Single Leg X Entry
Transition · Butterfly Guard
From butterfly guard, when he sits back from your hooks and extends a leg to keep his base, this takes you under him into single leg X (ashi garami). Scoot in until your hips touch his foot, so he has no time to step the leg away. Hug the leg high to your chest with his foot in your armpit and your elbow tight over the heel; your inside knee blocks his hips from dropping, your outside foot goes on his hip, and your hips stay lifted off the mat. Extend your legs to take his balance and try to make him put his hands on the mat. Sitting far from the leg, or flat on your back, lets him step out. If he sits on you, go back to butterfly; if he steps forward into you, the X-guard sweep.
How to do it
- Sit under their lead leg, scooting in until your hips touch their foot, so they have no time to step the leg away.
- Put one foot on the hip and hook the other leg behind the knee: outside foot on the hip, inside leg behind the knee, the hook at about 90 degrees so it cannot be pulled out.
- Hug the leg high to your chest, holding at the ankle rather than the knee or thigh, elbows tight: the leg is your anchor.
- Keep your hips lifted off the mat during the entry to keep the angle under them.
- Extend your legs to take their balance, then move to ashi garami or a sweep: in the gi usually the sweep, in no-gi the leg locks.
Key details
- Hug the leg tightly: it is the anchor that keeps you under them while the legs work.
- Outside foot on the hip, inside leg behind the knee: each leg has its own job, one pushes, one lifts.
- Grip the ankle, not the knee or thigh: a high grip lets them hop away.
- Keep the hips lifted during the entry; flat on the mat you have no angle.
- The inside hook goes behind the knee at about 90 degrees so it cannot be pulled out.
- Keep your elbow tight over his heel and pull it in: if he can turn the heel out and widen his stance, he gets base and the sweeps stop working.
Common mistakes
- Sitting far from the leg. — From a distance they see it coming and step the leg away. — Scoot under until your hips touch their foot.
- Not hugging the leg. — Without the hug the leg is loose and they pull it out. — Hug the leg high on your chest so it cannot move.
- The legs on the wrong side of the knee. — With the legs on the wrong side you hold the leg but not their balance. — Outside foot on the hip, inside leg behind the knee.
- Lying flat with the hook below his knee. — With the back and hips on the mat you cannot lift him, and he frees his leg or drops into mount. — Stay up on the shoulders with the hips high and lock your legs above his knee, squeezing it.
How to drill it
Single leg X entries from sitting, 10 each side; then from butterfly as the partner stands.
What comes next
Where it comes from