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Leg locks for BJJ: The beginner’s guide

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Allan Co
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Organize your leg-lock training with this guide to leg lock positions and submissions.

A leg-lock is a form of submission that is directed at the joints and muscles of the lower body (hips and below), with the goal of causing enough pain and/or damage for the opponent to not be able to continue the match. The ankles and knees are common targets of a leg-lock submission.

The leg-lock game has seen somewhat of a renaissance in the past couple of years.  

In events such as the ADCC, EBI and Polaris, athletes such as Craig Jones and Gordon Ryan have made a name for themselves as “leg-lock specialists”. These events, with their unique ruleset, have shown the community how the game can drastically change when certain restrictions are removed from lower-body based submissions and positions. As the IBJJF adopts these less restrictive rules, learning the leg-lock game, previously perceived as a niche, has suddenly become a necessity.

This guide aims to give you an overview of the basics of the leg lock game. In the first section, the main leg submissions will be discussed, along with a brief description of their mechanics. Next we’ll look into the positional systems where specific leg submissions can be setup, along with common entries into these positions. If you are not familiar with a particular term for a position in the submission section of the guide, you may cross-reference it in the position/entanglement section.

Table of contents

The 5 fundamental leg submissions

This section aims to give you information on 5 basic leg submissions. Other leg submissions that you may encounter will mostly be variations of these submissions. 

1. Ankle lock

The ankle lock, also known as the straight foot-lock, is the most common leg submissions you will encounter in the lower belt divisions. The move is legal in all belt divisions in most gi and no gi events. The ankle lock is usually the first leg submission attack that you will learn in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

How does the ankle lock work?

A successful ankle lock places downward pressure on the instep of the opponent’s foot while holding the entire leg in place. This results in plantar flexion of the ankle as it bends beyond its normal range of motion, straining the surrounding ligaments, which, in turn, causes pain and damage to the area.

How to do an ankle lock

An ankle lock is executed by wrapping your attacking arm around the opponent’s leg, with your wrist or forearm acting as the fulcrum underneath the achilles. Your upper lat, near your armpit area, must also make contact with their instep. The free arm serves to support the attacking arm to stabilize and reinforce the hold. 

Once the hold is secured, the submission is applied by putting upward pressure on the achilles, and downward pressure on the instep, usually by arching your back.

Common ankle lock entries

The submission is usually applied from the ashi garami, where the leg configuration is also used to apply counter-pressure on the opponent’s hips and hold their leg in place, allowing pressure to be focused on the ankle.

Ankle lock specialists

Dean Lister is known for the ankle lock from the ashi garami. Mikey Musumeci is particularly known for a variation of this submission where he uses the butterfly ashi garami position to finish the ankle lock. 

2. Heel hook

The heel hook has gained notoriety as one of the most devastating submissions in BJJ. The move is illegal in all belt divisions in IBJJF gi rules, and has just recently been allowed in the brown and black belt divisions in IBJJF no gi. A move that is easy to setup and takes little energy to finish, the heel-hook is currently one of the most, if not THE most, popular leg submissions for no gi BJJ

How does the heel hook work?

While this submission does attack the ankle to some degree, it most commonly  causes damage to the knee. The tibia (shin bone) is rotated independent of the femur (thigh bone), causing great strain and damage on the supporting ligaments, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). 

There are 2 major types of heel hooks: 

  1. The outside heel hook, where the tibia is pronated (the opponent’s heel is rotated away from the midline of your body)
  2. The inside heel hook or reverse heel hook, where the tibia is supinated (the opponent’s heel is rotated towards the midline of your body). 

The difference lies mainly on the leg positioning you have. Both heel hooks damage the opponent’s knees in similar ways. Currently, the inside heel hook is the more popular submission. There are many more setups that favor the inside heel hook, and it is much more difficult for your opponent to counter or escape from it.

How to do a heel hook

To apply a heel hook, your forearm must latch on to your opponent’s heel while the instep and toes are held by your lat area. This hold lets you control the entire tibia of your opponent while your leg configuration will hold the femur in place as you put pressure on the side of their knee. 

To finish the submission, you will need to rotate the tibia by bringing the heel upwards towards your head and twisting in the direction where the heel rotates away from your body. You will want to make sure that you are in control of your opponent’s knee-line by driving your hips on the side of their knee. You also want to keep their knee area within the entanglement of your legs.

Common heel hook entries

Common leg positions from where the heel hook can be applied are the saddle and the 50/50 for inside heel hooks, and inside ashi garami, or the knee reap position, for outside heel hooks.

Heel hook specialists

Craig Jones, Oliver Taza, and Ryan Hall are very well known for their inside heel hooks and a good majority of their victories are from this specific submission.

3. Kneebar

As the name implies, the kneebar is mainly used to attack the opponent’s knees, but in a slightly different way from that of the heel hook. In the IBJJF ruleset, the kneebar is only legal in the brown and black belt divisions in both gi and no gi.

How does the kneebar work?

The aim of the submission is to hyperextend the knee past its normal allowable range, causing pressure and compression to the meniscus and eventually damaging the ligaments that support the knee, mainly the ACL. The other ligaments, such as the medial collateral ligament (MCL), may also be damaged, especially if the pressure is placed on the side of the knee. 

How to apply a knee bar

Your body configuration when applying a kneebar is very similar to an armbar. The opponent’s leg is isolated and the front of their knee area is placed above your hips. Your legs and hips hold your opponent’s upper leg (thigh) in place with your hips acting as the fulcrum, while your arms secure the lower leg against your upper body. To finish the submission, you must drive your hips in to apply pressure on the knee. 

Common knee bar entries

A knee bar can be applied from a variety of leg configurations such as the saddle and 50/50. Other common setups are from more traditional positions like both the top and bottom half guard positions, and from a turtle position. 

Knee bar specialists

Gabriel Arges and Buchecha are competitors known for their kneebars. 

4. Toe hold

The toe hold, like the kneebar, is another common leg  submission that is only legal in the brown and black belt divisions of the IBJJF. It is usually the second leg lock learned by beginners after the ankle lock. Aside from being a submission, applying a toe hold also forces the opponent to react in certain ways where they may be forced to give up some positions. Because of this it is also commonly used as a way to sweep.

How does the toe hold work?

The toe hold has a lot in common with the ankle lock in that a plantar flexion is applied to the ankle. Similar ligaments around the ankle are attacked.

How to apply a toe hold

A figure four grip is applied to the ankle with one hand holding the toe area, and the opposite wrist/forearm acting as a fulcrum. The ankle is then forced into plantar flexion and internal rotation, while also forcing the ankle to invert. The direction of the rotation and flexion is usually towards the opponent’s back.

Common toe told entries

The toe hold can be set up from almost all of the leg entanglement positions. Some of the most effective setup positions are the 50/50, inside ashi garami (reap) and saddle. In other leg entanglement positions where the toe hold is not as secure, applying it may force the opponent to roll towards the direction of the rotation to relieve pressure, and an option to sweep is usually opened up.

Toe told specialists

Dean lister is known for his toe holds.

5. Calf crush 

Out of all the basic leg lock submissions, the calf crusher or calf slicer is one of the least popular. This is most probably due to the limited number of positions where in an be applied. Like the toe hold and the kneebar above, it is only legal in IBJJF at the brown and black belt divisions. 

How does the calf crusher work?

The calf crusher, unlike the other submissions listed above, is a compression lock – a technique that puts pressure on a muscle instead of a joint. There may be collateral damage on the joint, and there is a chance that the knee may be damaged more than the calf muscle, but usually, the main target of a calf crush are the calf muscles.

How to apply a calf crusher

A calf crusher is done by placing a fulcrum, usually your shin, behind your opponent’s knee, and folding the leg by pulling on their ankle or instep. The calf muscle is squeezed between your shin and your opponent’s own shin . This causes great pain and, eventually, may rupture the muscle.

Common entries to the calf crusher

While the calf crusher can have a small number of setups, the most common is from the truck or leg-lasso position as it automatically puts your shin behind the opponent’s knee.

Calf crusher specialists

Eddie Bravo and Geo Martinez are known for their calf crush submissions. Aside from the calf crusher from the truck position, they are also known for a variation of the submission which they set up from the lock-down position.

Major leg entanglements and positions

In this section, we will cover some common and basic leg lock entanglements or positions, list out some submission holds you can enter into from these positions, and discuss common entries and transitions. We will also list the pros and cons of each position.

1. Irimi ashi garami

The irimi ashi garami, which we will refer to as the standard ashi garami, or just “ashi garami”, in this article, is the first basic position that is taught when learning your first leg lock – the ankle lock. When the opponent is standing, the ashi garami configuration is also the single leg X guard. 

How does the ashi garami position work?

The ashi garami position has you isolating one of your opponent’s legs. The foot of your outer leg rests on your opponent’s hip area while your opposite knee is wedged between your opponent’s legs. You tighten the position by squeezing your legs together, taking care not to bring your outer foot past your opponent’s midline. If your leg goes past the midline, in IBJJF gi rules, you will automatically be disqualified from the match for “reaping”- putting pressure on the side of your opponent’s knee. 

Common submissions from ashi garami

The ankle lock, outside heel hook, and the toe hold is accessible from this position. Despite some weaknesses in the position, this is probably the most important position for beginners to learn. The mechanics of leg control and escapes are learned by drilling and doing positional spars in this entanglement.

Common entries to ashi garami

This position has many entries, the most common being the single leg x guard (SLX). When the opponent has been swept backwards from the SLX, you will automatically land in the ashi garami.

The pros and cons of ashi garami

Pros

  • Single leg x sweep lands you into it
  • Can easily transition to other more effective leg positions
  • Great for learning leg lock fundamentals
  • Can be done in IBJJF rules, both gi and nogi

Cons

  • A skilled opponent may easily escape this position
  • Leaves you open to berimbolos

2.  The reap (knee reap) or game over (inside ashi garami)

The knee reap position or “Game Over” is an illegal position in IBJJF gi in all belt levels. It has just recently been made legal in IBJJF no gi in the brown and black belt divisions. Since the entanglement puts pressure on the side of the knee, if the opponent is not familiar with the position, there is a great chance that they could suffer an injury to the knee area.

How does the knee reap position work?

From the standard ashi garami, the knee reap sees you bringing your foot and calf past the midline of your opponents body and, usually placing your foot under your opponent’s free knee, causing tremendous pressure on their trapped knee. This positioning also protects your legs from counter attack. You will usually be able to bend your opponent’s trapped knee and expose their heel for an outside heel hook.

Common submissions from the knee reap

The outside heel hook and toe hold are the common submissions done from this position. The main escape from this position will put quite a bit of distance between you and your opponent so it may be harder to do follow up sweeps. Great care must always be taken when training in this position, especially for beginners. 

Common entries to the knee reap

Like the standard ashi garami, one of the best setups for this position is from the single leg x. You can start the process of reaping the knee while the opponent is still standing, or you can sweep them first using the SLX guard and reap from there. 

Pros and cons of the knee reap

Pros

  • The position itself already causes danger to the opponents knee
  • Gives you easy access to outside heel hook and toe hold

Cons

  • With proper timing and early reaction from the opponent, the submission options from this position can be countered a bit more easily when compared to that of the saddle
  • Partner may be prone to injury
  • Harder to convert into a sweep if the submission fails
  • Illegal in almost all, if not all, gi events

3. Outside ashi garami

Instead of wedging your inside knee between your opponents legs, the outside ashi garami has you stepping your inside leg across your opponent’s trapped leg. This position is also legal in all belt levels in the IBJJF. You have to be careful in this position, especially if your opponent is skilled at taking the back, as the path to the back is usually wide open from here. One of the best ways for your opponent to escape or counter the SLX guard, is to force you to go into the outside ashi garami position, and take your back.

How does outside ashi garami work?

As mentioned above, from the standard ashi garami, you step your inside leg across your opponent’s trapped leg. Once the leg is across, you can lock your ankles together  while you flare your knee. Keeping your heel tight on the opponent’s hip by engaging your hips. 

Common submissions from outside ashi garami

Applying an ankle lock from this position will, sometimes, result in a belly-down ankle lock. You can also try to catch an outside heel hook from here. One of the more practical uses of this position is to transition into 50/50 or butterfly ashi garami.

Common entries into outside ashi garami

Again, the SLX guard is the common entry for this position. You can also enter into this position when your opponent tries to take your outside foot off his hip from the standard ashi.

Pros and cons of the outside ashi garami

Pros

  • The setup position for the butterfly ashi garami

Cons

  • Risk of the opponent taking your back is high
  • Pressure applied to an ankle lock from outside ashi isn’t as great as the standard or butterfly ashi

4. The butterfly ashi

Invert the leg positioning of the standard ashi garami and you have the butterfly ashi. This position is probably one of the best, if not the best leg locking position that is legal in all belt levels in IBJJF gi.

How does butterfly ashi work?

In the butterfly ashi, your outside foot and shin is hooking underneath the thigh and knee of the opponent. Your other foot can be placed either on top of the opponent’s hip or across it. If you look at the position, it is the opposite of the standard ashi garami. The leg placement puts more pressure on the hip area of the opponent, causing more counter-pressure when an ankle lock is applied.

Common submissions from butterfly ashi

You can do an outside heel hook from this position, but a straight ankle lock would most likely be the best choice. A knee bar can also be set-up in this position. You have the option to do an easy sweep from the position. This is one of the best positions for doing leglocks in gi events.

Common entries to butterfly ashi

You can enter the butterfly ashi from the standard ashi garami by inverting your leg positioning. If done early, it is actually one of the best ways to prevent your opponent from having access to your back when you land in the outside ashi position. Another common entry for this position is from the double guard pull position, wherein both you and your opponent are sitting down.

Pros and cons of the butterfly ashi garami

Pros

  • Easy to enter into from the double guard pull
  • Puts much more counter pressure on the hip compared to the standard ashi
  • Better distance management compared to standard ashi (inside foot on hip creates more space between you and your opponent)
  • Harder to peel off foot on the hip compared to standard ashi
  • Legal in all belt levels in IBJJF gi

Cons

  • Not the best position for heel hooks
  • If done incorrectly, you may be open to a heel-hook counter-attack in No-Gi

5. Saddle (411, honey hole or inside sankaku)

The saddle has been the most popular position in the leg lock game for the past few years. This position is effective if the ruleset allows for reaping and inside heel hooks. The position is legal in IBJJF gi, but you are only allowed to hold the free leg. You are not allowed to attack the trapped leg while putting pressure on your opponent’s knee. Holding the trapped leg at any point while your hips are facing the side of your opponent’s knee is a form of reaping, and is, therefore, illegal in all belt levels at IBJJF gi, making this position less effective in that category. 

How does the saddle work?

From the standard ashi garami, bring your opponent’s trapped leg across your body. Bring your outside foot across his trapped leg and place it in between his legs. Triangle your legs to lock the position in place. You should always try to control his free leg up until it is time to attack the trapped leg.

Common submissions from the saddle

The primary attack for this position is usually the inside heel hook. You can also catch a knee bar from this position. Just in case your opponent manages to escape your attacks, you can follow up with a sweep or a back take. This is one of the best leg entanglements in advanced no-gi divisions.

Common entries to the saddle

There are many entries to the saddle. In fact, out of all the positions listed here, the saddle probably has the most number of ways to enter. Common entries are from the shin to shin sitting guard, and from the SLX guard. You can also enter from the Z guard into this position.

Pros and cons of the saddle

Pros

  • Extremely high chance to catch an inside heel hook
  • Totally isolates the trapped leg from the rest of the opponent’s body
  • Can be entered into from a variety of top and bottom positions
  • Sweeps and back takes are also options from this position
  • Attackers legs are relatively safe from counter attack

Cons

  • There is a small opening for the opponent to enter a scramble for a back take or berimbolo
  • Limited attack options in gi competitions

6. 50/50 (or 80/20)

The 50/50 and some of its variations are probably the most popular entanglement position for attacking heel hooks as of the moment. Its ease of entry and potential to expose the opponent’s heel make it a growing favorite among leg lock enthusiasts. The 50/50 position is legal in all levels at the IBJJF. As mentioned before, the heel hook is limited to IBJJF no gi black and brown belt divisions, making the 50/50 in gi more limited in terms of its potential in the leg lock game. 

The 80/20 position.

How does the 50/50 position work

In the 50/50 position, your opponent’s trapped leg is entwined with your own trapped leg, giving you both equal opportunities for attacks and defense, hence the name. Even if you do have equal positioning here, slightly changing the angle, or using the entry as a momentum to change the angle, significantly tilts the position in your favor. Changing the angle of your hips to slightly face the opponent will land you in the 80/20 position: a variation of the 50/50. This position will hide your knee-line, making your opponent’s heel hook attacks ineffective, and will give you greater control of his knee-line as you angle your hips to face the side of his knee.

Common submissions from 50/50

The main attack for this position is the inside heel hook. Because of the nature of the position, straight ankle locks might be less effective here. There are also openings for knee bars and toe holds, but the main submission you will want to focus on is, again, the inside heel hook. For gi events where heel hooks are illegal, there are some other leg lock setups that can be done, but they can be hard to pull off consistently. The best option if you are in a gi match is to focus on sweeps and back takes instead of leg locks.

Common entries to 50/50

There are numerous ways to enter the 50/50, but for the best angle for heel exposure, one of the best entries is from the K guard or “the matrix”. Once you enter this position from the matrix, your legs will be protected from attacks, while the opponent’s heel will be more readily exposed when you land. Most of the time, you will land in the 80/20 position from this entry. 

Pros and cons of 50/50

Pros

  • Great heel exposure
  • Numerous points of entry
  • Plenty of follow up sweeps and back takes

Cons

  • High learning curve of the mechanics of the 50/50 position
  • Less options for leg attacks in the gi

7. The truck (leg-lasso)

With only a few minor leg positioning differences, the truck, leg lasso, and twister hook are practically the same position. The truck is probably the most disconnected position on the list- you cannot effectively go directly into the truck from any of the positions listed here. The leg configuration of the truck is very common in both gi and no gi. The truck is legal in all levels and categories of IBJJF events.

The truck is partially a back attack where you already have one of your back hooks in. The hook is inserted low on the opponent’s thigh, with your shin placed behind the opponent’s knee. 

Common submissions from the truck position

The main leg submission that you can apply in this position is the calf crush. You may also be able to get a banana split submission (not a basic submission, and so, was not included in our submission list) here- a form of adductor and groin stretch. Aside from leg submissions, other submissions can be performed here such as the reverse armbar and the twister spine crank. It is most commonly used to secure the opponent’s back when you have your first hook in and they are defending against the second hook.

Common entries to the truck position

One of the most common entries for this position is from the berimbolo. As the first back control hook is usually easily inserted following a berimbolo, the truck can be used as a way to stop the opponent’s escapes and back defenses. You can also enter the truck from the back control or quarter mount.

The one of the most well known competitors who use the truck to attack the legs is Geo Martinez.

Pros and cons of the truck

Pros

  • Plenty of entry points
  • Direct path the back
  • Opponent is fully facing the other way

Cons

  • High learning curve for the mechanics
  • Not connected to the other leg lock positions.

Leg locks in gi vs no gi

Two of the biggest contributing factors for the vast difference in the leg lock game in gi vs no gi is the restriction of reaping and heel hooks in IBJJF gi rules. This limits the effective leg lock attack positions and submissions in gi BJJ.

When training leg locks for a gi event, the standard ashi garami and butterfly ashi should be the main focus, with straight ankle locks being the only leg submission allowed if you are a beginner. Even if toe holds are not allowed in the blue belt divisions, blue belts must already be familiar with them.

In no-gi events, the rules for beginners are basically the same as the gi events, and focus should also be in the positions and submissions mentioned above. Even if reaping positions, heel hooks, and kneebars are not allowed in their divisions, purple belts should already be practicing these positions and submissions. If the rules do not restrict leg positioning and submissions, focusing on the saddle and the 50/50 (80/20) positions should be a priority.

The risks of leg lock injuries

Great care must be taken when training leg locks, particularly heel hooks and knee bars. Heel hooks mostly target the knee and surrounding ligaments, such as the:

  • Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
  • Medial cruciate ligament (MCL)
  • Lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
  • Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)

These ligaments are in danger in both standard and inside heel hooks. The meniscus, the cartilage that acts as a shock absorber in between the knee joint, may also be damaged. Because of the rotational force applied to the knee, compared to the plantar flexion of the ankle in a straight ankle lock, heel hooks are quite a bit more dangerous. Sometimes, definite pain may be felt after the knee has already been damaged. This is why it is important to tap early, as soon as you feel any kind of pressure, even if pain is not present. 

How to effectively learn leg locks

1. Learn the correct positions for your skill level

As previously discussed, for most beginners that want to learn the leg lock game, you must start with learning the mechanics of the standard ashi garami and the straight ankle lock. Learning how to apply, defend, counter and reverse the position and submission will go a long way in helping you understand the basics of the leg lock game. Once you learn this, you can progress by adding the butterfly ashi and toe holds. For the 50/50 position, it would be advisable to learn the fundamentals of the position – leg placement, options for back takes, counters, and sweeps – first before adding leg locks.

For practitioners that are already familiar with the basic leg positions, focus on learning entries and attack options for the saddle before going into the 50/50 and other positions.

2. Use positional sparring

To learn specific positions and techniques, focus on positional sparring as opposed to full-on rolls or drills, is recommended. An example of a positional sparring session would go as follows: set the timer for 2 or so minutes. Get into the saddle position with your partner and start attacking as he tries to defend or escape. If a submission, escape, reversal or change in position (events) happens, you go back to the same saddle position again and repeat the exercise until the timer runs out. After 2 minutes, it will be your partner’s turn. Another way to do this is to set a longer time, like 10 or 20 minutes, and every time an event happens, you switch attacking positions. 

3. Work backwards from position to entries

Work your way backwards from the position itself, to the entries. The entries will become easier once you have familiarized yourself with the actual position. Once you are a little bit familiar with the saddle position, you can then start doing positional sparring for entries from specific positions like the SLX or butterfly guard. When you are familiar with most of the positions, learn to transition from one position to the next. An example of this would be going from the standard ashi garami, then into the 50/50, then into a submission. 

4. Learn the escapes, counters and reversals for all positions and submissions

All these positions have weaknesses. The game of Jiu-Jitsu is too fast and complex for you to be able to react to everything. Some techniques will require reaction, but most will require anticipation. Learning all the possible scenarios will help you stay several steps ahead of your opponent, and the best way to do this is familiarize yourself with both the offensive (attacker in dominant position) and defensive (defender in a compromised position) ends of a position. Anticipating what an opponent will do can help mitigate the weaknesses of a position or submission.

5. Find ways to learn

To gain more knowledge on these positions, nothing beats having a qualified instructor/professor, but if one is not available, there is a wealth of information available for free online. Breaking down matches will help you gain more insight on concepts that govern these positions. Visualization training or “repping in your head” also helps when a partner is not available. 

6. Don’t neglect BJJ basics

The most important advice is to learn the fundamentals of BJJ before, or while, learning the leg lock game. Most of the competitors you see that excel in leg submissions do so because they have solid fundamentals of the basic positions of jiu jitsu. 

How to train leg locks safely

1. Choose the right partner

Because of the nature of the leg lock game, you must take extra precaution to take care of yourself. Partnering up with someone experienced with the game is ideal. Your partner may be able to guide and teach you through the positional sparring rounds safely. If you cannot find a more experienced partner, look for a partner that you are familiar with and whom you know will not get carried away with submissions.

2. Avoid full intensity rolls at the start

Jumping in when inexperienced and doing full intensity rolls right away is a recipe for disaster. Repping the submission and finishing slowly until you or your partner tap can help you familiarize yourselves with your own limits. You should get a feel for the range of movement in your joints. 

3. Apply pressure slowly

You and your training partner must learn how to slowly apply pressure in leg submissions. With heel hooks specifically, learning to apply just enough pressure to hold the position in place should be your number one priority. Remember, if you cannot hold the submission in place without putting too much pressure, the problem may be with how the technique is applied and not your intensity. 

Anytime you or your partner are in a knee reap position, make sure that you realize that tremendous amounts of force is being applied on the side of your knee. Turn and react accordingly to relieve pressure. 

The history of leg locks in BJJ

With roots in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has always had leg locks as part of its submission system. There was a time that leg locks were seen as a cheap move and were frowned upon in the BJJ community. This, together with the IBJJF restricting some leg submission and entry positions may have contributed to its waning popularity in the earlier years of competitive BJJ. 

In the past few years, however, the popularity of leg attacks have skyrocketed. This may be attributed to more recent competitive events with less restrictions on leg attacks. Athletes such as Dean Lister, Craig Jones and Gordon Ryan may also be partially responsible for the sudden boom of the popularity of leg locks.

Unlike before, specific systems of learning have been developed, making it easier for practitioners to learn the intricacies of the leg lock game. Now, more so than ever, leg locks are seen as an essential part of the BJJ game, and if you don’t have a solid grasp on it’s fundamentals, then you will get left behind. 

Further resources about leg locks in jiu jitsu

About the author

Allan Co is a BJJ Black Belt under Carpe Diem Manila. He loves the cerebral aspect of JIu-Jitsu and enjoys playing the modern game. Aside from writing and training, he divides his time between his family and his Playstation.

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