As far as advanced jiu jitsu goes, having a solid leg lock game is essential.
If we observe some of the modern jiu jitsu techniques that we see being done today by some of the best guys, each one of them has a pretty solid, if not, dangerous leg lock game.
Leg locks can be some of the best submissions if executed at the right time. If you take a look at BJJ fighters like Toquinho, Davi Ramos, and even Caio Terra, you can easily see that their leg locks are some of the best and most devastating in competition.
A perfect example of a nasty leg lock game is Davi Ramos. His leg lock game is sharp and he is fast with his transitions. Take a look at some of his setups and finishes:
Davi Ramos is the epitome of how a good leg lock game can win you fights, especially in absolute divisions against much larger opponents.
If leg locks are the discussion, then it’s impossible not to mention Rousimar Palhares, aka “Toquinho”.
Unless you’ve been under a rock for a few years now, Toquinho has some of the most brutal heel hooks anyone has ever seen. He has used his heel hook to win many grappling matches and even UFC fights. He is strong and relentless:
The leg locks of Toquinho are extremely dangerous. He is another great example of how dominant leg lock skills can win you fights.
Here are the basics:
There are five basic foot/leg lock submissions that are commonly used.
- The straight Achilles foot lock
- The heel hook
- The toe hold
- The knee bar
- the calf crank
These submissions are what make up the world of leg locks.
The Straight Achilles Foot Lock
The straight achilles foot lock is one of the more basic and less dangerous foot locks. This technique should be in everyone’s jiu jitsu encyclopedia. It involves applying pressure with the arm to the achilles tendon. It has many variations, but generally looks something like this:
A basic straight Achilles foot lock
The Achilles may not be as dangerous or painful as some of the other leg locks, but if executed at the right time with proper technique, it can can be a serious weapon. (for a more in depth look at this technique and its variations, check out this article)
The Toe Hold
The toe hold is a technique that involves applying pressure to the ligaments and tendons on the outside of the ankle/foot. A “figure four” type grip is applied to the foot which causes your opponent to either tap or allow his foot to be destroyed. A toe hold looks like this:
The Toe Hold causes the foot to bend in such a way that it pushes force through the weak tendons and ligaments of the foot
In my opinion, toe holds are a slightly more reliable submission, and generally happen from scramble positions where the opponents shin is positioned horizontally across your torso.
Heel Hooks
Heel hooks could easily be the most dangerous and devastating type of leg lock. They involve placing the inside of the wrist under your opponents heel, and twisting the heel while keeping the knee stationary. You would think that being called a heel hook, this technique would cause pain to the heel, right?
It actually puts immense pressure on the structure of the knee and can cause serious and/or permanent injury. Heel hooks look like this:
An example of how painful a heel hook can be to your opponent
If you are training this submission, always be careful with your partner. When this submission is applied properly, it does not take much to get the tap and even cause damage to your partners’ knee, so be extremely careful when doing this one guys.
The Knee Bar
The knee bar is a submission that involves applying pressure to the top of the knee cap by pulling the top of the leg with your arms and using your hips to hyper extend the knee. It looks a little something like this:
A knee bar puts a ton of pressure into your opponents knee cap and can end a fight quickly
Like the heel hook, the knee bar is one of the more dangerous leg lock submissions, and should be practiced with reasonable caution. In my opinion, it is a powerful technique, but not the most reliable leg lock compared to toe holds and some heel hooks.
The Calf Crank
The calf crank is one of the lesser seen leg locks. Although it is a viable submission, it is probably the least reliable. This is because the calf crank mostly applies pressure to the calf muscle and to the tibia and fibula bones, and not necessarily to a specific joint.
This causes substantial pain, but a lot of guys may fight through the pain long enough to escape. Here is what a calf crank looks like:
A Calf Crank variation that pushes against muscle and bone
Not only are leg locks reliable submissions if executed properly, but they are also excellent weapons against larger opponents
Here is an example of a smaller grappler, Dan Faggella, using leg lock techniques against larger opponents in absolute divisions. For those of you who do not know, Dan has an extremely crafty leg lock game and he used it to help him win the No Gi Pan Ams at brown belt. (He also has a great article on leg lock setups for competition here, definitely worth taking a look at).
As you can see, leg locks can even the playing field against larger opponents.
These techniques and submissions make up the world of leg locks, and are all formidable weapons on the mats.
As leg locks become more and more popular, it is important to know these techniques and more importantly, know how to defend against them.
If you don’t already train leg locks, you should study them, as they will add to the depth of your jiu jitsu game.
-N
Chube Jitsu 