are designed to fit together. It’s an obvious concept, yet in the modern era of hyper-specialized combat sports, it often gets lost—something that was never the case in traditional Japanese combative approaches.

I’ve always said that the traditional throwing techniques of jujitsu (jiu-jitsu / jujutsu) and judo—aside from their physical impact and psychological disorientation—are the best instant “guard pass” there is. And that’s no coincidence!

Modern sport-based grappling, especially in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), has developed an intricate system of techniques to “pass the guard.” Against a skilled grappler, passing the guard (getting past an opponent’s legs when facing them) requires significant skill. Whether in competition or a real fight, legs are powerful tools, and one must approach them with caution and strategy.

While jujitsu and pre-WWII judo have always included techniques for passing the guard, BJJ spends more time developing this specific skill than any other grappling system. Why? Because of the deemphasis on stand-up fighting and the decline of high-level throwing skills.

Historically, in true combative settings, throwing overwhelmingly cleared the opponent’s legs immediately and impactfully, leaving them vulnerable to strikes, pins, joint locks, or strangles—without the need to engage in a prolonged battle to pass the guard. Instead of navigating around the opponent’s defenses, the throw removes the opportunity for them to establish a guard in the first place while inflicting damage.

The downside? Throwing takes time to master. Some judo sensei have been known to say, “Six years nage-waza, six months newaza”—emphasizing the long-term investment required to develop strong throws. But that same time investment exists in guard passing for those who lack effective throws. Without proper throwing skills, many grapplers default to tackling their opponents with basic takedowns (frequently a bad double-leg), often landing in the opponent’s guard—making guard passing a necessity rather than an option. This leads to an overemphasis on a skill that was once secondary to a well-rounded jujitsu strategy.

This isn’t to say guard passing isn’t valuable—it always existed in jujitsu and judo. But throwing has historically been the classical solution to avoid the need for hyper-specialization in this area. For those maintaining a self-defense-oriented approach, that logic still holds true today.

Ironically, some people suggest, “Learn judo for throws and BJJ for groundwork—it would be awesome to combine both.” But that’s exactly how the arts were originally designed! Jujitsu was always a seamless blend of stand-up and ground fighting. It was only through sport rule modifications and hyper-specialization that these once-unified skills were divided into separate compartments.

This BJJ competition video perfectly illustrates the traditional approach: A skilled thrower instantly passes the guard with a throw, maintains control post-throw, and seamlessly transitions into an armlock (juji-gatame) without any interference from the opponent’s lower body. This is the way jujitsu was designed to function—before excessive specialization fractured its natural flow.

Credit to those who keep the art intact, not just collecting skills but understanding why and how they logically fit together.