Building the Leglocker

I'm searching for advice on how to progress in leg locking. Please share details that you wished you focused on when starting out your leglocks. I want to make this a guide for people who want to get into leg locks and just don't know what direction to go in. Do they focus on learning to pass first? Do they build their passes from the leg locks? Do they forego passing altogether and focus on transitioning through different leg lock position? (ex. ashi to captain morgan to honey hole.) What type of guard should they focus on in the beginning and which guards will compliment this type of absolute focus later on? Are there pieces of the anti leg lock game that leglocks should be exploiting on a regular basis? Do you learn positions in a certain order or can you start with whatever you want. (ex. I started with ashi and straight ankles and started building into x-guard and honey hole out of necessity to prevent guard passing and gaining the ability to sweep into more dominant leg lock postitions.) Can you provide a hierarchy for the dominance of the leg lock postions? Did you find you stopped using a position because it stops becoming as effective as you progressed through the ranks? All opinions are welcome there is no wrong answer. This is simply how you would build a future leglocker. Try to format answers like so. (First, I would start with. . . Then move on to ___ because. . . ) Please help speed the progress of lower belts with your answer. Thx in advance!

Key Points For Progress So Far:

*Heelhook is king
*Entanglements are like pins! Control is Key
*Understand Control Hierarchy
*Learn Zog's Reaper
*B1, D3 and G2 Warm Ups have some solid leg lock entries and finishes
*HIP CONNECTION

Your progress will move much further when you just start viewing leglocks as a part of your jiu-jitsu instead if it being another facet. There are principals behind all the entanglements and finishes, as well as contexts to certain entries. Its still basic joint manipulation and body control at the end of the day. Ashi Garami tends to be the starting point. There's actually a figure-8 flow drill that is very good at showing the progression and transition of all of the major entanglements, Sean has us drill it pretty often. 411/Honey Hole/Inside Senkaku would probably be the most efficient kill position if I had say. Also kinda important to note that all efficient entanglements are also pins first and foremeost. I believe Sean said he plans to start visiting you guys pretty regularly. Best to pick his brain in person on this subject. He'll get you on the right track.

Can you expand on these principles and maybe other practitioners who apply them well for visual examples.

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Originally Posted by Josh Yelverton

Your progress will move much further when you just start viewing leglocks as a part of your jiu-jitsu instead if it being another facet. There are principals behind all the entanglements and finishes, as well as contexts to certain entries. Its still basic joint manipulation and body control at the end of the day. Ashi Garami tends to be the starting point. There's actually a figure-8 flow drill that is very good at showing the progression and transition of all of the major entanglements, Sean has us drill it pretty often. 411/Honey Hole/Inside Senkaku would probably be the most efficient kill position if I had say. Also kinda important to note that all efficient entanglements are also pins first and foremeost. I believe Sean said he plans to start visiting you guys pretty regularly. Best to pick his brain in person on this subject. He'll get you on the right track.

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Excellent post. I would also say the saddle/4-11/honey hole/inside sankaku is the strongest leg lock position, followed by the outside ashi garami. Although people might argue that.

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Originally Posted by khrys

Can you expand on these principles and maybe other practitioners who apply them well for visual examples.

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I'll do my best to help. When it comes to heel hooks there are tons of good names to watch. The best 3 right now to watch are the ones from the "Danaher Death Squad". Eddie Cummings (the best of the bunch), Gordon Ryan, and Garry Tonon. The majority of leg locks you'll see from them are the inside heel hook from the saddle/honeyhole/4-11/inside sankaku and the outside heel hook for outside ashi and ashi. They don't do very many other leg locks. Garry Tonon does the occasional toe hold, and Tonon and Ryan sometimes do under the armpit kneebars but it's only by accident if the other person is trying to escape the 4-11 and end up kneebarring themselves. If you want a great MMA example I would say virtually all of Rousimar Palhares' finishes are outside heel hooks from the outside ashi. Dean Lister is also the heel hook OG. He's forgotten more about them than most will ever learn.

If you want to look at the 50/50 I would look at Ryan Hall's UFC/Ultimate Fighter fights so far and his old no gi matches. He does a lot more 4-11 and outside ashi now, but in the late 00's and early 10's he was known for his 50/50 heel hooks and he made a dvd set on it.

For kneebars I would say to watch Jeff Glover, Claudio Calasans, Braulio Estima, Keenan Cornelius, and Dillon Danis.

For toe hold I would watch Davi Ramos, Joao Assis, Buchecha, Garry Tonon, Dillon Danis, and Felipe Pena.

For the straight foot lock /ankle lock/Achilles lock I would check out Cavaca, Dean Lister, Edwin Najmi, Victor Estima, Shinya Aoki, and Reilly Bodycomb.

For the Estima lock, check out Victor Estima and Braulio Estima.

For calf slicers I would watch Geo Martinez and Justin Rader.

I'll find some videos for you.

After the the last EBI, I have picked up Josh Hayden's 80/20 leg lock series to add to my knowledge.

Don't forget Zog's Reaper and Knee Knot stuff I end up there a lot. The Knee Knot is great finishing position.

Invest in a good x-guard and you'll notice a lot of connections between footlock configurations and sweeps.

Learning control and connection is the first key detail. Understanding that the heel hook is king, is also going to help you progress faster. Listen to the folks who are competitive with leg locks. Focusing on people proving what they teach will help you to drown out the noise a little easier.

I definitely watch rousimar , Cummings n Geo alot. But thx Mike Nall coming in clutch with the name list. I saw Zogs reaper n was planning on adding it later but i can front load it.

Leg locks are the dark arts and should be stay away from.......if you're not a savage that is.lol. To echo Sean's point, first and foremost is control and connection. To many people when working on strengthening a specific submission, they purely focus on the finish and not the key components that lead to the finish. Once you find the position/technique (50/50, Ashi,DOA,etc) learn the key components that make and break each move.

Mike Nall gave you a ton of useful info. All those people listed for specific games is super helpful to anyone's game. Straight BJJ filter! I don't particularly think the Heel Hook is king, but a better description would be that there are so many ways to heel hook someone + exponential routes to get to the oh so many heel hooks, making it one of the highest percentage subs. Whereas, there are only a few ways to footlock, knee bar, toe hold, or calf slice/knee compression someone. But, each type of leg-lock submission is just as effective as the other when executed brilliantly. Also, keep in mind that some people may be better suited for certain subs vs others due to body type, physical capability, or how it plays into their general game.
For a beginner I would recommend, other than the above mentioned methods, 1) to work on all leg flexibility and 2) drilling grambies all around and through a partner's legs. Flexibility helps me catch people in awkward positions as well as allowing sneaky transitions. Practicing going inverted and through LEGS will greatly increase your maneuvering ability into any leg-lock sub. But, there are plenty entries into someone's open guard. Man I could go on forever and possibly contradict myself as I dive deeper into my mental hardrive.
Pick 3 of your favorite subs and work on perfecting their execution through drills then rolls. Also, work on 2 or 3 entries into each sub. That could keep you busy for at least 6 months. 3subs x 2entry/transitions x 2 legs = min. 12 ways to leg-lock someone. I guarantee if you follow that method it will equal more than 12 ways to leg-lock because of how it will unlock your jiu jitsu mind! ����✌️����

Mike Nall gave you some awesome people to look at for specific subs that would benefit anyone's game. Straight "BJJ filter" button I wish I had early on.
In my personal opinion I wouldn't say the heel hook is king. Rather, there are so many ways to heel hook someone and even more ways to transition into the oh so many ways to heel hook someone. Whereas, there are a few ways to foot lock, knee bar, toe hold, or calf slice/knee compression someone. Making the heel hook higher percentage due to sheer numbers. But, each are just as effective as the other depending on the level of execution. Keeping in mind that one (two or three) sub(s) may be better for certain people due to body type, physical capability, and how well it works into an individual's game. For a beginner, I would recommend working on all leg flexibility and drilling grambies around and through a partner's legs. My flexibility has helped me catch people in the most random positions as well as being stealth with it. Gramby drilling using a partner's legs helps with your movements and attacks on an opponents legs. Also, one could work on enteries into someone's open guard. I could go on forever as I sit here scouring my mental hardrive. Let's make it easier: pick 3 leg-locks and 2 or 3 entries to work on for each sub. That should keep you busy for at least 6 months because 3subs x 2entries x 2legs = minimum 12 ways to leg-lock someone. With that said, I guarantee that if you master those three you will have more than 12 working leg-locks in your game because you will have unlocked your jiu jitsu mind! ����✌️️��

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Originally Posted by sean applegate

Learning control and connection is the first key detail. Understanding that the heel hook is king, is also going to help you progress faster. Listen to the folks who are competitive with leg locks. Focusing on people proving what they teach will help you to drown out the noise a little easier.

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Hey Sean I really like your stuff I've been able to find online. Any chance you could post a vid of that figure 8 flow?

The heel hook is king based on efficiency and over all damage. Those two factors will determine percentage.

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Originally Posted by Battaile Fauber

Hey Sean I really like your stuff I've been able to find online. Any chance you could post a vid of that figure 8 flow?

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Let me see what I can find. Thanks for the support, man!

update:

So I installed the reaper into my game and it was successful for those who engaged my butterfly guard. Now opponents are more wary and don't engage the butterfly at all (also stay bent with legs back) but try to pass altogether more D1 warmups style. When you want to attack this defensive passing and don't have the shin to shin option where are you guys going. What have you found more successful? Arm drags? Sliding to catch an ankle into de la riva. Stand and start over? "Pull Harris"? Thx.

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Originally Posted by SamBat415

For a beginner, I would recommend working on all leg flexibility and drilling grambies around and through a partner's legs. My flexibility has helped me catch people in the most random positions as well as being stealth with it. Gramby drilling using a partner's legs helps with your movements and attacks on an opponents legs.����✌️️��

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will do

I cant express how much this thread has helped me. But, the more I study I find questions and so is life.

In the 10th planet Butterfly Warm Ups the focus seems more geared to obtaining Spiderweb with a few other things sprinkled in. Is this because of the EBI ruleset being heavy with spiderweb and back control? Does 10th planet have a warmup for leglockers out there? Or does each school just do their own thing like drill honey hole and DOA reversals for a warmup. Also, in the episodes such as "Lock you legs up" there isn't much of a flow to the techniques so it feels like I'm drilling too many pieces and being unproductive instead of a smooth series like the Herzog Reaper series. Has anyone actually put some those techniques together? Finally, is the 80/20 leg lock dvd worth it?

Thx in advance

The B1, D3 and G2 Warm Ups have some solid leg lock entries and finishes. Those could be good to check out.

u da man alex

As others have said, it's important to realize that leglocks are just like any other submission in that you always want POSITION before submission.

There's a misconception that leglocks are some sneaky devilry and that they'll seemingly appear out of nowhere most of the time... this is not the right way to think. Instead, leglock positions need to be understood in the same way as side control, mount, etc.

For example, the 411 is a highly effective control position that will lead to a leg submission. However, the control is most important. Just as you wouldn't move into an attack the second you reach the mount, you should wait and hold the 411 position for a few moments before you attack for a leglock. If you're unable to hold the position, you're doing something wrong.

Understand the different positions that will lead to a leglock. Namely the 411, game-over, ashi-garami in all its forms, and a few others. As others said, the x-guard/single-leg-x are extremely important for developing your leglocks from the bottom.

If there's an experienced leglocker in your area, I highly recommend you take some privates :) Privates with my coach helped a lot.

New development:

Now that I have been getting more taps with heelhooks I'm beginning to have to deal with intense spins. Even getting into something as basic as Ashi people spin and retract as hard a possible before I even set up the sub and rolling/following with it doesn't seem to be the best answer. Gotta be an easier way. Thanks Guys!

You are missing hip connection in your positioning. They shouldn't be able to roll at all :)

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Originally Posted by sean applegate

You are missing hip connection in your positioning. They shouldn't be able to roll at all :)

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Thx. A month of hip focus and I fixed that problem. For those following this just consistently hold the heel hook and watch the persons rotations and see what positions they force themselves into (ex. 50/50, DOA . . . ) and even rotations become simple. Eventually, things tighten up and you start seeing control. Strangely, I still feel ashi is my more favored position even though i know there are more dominant entanglements. Is this normal?

New Question Leglockers: Where is that High Percentage at!!!
Should I expand into Mini X's (ep. 114 Tentacle), The Truck (Geo, Justin Raider), or half guard inversion (Eric Ramey/Manny Gamburyan)? I'm looking to lean on your experience and try to get a feel where to place my chips. Thx in advance.

Focus on maintaining inside control. Any position that gives up inside control is going to be more dangerous and lower percentage than the ones that do not. Butterfly, kguard, double x, butter half, pancake, things like that. There are alot of fancy things you can try, but to gain those crucial last few percentages at the high levels, you will need to trim the fat a bit.

Hello. I am very interested in this topic as well, if I may post my leg game development and ask for some tips as well, as I think it may help others in the same endeavour.

I also want to mention that I am completely new to 10th planet terminology.

Started working my foot lock game around two to three months ago and have been progressing very well.

My leg locking gameplan is revolving around getting the honey hole position as I found it to be very strong and finishing with a heel hook. I link it up with single leg x and x guard if they get up and shin on shin (if they pass standing), butterfly and half guard (if they pass kneeling).

A couple of issues I'm facing :

1. Entries from half guard. So far I've only managed to find one good entry from half guard to leg locking. The leg that acts as knee shield comes as a butterfly hook while the other leg gets as deep as possible beneath the opponent and I bump him up with the bottom leg and butterfly him with the other then getting into ashi. Does anyone have other good entries from half guard?

2. Digging for the footlock in 4-11. When I get to 4-11 if for some reason I want to get the footlock, I have a very hard time digging my arm around that foot.

3. Escaping the reaper. Whenever I move the leg from 4-11 across the other side and move to the reaper, the opponent can rotate out of it and escape. 4-11 is much better control-wise for me. Any ideas?

4. Ashi garami pushing escape. I'm recently having issues with this small but strong guy. Whenever I go for ashi, he pushes me in the a** with the other leg and manages to pull his leg out eventually. Him having really small legs is making this even harder for me.

I also wanted to ask you guys, what are your most high percentage entries to leg locks? Cheers.

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Originally Posted by gabrielnbjj

Hello. I am very interested in this topic as well, if I may post my leg game development and ask for some tips as well, as I think it may help others in the same endeavour.


1. Entries from half guard. So far I've only managed to find one good entry from half guard to leg locking. The leg that acts as knee shield comes as a butterfly hook while the other leg gets as deep as possible beneath the opponent and I bump him up with the bottom leg and butterfly him with the other then getting into ashi. Does anyone have other good entries from half guard?

2. Digging for the footlock in 4-11. When I get to 4-11 if for some reason I want to get the footlock, I have a very hard time digging my arm around that foot.

3. Escaping the reaper. Whenever I move the leg from 4-11 across the other side and move to the reaper, the opponent can rotate out of it and escape. 4-11 is much better control-wise for me. Any ideas?

4. Ashi garami pushing escape. I'm recently having issues with this small but strong guy. Whenever I go for ashi, he pushes me in the a** with the other leg and manages to pull his leg out eventually. Him having really small legs is making this even harder for me.

I also wanted to ask you guys, what are your most high percentage entries to leg locks? Cheers.

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1. There is a top half entry that is very sneaky on the lock up your legs episode. You windshield wiper the free leg inside use the trapped leg to set up ashi directly into a heelhook.

2. Are you controlling both legs? Should be a lot easier.

3. The reaper has a predetermined escape path, meaning, if you are doing Zog's reaper correctly the oppo. can only spin 1 direction ( if he makes it that far) and it lands him into a more controlled break. Watch the video again, maybe you're not catching the second leg with your hook and its allowing an escape instead of just a rotation. Would have to see it but definitely watch it again, very high %.

4. I know your pain! Invest in a cup cause those kicks just keep coming. Also, start grabbing both legs switching your ashi from side to side when you feel that looseness. That drill helps me the most and I actually just won a match with it.

Hope this helps!

1. LE: I know that one, was actually reffering from entries from the bottom half guard. Any ideas?
2. Whenever I went into 4-11 I only started attacking the tangled up leg. Will start trying to attack the other leg as well as I never went too much into that, only when he gave it away freely.
3. Will look into Zog's reaper. The detail I've noticed is when I'm in the reaper, If I'm controlling the other leg (not the reaped one) with my hands, I can nullify any of his rotation attempts.
4. It's not that he hits my b*lls or anything, but he literally pushes in my butt and frees his leg, which is made even easier by his short legs (basically clearing the knee faster). You recommend going for the untangled leg the instant I reach ashi garami?

Cheers. Hope this discussions help other people too.

Alot of what you guys are experiencing is a breakdown in fundamental control of the positions. Look into what is actually happening in those entanglements and how all the parts work. Sweep>pin>isolate>break...or pin>isolate>break.

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Originally Posted by gabrielnbjj

3. Will look into Zog's reaper. The detail I've noticed is when I'm in the reaper, If I'm controlling the other leg (not the reaped one) with my hands, I can nullify any of his rotation attempts.


Cheers. Hope this discussions help other people too.

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Go to the knee knot. There are several positions when reaping, the reaper is NOT a position, its an entry.

What do you guys do when you're inside ashi garami going for the footlock and the opponent tries to calf crush you? Basically, he goes one hand between your calf and thigh (on the leg that's inside) and proceeds with the calf crush.

I'm thinking use the leg that was on the hip to push in his ribs and get the leg out into DOA?

Any other ideas? Cheers.

If you are pushing with your outside foot on their hip it will be hard for them to generate any compression. Your extension force is stronger than their compressing force. Yakimov does this style compression in his DVDs, but to finish he rolls to belly side down so gravity assists the compression.

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Originally Posted by NameLikeNoOther

If you are pushing with your outside foot on their hip it will be hard for them to generate any compression. Your extension force is stronger than their compressing force. Yakimov does this style compression in his DVDs, but to finish he rolls to belly side down so gravity assists the compression.

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I taught that whole series on a recent MTS.

Ughhh heel hooks are forever ingrained in my brain as scary! This big white belt pulled one on me when we were supposed to roll "light". I couldn't walk for two days and it still fucks up my training. It's not worth it when you're training with people you'll probably only see once. Nobody gives a fuck about you so you gotta look after your own.

Honestly, I feel like one of the most important things when going into leg locks is not necessarily focusing on the actual submission, but rather treating the position like any other position first. Master entering and controlling each position first, before you start hunting for subs. I would also focus on navigating between the leg positions. In my experience, the submission on the legs is actually the easiest part. if your controlling the legs, they can't escape/Pass/stack/spin/etc. Start attacking the subs.

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Originally Posted by gabrielnbjj

What do you guys do when you're inside ashi garami going for the footlock and the opponent tries to calf crush you? Basically, he goes one hand between your calf and thigh (on the leg that's inside) and proceeds with the calf crush.

I'm thinking use the leg that was on the hip to push in his ribs and get the leg out into DOA?

Any other ideas? Cheers.

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Step on your foot.

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Originally Posted by itsJaime

Ughhh heel hooks are forever ingrained in my brain as scary! This big white belt pulled one on me when we were supposed to roll "light". I couldn't walk for two days and it still fucks up my training. It's not worth it when you're training with people you'll probably only see once. Nobody gives a fuck about you so you gotta look after your own.

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Once you understand how the Heel Hook works it far less intimidating. You will be able to understand when you are in real danger and when you are safe and can keep working. Embrace your fear and conquer it:)

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Originally Posted by NameLikeNoOther

Once you understand how the Heel Hook works it far less intimidating. You will be able to understand when you are in real danger and when you are safe and can keep working. Embrace your fear and conquer it:)

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what he said :)

@Khrys, sorry I don't quite understand. Step on my foot? As in the foot on the hip reaps and gets into a reaper-similar position?
@Namelikenoother, the guy with which I had this problem is 110 kg strong and conditioned, me being much smaller and weaker. I'd argue my extension force can only keep his at bay for a short while, not long enough that is.

Are there any other solutions to this?
@Chris, any idea what episode that is?

Cheers.

In my mind you are the predator, correct.

You: attack with ashi.
Prey: Sees he is in danger. Notices you have a leg inside his legs along the crotch line. He Hooks arm through it to "setup" calf slicer.
You: Intelligent and aware of this counter. Take no heed let him pass his other leg over to secure the lock.
Prey: Begins to hip in with all his might.
You: Take your own outside leg that was once on his hip and stomp on your own heel of the inside leg and straighten them both.
Prey: Confused and arms gased has no idea why his muscles "strong and conditioned" have failed him.
You: reset ashi and secure a heelhook : isolated, secure, with breaking pressure
Prey: Watches in fear as his knees melt; tap hand at the ready.