Technique library

The 411, or Honey Hole, is a dominant inside leg entanglement offering high-percentage heel hooks and back takes. This entry transitions from standard ashi garami to the 411, maximizing control over the opponent's hips and limiting their defensive options.

The Achilles Lock, or Straight Footlock, is a fundamental ankle submission applied from single leg X or outside ashi garami. It targets the Achilles tendon and ankle joint via a tight, levered grip and hip extension, making it a fast and effective submission in both gi and no-gi competition.

This technique details how to enter ashi-garami from a seated open guard, setting up a dominant leg entanglement for leg attacks. Mastery of this entry is critical for modern leg lock systems, as it allows you to initiate offense against standing or kneeling opponents while minimizing exposure to passing.

The Back-Step to Inside Sankaku is a dynamic transition from top 50/50 or outside ashi to a dominant inside sankaku (triangle) leg entanglement. This movement creates strong inside heel hook entries and neutralizes many of your opponent’s defensive options. Mastery of this transition is essential for advanced leg lockers, especially in no-gi and submission-only contexts.

The calf slicer is a powerful compression lock targeting the calf muscle and knee joint by trapping the opponent’s lower leg over your shin and flexing the knee. It is a high-pressure submission that can force a tap from pain or potential ligament damage, especially effective from the truck or 411 control.

The entry to 50/50 guard is a transitional movement from ashi garami or supine positions to the highly symmetrical 50/50 leg entanglement. This entry is essential for competitive grapplers seeking to attack both legs or control tempo in modern leg lock exchanges. Mastery of the entry allows for seamless transitions to sweeps, back takes, or submissions.

The entry to Single-Leg X (SLX) is a fundamental guard transition that allows a bottom player to off-balance a standing opponent and establish a powerful ashi-garami configuration. Mastering this entry is crucial for both sweeping and initiating leg attacks against standing or kneeling adversaries.

The Estima Lock is a powerful IBJJF-legal foot submission that attacks the opponent’s foot using a rotational grip while on top. It is notable for its speed and ability to catch opponents off-guard from passing positions, making it a valuable addition to any competitive grappler’s arsenal.

The inside heel hook is a rotational knee submission applied from the inside sankaku (cross ashi garami) position, targeting the opponent’s medial knee ligaments. It is one of the most effective and dangerous leg locks, especially prevalent in no-gi and submission-only formats due to its high finishing rate and severe injury risk.

The outside heel hook is a rotational leg lock applied from outside ashi garami or 50-50, targeting the lateral knee ligaments. Its effectiveness and high breaking potential make it a staple in no-gi and submission-only formats, but it requires precise mechanics and awareness of legalities.

The Honey Hole Switch transitions from inside sankaku (411/honey hole) to outside ashi garami, enabling attacks like the outside heel hook or countering defensive behaviors. This transition is crucial for competitive leg lockers to maintain control, bypass common defenses, and open new submission pathways.

The Imanari Roll to Saddle is a dynamic leg entry performed from standing, allowing rapid transition into inside sankaku (saddle/411) against a standing opponent. It is a high-level entry that bypasses traditional guard engagement, making it a staple in modern no-gi leg lock systems.

The kneebar from ashi garami is a direct attack on the knee joint, leveraging strong control of the leg to hyperextend the knee. It is a high-percentage submission that transitions smoothly from standard ashi garami, making it a valuable weapon in both gi and no-gi settings.

The kneebar from top half guard is a direct leg lock entry where the top player isolates and attacks the bottom player's far leg. This technique is valuable for no-gi and submission grappling, offering a powerful counter to stubborn half guard retention and a pathway to finish or transition.

The Outside Ashi to Heel Hook is a high-percentage leg lock attack from the outside ashi garami position, targeting the opponent’s exposed heel. Mastery of this technique is crucial for no-gi and submission-only competitors due to its direct path to a powerful submission and its prevalence in modern leg lock exchanges.

The outside heel hook from saddle (inside sankaku) is a high-leverage submission targeting the lateral knee ligaments using rotational force. It is a staple of modern leg lock systems, especially in no-gi and ADCC rulesets, due to its finishing mechanics and positional control.

The Reap Entry to Saddle transitions from single-leg-X guard by reaping the opponent’s knee line across your center, entering the inside sankaku (saddle) position. This entry is fundamental for high-percentage inside heel hooks and back takes, especially in no-gi and submission-only rulesets.

The Reap the Knee (Ouchi) Entry is a dynamic transition from single leg X guard to inside sankaku, using a knee-reaping motion to off-balance and entangle the opponent’s far leg. This entry is crucial for modern leg lock attacks, especially in no-gi and ADCC rulesets, as it bypasses common leg pummeling defenses.

The Saddle, also known as Inside Sankaku, is a dominant leg entanglement used for powerful inside heel hooks and back takes. Entering the Saddle from ashi garami or false reap creates strong control over the opponent's hip line and limits their defensive options. Mastery of this entry is essential for competitive no-gi leg lockers.

The straight ankle lock is a fundamental leg lock targeting the Achilles tendon, typically applied from ashi garami (single leg X-guard). It is one of the few legal leg submissions for lower belts in IBJJF competition, making it an essential attack for all levels.

The straight ankle lock from ashi-garami is a fundamental leg lock submission targeting the Achilles tendon using a tight figure-four grip and controlled leverage from the ashi-garami position. It is IBJJF legal at white belt and remains a staple in both gi and no-gi competition due to its simplicity and effectiveness.

The toe hold is a twisting footlock targeting the ankle and midfoot, typically applied from leg entanglements like 50/50, outside ashi garami, or top half guard. Its versatility and finishing power make it a staple in both gi and no-gi leg lock arsenals, especially when heel hooks are restricted.

The Toe Hold from 50/50 is a rotational foot lock targeting the ankle and midfoot, applied from the 50/50 guard. It is a high-leverage submission that exploits the exposed foot in this mirrored-leg entanglement, making it a staple in both gi and no-gi leg lock arsenals.