Leg Lock Block

Your primary entry guard and the starting point for the majority of this block's sequences. From here you will be transitioning directly into Single Leg X. Get comfortable connecting to this position from the seated guard before trying to rush into the entanglement — a poor shin-on-shin connection makes everything downstream harder.

K-Guard is a more specialised position with a direct and reliable path to backside 50/50 and a kneebar option. It is less of a general entry guard and more of a targeted weapon — use it when the opportunity presents itself rather than as a default starting point.

Reverse De La Riva is your platform for two specific sequences: the Imanari Roll into the saddle, and the False Reap into the saddle. Both paths lead to the inside heel hook and both are high-percentage against a standing opponent. These are worth drilling until the entry feels automatic.

Your primary leg entanglement and the position you will spend most of your time in during this block. Almost every Shin on Shin sequence passes through here. Learn to hold it, feel the pressure against a resistant partner, and transition out of it fluently. This is the hub of the system.

Also known as the Honey Hole, Cross Ashi, or Inside Sankaku. This is your primary attacking position for the inside heel hook. Once you are here with good control, your opponent's defensive options are limited. The saddle video above covers entry in detail — study it alongside the heel hook mechanics in Section 03.

Your primary platform for the outside heel hook. The critical detail here is grip: use a shotgun or Achilles grip, not a scoop grip. The scoop grip exposes your back to a leg drag counter. Keep your inside knee framing the centre line to maintain distance and prevent them from wedging behind you.

These are your mutual entanglement positions. Backside 50/50 — where both athletes are facing the same direction — is the preferable position for finishing the inside heel hook, because it limits your opponent's rotation. From standard 50/50 you have access to straight ankle locks, toe holds, and the Woj Lock.

Both of these are dynamic ways to enter the saddle from Reverse De La Riva. The Imanari Roll is a rolling entry from standing — high commitment, high reward when timed well. The False Reap is a more controlled backstep-style entry that shares its underlying mechanics with the Reverse X-Guard saddle entry. If you understand the backstep concept, both entries click immediately.

Your primary finish from the Saddle and Backside 50/50. Study the mechanics carefully and apply pressure slowly in training — the inside heel hook is the most dangerous submission in this system. There is very little warning before serious knee damage occurs, which means both athletes need to understand it. Tap early, apply slowly.

Your primary finish from Outside Ashi Garami and the reap position. The outside heel hook attacks the lateral knee structures and can be applied while your opponent is still upright — do not wait for them to be flat on the mat before engaging the finish.

Available from Reverse X-Guard, K-Guard, and SLX. The kneebar is mechanically similar to an armbar — you hyperextend the knee along a straight line rather than applying rotational torque. It is available from positions where a heel hook is not, making it a valuable alternative when your partner defends the saddle entry well.

Three ankle locks, all operating from the same platforms — primarily SLX, Outside Ashi, and 50/50 — but with different mechanical angles. The straight ankle lock applies linear extension through the Achilles. The Aoki Lock applies rotational pressure from inside the ashi garami and is closer to an inside heel hook in its effect. The Woj Lock (a reverse Aoki) creates a corkscrew ankle compression from a different grip angle — it is difficult to anticipate and remains effective even when opponents are defending the more common locks.

Learn the straight ankle lock first. Add the Aoki and Woj once you are secure in the base position — they are best understood as upgrades from the straight lock, not separate techniques.

Available from 50/50 and Outside Ashi. The toe hold is fast, deceptive, and often unseen by an opponent focused on defending the heel hook. It uses a figure-four grip on the foot to apply rotational ankle and knee stress. Keep it in your back pocket for moments when your primary attacks are being anticipated.