Monday, May 11, 2009

U.S. Grappling rules: straight footlock legality

Chrissy took some pics a few weeks ago for use on the U.S. Grappling rules page. I'll do my best do describe some of the submission legality and point scoring issues we shot.

The legality of the "footlock," or straight ankle lock, is perhaps the most common area of confusion in all of BJJ and submission grappling rules. Below are several examples of legal methods by which to apply the footlock vs illegal methods.

LEGAL


Note: you must fall to the same side as the leg you are attacking.





























Note: my foot rests on my partner's hip and my toes point outward.

Crossing your feet outside is OK.

Finishing belly-down is OK.

Finishing the cross-body ankle lock is OK, provided you fall to the same side as the foot you are attacking.

ILLEGAL

Note: the plane of my partner's hip is breached. This is called "reaping the knee," and jeopardizes the safety of his knee. This is never allowed in the gi, and is only allowed in no-gi advanced divisions.

This is illegal. You must fall to the same side of the leg you are attacking. This is never legal with the gi, and is legal for no-gi advanced only.

1 comment:

  1. Great post, I love the clarification.

    However, these rules are going to create a generation of grapplers who can't leg-lock correctly.

    You always want to have the locked leg up and their other leg underneath you if you can. It prevents any number of very easy escapes.

    You always want to 'reap the knee' (more accurately: control the hip) and double lace if you can to get an isolation that can not be easily broken.

    These rules are the equivalent to making it illegal to put a leg across/over the face for an armlock.

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