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Entry and controling Ankle and lower leg locks

It's funny how other the wrong way to do something becomes the norm. When I first started doing leg locks I did them wrong. I showed them to other people and that is how they did them - wrong. Even wrong they sometimes worked - but mostly they wouldn't and I would have given up my position for a technique doomed to fail. When doing a leg lock such as an Achilles squeeze, calve cramper or heel hook you must isolate the leg completely and prevent you opponent from being able to use his strength to counter the hold. Thus you need to not only control the leg - you also need to throw his body out of alignment.

A great way of doing this is by "wrapping the leg." Wrapping means you use your legs to hold his leg in place and also to force him into an un-natural position. Done correctly applying the finish is a foregone conclusion.

This is a great control position. I was in a shoot fighting match one time and was very tired. As me and my opponent went down I wrapped his leg. When I hit the ground I was struck with a wave of dizziness that left me nearly help less. It took me about a minute to put it back together. Through out that entire time I was able to keep my opponent immobilized and ready for the hook. Once my head cleared I was able to turn him for a reverse ankle.

The biggest advantage of taking you leg lock this way is you keep a superior position. By doing the drop back - or flat back way of getting leg locks you are very vulnerable to having your opponent ride up on you and take a mount. This way if you miss your first lock you at least keep your opponent from riding up onto you and can easily switch to a leg bender, Boston crap, Step over cross face, etc. In other words you can chain off of this technique - where the other way leaves you flat. This will also protect you legs - preventing those annoying and other fruitless dueling Achilles battles.

You can easily gain this position out of the guard or from a scramble. The key is that your outside leg wrap your opponents leg above the knee. You want to be rolling to your side near your opponents other leg. Do not allow you foot to go above your opponents waist as you wrap as this will make your foot vulnerable. Note how this position forces Uke off on of his hips. This dramatically decreases his ability to fight out of this position.

As your wrap your top foot you bottom foot complete the circle under your opponents leg. Your bottom foot remains live and pushes toes up against Uke's butt. This will keep Uke from rolling that direction and will give you great control over his body. When I take this position I do not use my hands at all. Touching Uke's leg with you hands is a dead give away to what your trying to do and is superfluous to the motion. Once I have the leg secured then I will use my hands to apply the hook.

See an MPEG of the Leg Wrap
See some Lower Leg Locks