Crossed legs

@thleticsJunkie

@thleticsJunkie

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This is something I've been wondering about for a while now. I've heard Rogan make the comment that you shouldn't cross your legs when you have someone's back because it leaves you open for a leg lock from that position.

Does anyone know the technique he is referring to? I'm talking about crossing your ankles when you have your opponent's back, not a body triangle. If anyone has a video of how to get your opponent in a leg lock when he crosses his ankles while on your back, a vid or explanation of what to do would be appreciated.
 
If someone crosses their legs when taking your back you can cross your legs over theirs and bridge up, pulling their ankles down. It's a white belt submission, something that you get pulled up on everytime you do it (crossing feet) so really shouldn't be something that makes it to high end competition. That being said, it's not unknown for higher belts to kind of do it on autopilot for a second and then quickly change, so maybe they can get caught then (fwiw a white belt tapped out a black at my school with this exact move due to this simple brain fart).
 
Yeah, I had that happen to me the first couple weeks of bjj. I had a guy's back, and he's like "don't cross your feet." I say, "why?" and he wraps one of his legs over my crossed feet and puts a tremendous amount of downward pressure on it. It was a douchebag way for him to answer me, because I honestly had trouble walking for a few days, but now I know never to cross my feet when I have someone's back.
 
Wokko said:
If someone crosses their legs when taking your back you can cross your legs over theirs and bridge up, pulling their ankles down. It's a white belt submission, something that you get pulled up on everytime you do it (crossing feet) so really shouldn't be something that makes it to high end competition. That being said, it's not unknown for higher belts to kind of do it on autopilot for a second and then quickly change, so maybe they can get caught then (fwiw a white belt tapped out a black at my school with this exact move due to this simple brain fart).
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I follow, when you have your hooks in, your feet are on your opponent's hip/inner thigh region. How could you possibly get your leg over?

Oh, and I see this happen in top level MMA all the time.

*Edit
I guess I just need to try just doing it next time, I've just never seen this technique utilized... I grapple and watch an assload of MMA, I see guys cross their ankles all the time, I just can't figure out if this does work... Why isn't it utilized more
 
It's not the same as having your hooks in, it's like taking a closed guard from the back. So the crossed feet are right between your thighs and putting your legs over them is pretty easy.

If someone does it in MMA, I can't see why their opponent can't ankle lock them, unless having no gi pants makes it too slippery or something?
 
Haha! I'm pretty sure I learned not to cross my feet in back control in my second BJJ class... the hard way :)

That said, I still do it sometimes. But only for a moment until I remember not to do it.

When new guys have my back and they cross their feet I tell them to not cross their feet, and then show them why not to, but gently. After that it's on them to watch out for it :icon_chee
 
It only works if he crosses his ankles below your hip. You don't need to get your legs over them, only your foot, and figure-4 your legs.

Experienced grapplers know when it's safe to cross their legs and sometimes do it for better control. But usually not for long.
 
Yeah I found out the hard way too, I think it's like a rite of passage for every newb (which I still am).

Bit like being armbarred trying to benchpress someone off mount.
 
West-206 said:
Yeah, I had that happen to me the first couple weeks of bjj. I had a guy's back, and he's like "don't cross your feet." I say, "why?" and he wraps one of his legs over my crossed feet and puts a tremendous amount of downward pressure on it. It was a douchebag way for him to answer me, because I honestly had trouble walking for a few days, but now I know never to cross my feet when I have someone's back.
Click to expand...

Why is that a douchebag move? Maybe he should've done it slowly like all leg subs but like you said, you'll never do it again. Most people won't believe that it works until they've had it applied to them.
 
I always catch new guys who get my back with it. I usually let them get it just to make myself feel better before taking it seriously.
 
I also ankle lock guys whenever they put a body triangle on from the back.
 
Is there a name for this sub? I'm having a hard time picturing it.
[edit] Nevermind, found another thread explaining it. Bad post is bad.
 
tysnw said:
How?
Click to expand...
-In reference to body lock counter triangle

If you can get opponents anchoring leg (which is ordinarily on the outside of your leg) between your legs you can triangle your far-side leg over the dorsum of his foot and under the back of your other knee and triangle away for the ankle lock. Key is you have to get that opponents leg between yours to pull this off though.
 
TSD-Bulldog said:
-In reference to body lock counter triangle

If you can get opponents anchoring leg (which is ordinarily on the outside of your leg) between your legs you can triangle your far-side leg over the dorsum of his foot and under the back of your other knee and triangle away for the ankle lock. Key is you have to get that opponents leg between yours to pull this off though.
Click to expand...

Understood. Thank you!
 
Wokko said:
If someone crosses their legs when taking your back you can cross your legs over theirs and bridge up, pulling their ankles down. It's a white belt submission, something that you get pulled up on everytime you do it (crossing feet) so really shouldn't be something that makes it to high end competition. That being said, it's not unknown for higher belts to kind of do it on autopilot for a second and then quickly change, so maybe they can get caught then (fwiw a white belt tapped out a black at my school with this exact move due to this simple brain fart).
Click to expand...

Yep, I got tapped after 3 years of training by a couple monther because I was being retarded and crossed my legs too low.

To be fair, though, you can cross your legs, just not in certain places (see BJ Penn vs. I forget). If your legs are crossed more across the body you're ok. Or just figure four, tuck your feet, and forget about it (as long as it's not on the floor side.)
 
Here is an old video of it

YouTube - Mifune Judo Leglocks

Starts at 0:08

I dont think this is a powerful submission so i still cross my feet whenever i feel like, the first time someone did to me i was like "ouch" as i didnt expected it, which prompted my partner to ease the submission, i didnt considered it as submission but more as a pressure move, like the lockdown.

Next time against a brown he did it to me and i just straightened my leg and while i felt pressure it didnt really didnt felt like tapping, maybe someone stronger can do it, but the way i see it is 2 legs vs 2 legs, so i think its a strength submission.
 
Athens1 said:
How do you do that if the lock isn't on the floor side? Or if the other foot is tucked under your knee.
Click to expand...


This is actually the technique I was referring to.
I always roll to trap their leg to the floor. If the swap sides on the triangle I either use the opportunity to escape or roll back to the side they are moving to. You might not always get the tap but it's all about creating an option for you to do something.
 
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