← All techniques

Kneebar from Ashi Garami

Leg LockKnee joint lockBelt: blue+Risk: moderateIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

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.

Start
Ashi garami
End
Submission
Prerequisites: Ashi garami entry · Breaking opponent's posture · Hip elevation mechanics · Leg pummeling basics

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish Strong Ashi Garami
    Secure ashi garami with your outside leg over their thigh and your inside foot hooking behind their far glute; pinch your knees tightly and control their heel with a C-grip.
  2. 2
    Break Opponent’s Posture
    Use your top arm to post on the mat and your bottom arm to control their far ankle, pulling their posture forward so their hips are close to your hips.
  3. 3
    Thread Your Top Leg
    Slide your top leg (the one over their thigh) deeper so your shin is perpendicular to their hip line, and your knee is pointing toward their chest.
  4. 4
    Rotate to Belly-Down Angle
    Pivot your body by turning your chest toward the mat, using your inside foot to push off their glute and rotate your hips so you are nearly belly-down relative to their knee.
  5. 5
    Trap the Knee Line
    Pinch your knees tightly above their knee joint, ensuring their knee is fully captured between your thighs to prevent them from pulling their leg out.
  6. 6
    Isolate the Ankle and Grip
    Control their ankle with a deep two-on-one grip (figure-four or gable grip), keeping their toes tucked under your armpit and your forearm tight to their Achilles.
  7. 7
    Extend Your Hips for the Finish
    Drive your hips forward while pulling their heel toward your chest and arching your back, maintaining knee pinch and keeping your head low for maximum leverage.
  8. 8
    Adjust for Tightness
    If necessary, scoot your hips closer to their knee line and re-pinch your thighs, ensuring no slack before extending for the final break.

Key details most people miss

  • Pinching your knees above the knee line is critical—if their knee slips below your thighs, the submission is lost.
  • Rotating belly-down increases mechanical advantage and makes it harder for them to roll out.
  • Control the toes under your armpit to prevent them from turning their foot and escaping the knee line.
  • Hip extension should be gradual and controlled to maintain positional dominance and avoid giving up top position.

Common mistakes

  • Failing to secure the knee line allows the opponent to slip their knee out and escape.
  • Letting your knees flare during the finish reduces control and lets them rotate or roll.
  • Not rotating belly-down enough allows the opponent to sit up and counter-attack with a footlock or pass.
  • Overcommitting to the finish without controlling the ankle can result in losing the submission and being reversed.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent tries to roll out (spin escape)
You do: Follow their roll by maintaining knee pinch and rotating belly-down, keeping their knee line trapped between your thighs.
They try: Opponent pushes your top leg off their body
You do: Re-pummel your leg over their hip immediately and adjust your ashi garami grip before reattacking the knee.
They try: Opponent sits up to pressure-passing position
You do: Frame against their far shoulder with your free hand and scoot your hips away, reestablishing the angle before finishing.
They try: Opponent turns their foot outward to slip the ankle
You do: Clamp your armpit tighter over their toes and adjust your grip higher on their ankle to prevent rotation.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 minutes; 50% resistance; goal: 5 clean knee line captures and controlled finishes per round, partner attempts realistic escapes after each entry.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Dean Lister — Popularized the ashi garami-to-kneebar transition in no-gi, emphasizing knee line retention and hip extension.John Danaher — Refined the leg entanglement system with precise knee line control and belly-down finishes.Craig Jones — Known for aggressive ashi garami entries and rapid transitions to kneebar, especially in ADCC competition.Lachlan Giles — Focuses on micro-adjustments in knee line trapping and uses a tight two-on-one ankle grip for maximal control.
#leg-lock#ashi-garami#kneebar#no-gi#gi-legal#adcc#submission#knee-line-control#medium-risk#flexible-grapplers