Technique by: Marcio Feitosa    Photos by: Dave Contreras

The single leg takedown is a common way to get taken down, particularly when training without the gi. While there are numerous ways to escape when your opponent has one of your legs in the air, this particular counter becomes even more effective the tighter your opponent holds on. This sacrifice throw relies on you being able to keep your opponent’s grip locked on tight to your leg. His committed attack is what ends up sending him flat on his back on the mat enabling you to get on top and apply a submission of your own - in this case an armbar or an americana.

Technique/Article by: Rik Brown    Photos by: Dave Contreras

Martial Artists, MMA Fighters, BJJ, and Wrestlers, when your grip is gone so is your chance for victory.  Without a strong, powerful grip, you can’t control or hold your opponent.  You can’t “Lock Him Up!” in your submission attempts.  And without grip endurance, you can’t fight him off as the match wears on.

Article by: “The Fight Professor” Stephen Quadros

Article & Photos by: Martin Rooney

Impenetrable:  Incapable of being penetrated or pierced; not admitting the passage of other bodies.

Technique: Gokor Chivichyan    Article by: Kevin Howell   Photos by: Dave Contreras

The open guard is a very dangerous position with regards to leg attacks. With your opponent’s legs just hanging in the air, a swift leg submission can end the fight in an instant. While the guy on the bottom will try to stop you from passing his guard, sometimes you don’t even have to pass but you can go straight for the submission. This is just one of the many techniques that Gokor teaches on his new “Leglock Encyclopedia 5 DVD Set” available from Budovideos.com.

Technique: Leo Vieira    Article: Kevin Howell    Photos: Dave Contreras

The following technique section originally appeared in Vol. 5 of the Budovideos magazine (now called Martial Generation Magazine). Below, multiple time BJJ World champion, and ADCC champion, Leo Vieira demonstrates some of his favorite half-guard techniques. The half-guard is a great position to attack your transitions.  The reasoning is simple - oftentimes when passing the half-guard, your opponent will go for a single leg takedown or simply try to bridge you over on to your back.  The trick here is to go for your pass, but to be ready for his proper escape with a transition of your own.  As with all of the techniques that I teach, I always show a few options based on an intelligent opponent’s defense.  When you are small like me, your best option is to have a deep bag of tricks!