| Leglock | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Joint-lock |
| Style | Shoot wrestling,Sambo,Jiu-Jitsu,Catch wrestling,Judo |
Aleglock is ajoint lock that is directed atjoints of theleg such as theankle,knee orhip joint.[1] A leglock which is directed atjoints in thefoot is sometimes referred to as afoot lock and a lock at thehip as ahip lock. Leglocks are featured, with various levels of restrictions, incombat sports andmartial arts such asSambo,Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,catch wrestling,[2]mixed martial arts,Shootwrestling andsubmission wrestling, but are banned in some sports featuringjoint locks such asjudo.[3][4][5] The technique has been seen across a wide range of different combat sports and is reportedly over 2,500 years old, having been seen in the lost art ofPankration in the original Olympic Games.[6]
As with other jointlocks, leglocks are more effective with full bodyleverage. Some attack the large joints of the knee or hip and involve utilizing leverage to counteract the larger muscle groups, while others directly attackligaments in the knee or the smaller joint of the ankle. Leglocks can involve control positions such as the inside leg triangle or leg knot to maintain control while applying the attack or transitioning between two attacks, though they and some other control positions are banned in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competition. Some other leglock control positions have been adopted into modern BJJ and submission grappling competitions as "guards" such as the snake guard, one-legged X-guard, and 50/50 Guard, where they are used for both leglocks and to reverse into dominant positions from the bottom.
In training or sparring, leglocks are applied in a slow and controlled manner, and are often not hyperextended such as in the case of the comparatively dangerousheel hook.[7] Instead,submission is signalled before the lock is fully applied. Inself-defense application, or when applied improperly or with excessive force, leglocks can causemuscle,tendon andligament damage, evendislocation orbone fractures.
Some examples of the many types of leglocks are found below.
Akneebar (also known aslegbar,kneelock orhiza-juji-gatame) is a leglock that can hyperextend theknee. The basic kneebar technique is similar to that of anarmbar. The practitioner will trap the opponent's leg in between their legs and secure the leg with their arms so the opponent'skneecap points towards the body. The practitioner then applies pressure with their hips, forcing the opponent's leg to straighten, hyperextending the knee joint. A variation of the kneebar is similarly accomplished, but instead of holding the leg with the hands, the practitioner will trap the opponent's foot behind one armpit. The practitioner will then apply pressure using their upper body as well and their hips, yielding a greater amount of force applied to the knee, therefore rendering the lock much more difficult to escape before tissue or ligament damage occurs.[8] Alternatively, if the practitioner is gripping low enough with both hands on the ankle and calf/shin of the opponent, the practitioner can cross one leg over and use it to press down as a leg triangle around the opponent's knee/thigh/patella/femur, making the hold more secure and allowing the practitioner to strike the opponent's groin or pin down/push away the opponent's other leg with the practitioner's non-crossed leg.
A variation of the kneebar known as theSuloev Stretch arises from the back control position, often as the opponent stands with one or both hands on the mat, thus placing their ankle within reach.[9] The opponent's ankle is pulled toward his own shoulder, effecting a tearing pressure on the hamstring of the isolated leg, hyper-extending the knee, and applying rotational pressure to the hip joint.[9]
Anankle lock (occasionally referred to as ashin lock) is a leglock that is applied to any of thejoints in theankle, typically by hyperextending thetalocrural joint throughplantar hyperflexion.[10] Ankle locks are often applied in a manner which simultaneously causes acompression lock to theachilles tendon, and sometimes also to thecalf muscle.
Thestraight ankle lock (depending on how it is performed is known in judo as anakiresuken-gatame orashi-hishigi) is what is usually thought of as an ankle lock. It is typically performed using the legs to isolate one of the opponent's legs, and placing the opponent's foot in the armpit, while holding the foot with theforearm at the lower part of the opponent'scalf, usually at theachilles tendon. By leveraging the hips forward, the foot becomes forcefullyplantar flexed, hence creating a potentjoint lock on theankle. The forearm serves as afulcrum in the leveraging, and may cause severe pressure on theachilles tendon, especially when the bony parts of the forearm are used. Such a straight ankle lock is sometimes referred to as an "achilles lock".
Atoe hold (also known asashi-dori-garami in judo) involves using the hands to hyperextend and/or hyperrotate theankle, typically by grabbing thefoot near thetoes, and twisting or pushing the foot while controlling the opponent's leg.[11] A common type of toe hold is thefigure-four toe hold, where afigure-four hold is used to hold the opponent's foot. This type of toe hold is performed by holding the foot by the toes with one hand, and putting the other hand under the opponent'sachilles tendon, and grabbing the wrist. By controlling the opponent's body, and using the hands toplantar flex the foot either straight or slightly sideways, hence putting considerabletorque on theankle. The toe hold can also be applied in a similar position as an ankle lock.
Aheel hook is a leg lock affecting multiplejoints, and is applied by transversely twisting thefoot eithermedially orlaterally.[12] Thetorsionalforce puts severetorque on theankle, which in turn transfers torque to theknee.
There are several variations of heel hooks, with the most typical being performed by placing the legs around a leg of an opponent, and holding the opponent's foot in the armpit on the same side. The legs are used to control the movement of the opponent's body while the opponent's foot is twisted by holding theheel with theforearm, and using the whole body to generate a twisting motion, hence creating severe medial torque on theankle. A similar heel hook can be performed by holding the opponent's foot in the opposite armpit, and twisting it laterally; a move which is referred to as aninverted,reverse orinside heel hook.
Many practitioners considered the heel hook to be a dangerous leg lock, with a high rate of injury,[13] especially toligaments in the knee. As a result, many popular figures in the grappling world do not believe that heel hooks should be taught to beginners.[14] Despite being a very old technique,[15] the heel hook is illegal in many forms of competitive grappling and was at one point completely banned inBrazilian jiu-jitsu underIBJJF rules, but this was changed for advanced competitors as of 2021.[16] Today there are several exceptions to this, most notably the advanced categories of competition Brazilian jiu-jitsu[17] andSambo.[18]
Acalf crush orcalf slicer (also known as calf cutter, knee slicer, or knee separator), known in judo ashiza-hishigi, is a technique wherein one compresses their opponent's leg (heel to butt) while placing one's forearm or shin behind the knee to crush the calf muscle while potentially separating the knee joint. As with biceps slicers, there is a common misconception that this technique causes only pain. Calf locks can cause very serious injuries to the knee as well as damaging the calf muscle, and caution should be a priority when finishing the lock.
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