Troubleshooting the Lockdown

[stan myaskovskiy]

Hey everyone. I have been working hard for the last couple years to really develop my lockdown game. However, I still run into an issue that I cannot seem to correct.

There seems to be 1-2 guys that I train with, who just seem to have the perfect leg length, or width where they can just slide through my lockdown like its butter. I'm on my side, have electric clinch, sometimes I'm already launching on electric chair and they just slide their leg out. No matter how hard I squeeze, no matter if I add the use of a hand to stop the knee, they seem to pass no problem. I've made multiple adjustments, but nothing seems to work. I'll do all the same things on other training partners and it feels like they are really well controlled. Do any of you find people you train with who seem totally immune to lockdown based on certain build? How do you adjust? Do you play traditional half? Heavy on the stomp game? Or is there something I'm missing that can help?

[Tony "The Goods" Garcia]

For me, the lock down was never really about the foot. It was secondary to my knee squeeze. Once decent guys started unhooking or hiding feet, I could always salvage via knee squeeze and at least correct my path.

[stan myaskovskiy]

For me, the lock down was never really about the foot. It was secondary to my knee squeeze. Once decent guys started unhooking or hiding feet, I could always salvage via knee squeeze and at least correct my path.

Thanks for the reply!
I do agree. Knee squeeze is huge for me too. Foot not so much. Regardless I seem to have 1 body type I struggle with. Both guys are 160 and same height too. When I lose the foot I do also knee squeeze and try to correct, or move onto other paths that have less resistance.

[June R]

Dam i was just about to start a thread on the same exact thing. I go for the lockdown any chance i get. At best ill get a sweep and at worst ill hold them in place while i fight for underhooks. Its definetly a comfort zone for me. But i ran in two guys who train togther at a different gym who simply put the instep of thier free leg on my thigh and blast right through to quarter gaurd and then side control. One dude is short and stocky and the other tall and lanky so it definitely not a body type thing for me. But like you im left thinking wtf??!?

[Martin Harris]

Stan do you both have bare legs and are sweaty when it happens or do you wear ankle guards, spats, etc? The only time I have trouble is with someone who has extremely short legs relative to mine, or if someone with really thick heavy legs steps inside my knee to pass. I usually just switch to full or butterflys as soon as I feel it happening.

[Isaac Atley]

I'm going to assume you stretch your legs out all the time in Half guard? I like to think of the Lockdown in a prison sense. you put the stretch on the lockdown when things start getting out of control. Until the opponent starts to try something, you should be doing butterfly stretches high up on their leg. When they move, BAM!!! you stretch the leg and they are thrown off balance and you can usually grab something, like a sweep or double unders.

Next thing is to continually be moving in half guard. For example: jaws of life to double unders to electric clinch to dog fight/failed dog fight to electric chair/failed electric chair to homie control to prison guard/failed homie control to electric clinch and rinse and repeat. Half guard is not a comfortable relaxing place. it should feel like an earthquake for the guy on top. rocking back and forth until they fall in to the depths of destruction. If you stop and chill out for too long, then you will be stuffed. I dont be go retard on them, but dont clinch up and freeze.

[stan myaskovskiy]

I'm going to assume you stretch your legs out all the time in Half guard? I like to think of the Lockdown in a prison sense. you put the stretch on the lockdown when things start getting out of control. Until the opponent starts to try something, you should be doing butterfly stretches high up on their leg. When they move, BAM!!! you stretch the leg and they are thrown off balance and you can usually grab something, like a sweep or double unders.

Next thing is to continually be moving in half guard. For example: jaws of life to double unders to electric clinch to dog fight/failed dog fight to electric chair/failed electric chair to homie control to prison guard/failed homie control to electric clinch and rinse and repeat. Half guard is not a comfortable relaxing place. it should feel like an earthquake for the guy on top. rocking back and forth until they fall in to the depths of destruction. If you stop and chill out for too long, then you will be stuffed. I dont be go retard on them, but dont clinch up and freeze.

Thanks for all the replies. I do not keep my legs extended all the time. I learned from my coach who is really solid at lockdown that you do not extend constantly. That would be an improper way to play lockdown as you should be extending when you want to whip, sweep, etc. I am definitely not always extending my legs, but I may not be butterflying enough? I'll play with it. I also do my best not to freeze and try to keep working. Again, this seems to be only an issue I have with certain body types.

[stan myaskovskiy]

Stan do you both have bare legs and are sweaty when it happens or do you wear ankle guards, spats, etc? The only time I have trouble is with someone who has extremely short legs relative to mine, or if someone with really thick heavy legs steps inside my knee to pass. I usually just switch to full or butterflys as soon as I feel it happening.

I wear ankle guards and spats as well. I've even tried GI pants and he still slips out of it with ease. Yet same exact positioning on another guy and they are stuck like glue