Heel Hook
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The heel hook is a leg lock that uses the heel as a handle to rotate the lower leg, putting twisting force on the knee. It is the most effective finish in modern no-gi grappling and also the most restricted, because the knee usually gives way before the pain arrives.
Inside versus outside heel hook
The inside heel hook attacks the trapped leg from the inside, the side facing the opponent's other leg. It usually comes from the saddle (inside sankaku) or 50/50, where your legs control the knee from the inside. The outside heel hook attacks the same leg from the outside, usually from outside ashi garami. The inside version is the stronger finish, while outside heel hooks are easier to reach from standing and from open guard.
Where heel hooks come from
Heel hooks are finished from entanglements, not from grabbing a foot. The common routes in are single-leg X to outside ashi, a backside 50/50 or the saddle from the inside, and the cross ashi entries players hit off the butterfly guard. Each position controls the knee line differently, so learn which heel each one exposes.
Control before the finish
A heel hook finishes when the knee can't follow the heel. That means pinching the knees together around their leg, keeping your outside foot across their hip so they can't turn away, and catching the heel in the crook of your elbow with the blade of your forearm on the heel bone. Rotate with your upper body and hips together. Most missed heel hooks are lost to a loose knee line or a heel that slipped free, not to grip strength.
Defending the heel hook
Defense starts before the grip. Hide the heel by pointing your toes and turning the foot to the outside of their hip, clear your knee past their legs, and escape before the entanglement is locked. Once a heel hook is locked on, turning with it rarely works and spinning the wrong way is how knees get hurt. Tap early.
Rules and training safety
IBJJF allows heel hooks and knee reaping only for adult brown and black belts in no-gi, and never in the gi. ADCC and many submission-only events allow heel hooks for experienced divisions. Rules differ by organization, belt, and age, so check the event before you train for it. In the room, apply heel hooks slowly and let partners tap to the position, not the pain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an inside and outside heel hook?
The inside heel hook attacks the leg from the inside, the side facing their other leg, and usually comes from the saddle or 50/50. The outside heel hook attacks it from the outside and usually comes from outside ashi garami. The inside version is generally the stronger finish.
Are heel hooks legal in BJJ?
At IBJJF, only for adult brown and black belts in no-gi, and never in the gi. ADCC and many submission-only events allow them for experienced divisions. Check each event's rules for your belt and age.
Why are heel hooks so dangerous?
The heel hook twists the knee, and the ligaments can tear before you feel much pain. That is why they are drilled slowly and why tapping to the position, rather than waiting for pain, is the safe habit.
How do you defend a heel hook?
Hide the heel by pointing your toes and turning the foot outside their hip, clear your knee past their legs, and escape before the entanglement is locked. If the heel hook is already locked, tap.
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