These questions are primarily for Chris Herzog, but all are welcome to chime in...

[Daniel Valdez]

you bet Jon, I didn't have any good advice to give but thought I would "chime in" any way.

[Chris Herzog]

Thanks Chris. I only asked for a name to see if Igor Yakimov or Reilly Bodycomb had any videos out on it. And I usually only attempt this from the Leg Lace if I'm having trouble pulling off the generic toe hold or the achilles footlock, but I see some potential in using it from 50/50 and since you're the resident 50/50 critic, I thought maybe you'd have some interesting imput on the sub from that position. Thanks for the feedback.

Gotcha

The problem I foresee with doing it from 50/50 is in your body positioning. When I use or counter 50/50 I want to angle my hips away from my opponent, to protect my legs and expose theirs. When reaching across with the far arm to under hook their ankle you could risk rotating towards them loosing the angle and exposing your legs. Could you get the sub? Sure, but putting yourself at risk in the process.

However doing it from the leg lace/leg knot would offer you a bit more secuirty and control, that shouldn't put you at too much risk.

[Jon Watkins]

I definitely like that mentality. When I'm rollling with someone better than me, I'll go leg lace all the way. I just hate to give up on the 50/50 position totally because guys at the highest level of Jiu Jitsu like Rafael Mendes, Xande Ribiero, Bruno Frazatto, Enrico Cocco, and Ryan Hall are destroying their competition from this position so there has to be some redeeming value for repping this position if for nothing else but to know what to expect from BJJ guys who come from their background in competition.

[Chris Herzog]

I definitely like that mentality. When I'm rollling with someone better than me, I'll go leg lace all the way. I just hate to give up on the 50/50 position totally because guys at the highest level of Jiu Jitsu like Rafael Mendes, Xande Ribiero, Bruno Frazatto, Enrico Cocco, and Ryan Hall are destroying their competition from this position so there has to be some redeeming value for repping this position if for nothing else but to know what to expect from BJJ guys who come from their background in competition.

Don't give up on 50/50 Guard its important to learn and rep. My stance is to put the % of your rep and drill time in whats going to best suits you. Like spending your % of rep time on your different guards (Rubber Guard, 1/2 guard, 1/4 guard, closed guard, butter fly guard,etc), there was and interesting thread on here a few weeks ago about just this. Just utilize your rep time wisely and efficiently. For a number of years I spent my time about 65% on the outside leg triangle(50/50 Guard)leg attacks and about 35% on leg knots and inside triangles. Now I spent about 80-85% of the time on inside leg knots/inside triangles, 15-20% on 50/50. My % chance of finishing leg attacks have gone up considerably and I rarely even get threatened with counter attacks let alone close to being submitted, even by my best leg lockers.

[AJ Camacho]

Chris,

I was looking through my Marcelo book and I noticed something weird. Can every single X-Guard entry be converted into a leg attack?

[Jon Watkins]

Isn't every single X-Guard entry a leg attack in that you're working with the legs?

[AJ Camacho]

Isn't every single X-Guard entry a leg attack in that you're working with the legs?

I wouldn't really consider x-guard an attack but okay, i guess it is.

Let me rephrase it.. can every single x-guard entry be converted into a high outside ankle lock/heel hook attack?

[Jon Watkins]

Sorry, I was just being facetious. And I'm not Chris, but my main X-Guard entry comes off a potential calf crank in a NoGi modified tornado guard. And if you ever get to see any of the Mendes Bros stuff, most of they're leg locks flow into X-Guard entries or back attacks.

[Chris Herzog]

I haven't seen the book yet (its on my "to read list"), so I can't answer specficily to that. But the "Reaper Series" (what we call High outside legs attacks)works off a varitey of X-guard varitaions, butterfly guard and even when being mounted. However I think it matters less how you get to X-Guard (for the Reaper Series) but rather setting it up once you get to X-Guard. So if you have 5 solid ways to transition to X-Guard. You'd have 5 solid ways top transition to X-Guard, to set up the Reaper

[AJ Camacho]

Here'as a fun example..



At the 18 second mark he goes double knee control to butterfly to high outside heel hook. In the marcelo book this exact same setup is used for his x-guard entry. Seeing this video, I had an epiphany that possibly all of Marcelo's entries could double as submissions. Basically, rather than x-guard to ankle lock... just change the setup and go straight to the ankle lock.