MTS 39....so good

[VJ Bella]

Love the episode. I really like how manny turned his opponent over using that heel grab in the half guard kneebar segment. I've always tried to just push on the hip (with limited success) so I'll be giving this a shot over the next few weeks.

One question for the group, I've always finished my kneebars with my head ON TOP of the foot (foot pinned against the ear.) I have found this is the best way for me as it prevents my opponent from rotating his foot to escape the kneebar (can't rotate your foot if it's pinned under/against my head.). Manny was finishing the kneebar with foot on top of head. anyone else have any thought around this? Anyone use both methods to finish? I've never had any luck finishing with the foot on top...they rotate an I have to bail an go heel hook or toe hold.

[John Blalock]

Killer Episode! For whatever dumb reason, I hadn't been subscribed to the 'viewing' membership, and just seeing the preview of the episode got me signed up. Now, along with the amazing stuff in this last episode...I need to go back and horde & take in the rest of the information from other episodes.
Any notables I should check out sooner-than-later?

[Chris Herzog]

Yeah, Manny LOVES showing his shit, I'm super curious as to what Herzog thinks of his 50/50 escapes

Theres no doubt its effective. However hugging the knee neutrualizes that escape.

At 8:34 of this video, I show how to counter to the Manny Escape(corkscrew escape) as its happening.




My major concern with doing the "Manny Escape" is when he pushes the leg to the floor he puts you into the position you want to finish the inverted heel hook. I always want to be on my outside hip in 50/50 (I explain it early in the above video and demonstrate why) as I want to keep his legs exposed as I hide my own. When he pushes the knee to the floor you'll have to continue to squeeze with the top leg, it doesn't negate the squeeze it actual puts you in the position to finish. If he can get his knee to the floor great he escaped the heel hook, but he opened the door for the knee crush.

My personal strategy is one of a "attacking defense" (one that threatens a finish and causes a reaction that I have planned responses/paths for) vs. a "passive defense" (one thats based a non threatening movement).

When someone attacks me with 50/50 I immediately want to put them on the defensive and make them pay for putting me there. Rather than trying to escape in a manner they are likely prepared for. I don't like to be chased, I like doing the chasing.

[Chris Herzog]

Love the episode. I really like how manny turned his opponent over using that heel grab in the half guard kneebar segment. I've always tried to just push on the hip (with limited success) so I'll be giving this a shot over the next few weeks.

One question for the group, I've always finished my kneebars with my head ON TOP of the foot (foot pinned against the ear.) I have found this is the best way for me as it prevents my opponent from rotating his foot to escape the kneebar (can't rotate your foot if it's pinned under/against my head.). Manny was finishing the kneebar with foot on top of head. anyone else have any thought around this? Anyone use both methods to finish? I've never had any luck finishing with the foot on top...they rotate an I have to bail an go heel hook or toe hold.

I always do the foot between the head and the floor, harder to grab their own foot to defend the knee bar.

[Chris Herzog]

this ^^^ and other Herzog comments. I think he said "no, no" to a position I just learned in a Herzog TWIR edisode. I need to rewatch both to compare.
Look forward to Herzog comments. Thanks Eddie. Another great addition to my "summer of leg locks 2012"

He actually said it was "extra work". I'm ok with puttin in a little bit of extra work to have complete isolation of both hips, anyone thats felt a tight "knee knot" will understand the helpless feeling of an emanate submission far before ones even applied. That kind of control is worth the effort.

[Eddie Bravo]

Hhhmm interesting response Herzee.

If you were going against a 250 dude who is INSANE with 50/50, so insane that you have to be on full escape mode or else he will for sure tap you, what escape would you use?

[David Stager]

Glad to see you're facing your leg-lock fears, Eddie. I really love this episode because of Manny's IBJJF-friendly approach to leg-locks. Not that I'm a fan of IBJJF rules, mind you, but I'm more likely to practice moves that I'm allowed to use in local tournaments. Plus, he made ankle-locks look cool again.

[Chris Herzog]

Hhhmm interesting response Herzee.

If you were going against a 250 dude who is INSANE with 50/50, so insane that you have to be on full escape mode or else he will for sure tap you, what escape would you use?

Knowing dude has an insane 50/50, my first priority would be the same as if it would be when rolling with a RG master, avoid it at all cost.

If in the 50/50 position I would immediately go into attack mode (Outside wedge and work the hell out of the inverted heel hook). My resonsoning is this when mastering a positioning most people spend their reps drilling attacks, they are generally better offensively then they are defensively. If he a 50/50 master hes likely spent more time trying to finish people from that position then escaping it. The window of oppertunity for a passive defense is small and the conditions (getting the knee to the floor in the corkscrew/manny escape) have to be near perfect. However the second I go on the offensive I change the mindset of my opponent and he has to now worrry about defending which could now give me the oppertunity to use a passive defense ie. the Manny Escape.

In short, attack first then create that window of oppertunity to spin and manny escape. If I get the sub, great. If not he will have to respect the attack enough to defend it, which at that moment in time he is not attacking me, leaving me that window of oppertunity to spin, knee down and Manny Escape. Just keep in mind, spinning escapes expose the back, and the potential knee/calf crush as well.

[Joe Durham]

Break it...break it...break it....down Herzog! Great posts.

[Brandon Mccaghren]

I'm definitely not a master of this position, but I do enjoy attacking with the 50/50. When someone uses this escape with me, I have been having great success with the exact thing Herzog is talking about. He taught that catch when he was here during the leg lock camp. It leads right into a brutal knee crush. Just like anything, it's a timing issue. And you gotta be sure to really capture their heel tightly. They end up dragging you across the room as they try to escape.

I believe Scott Yockel just had Dan Swift caught up in that knee crush during their last match, didn't he? I can't remember the exact entry he used though.