Suloev Stretch
Submission · Turtle
A leg lock on a straight leg: the ankle is pulled toward his own shoulder while his hips are pinned, tearing at the hamstring, hyperextending the knee and twisting the hip. It belongs to back control or the back of the turtle: the moment is when he posts on both hands and feet into a tripod to stand up and shake you off, and his feet come within reach. Slide down, catch one ankle with both arms, forearm hooked just above the heel and hands clasped, and keep the leg straight. Drive your hips down onto his hips and thigh so the pelvis cannot follow, then pull the foot slowly toward your face. A bent knee or free hips kill it. He defends by bending the knee and turning toward you. It tears with little warning: pull slowly, release at the tap.
How to do it
- Start from back control or from behind the turtle. When he posts both hands and both feet on the mat to stand up and shake you off (a tripod), his hips go up, his legs straighten and his feet come within reach behind him.
- Slide down his back and catch one ankle with both arms: hook your forearm just above the heel and clasp your hands, or cup under the heel with both hands. One arm is not enough to hold the leg.
- Pull the ankle tight to your chest and keep his leg straight. The lock lives only while the knee is straight; a bent knee takes all the pressure off.
- Drop your weight and drive your hips down onto his hips and the top of that thigh, so his pelvis is pinned and cannot rise or turn with the leg.
- Finish: pull the foot slowly toward your face, which brings it toward his own shoulder. With the hips pinned the straight leg is pried into a split: the hamstring stretches, the knee is forced past straight and the hip twists. Stop at the first tap.
Key details
- Wait for the tripod: when he stands on hands and feet, his legs are straight and his feet come to you. Do not chase a foot while he is low on his knees.
- Your hips on his hips are the fulcrum: if his pelvis rises with the leg, the stretch disappears.
- Keep the knee straight by holding the ankle tight to your chest: with any slack he bends the leg and pulls it out.
- Both arms on the ankle: with one arm the foot slips and the pull turns into a jerk instead of controlled pressure.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the foot before the hips are pinned. — His pelvis follows the leg, he turns toward you and bends the knee. — Pin his hips with yours first, then pull the foot slowly.
- Yanking the leg. — The hamstring and the knee tear with little warning, and a jerk gives him no time to tap. — Increase the pull slowly and stop at the first tap.
- Giving up back control to chase the foot. — If he has not stood up on his feet, the foot is not there and you lose the back for nothing. — Keep your back control until he posts on hands and feet, then slide down.
How to drill it
Your partner is in turtle with you on his back. On your signal he rises onto hands and feet; you slide down, catch one ankle with both arms and pin his hips with yours, then stop without pulling. Five times on each side, then switch roles.
Safety
The hamstring and knee tear with little warning: no full stretch in drilling, pull slowly in sparring and release at the first tap. Check the event rules before using it in competition.