Leg Drag
The leg drag is a passing position where you pull one of the bottom player's legs across your body and pin it to the mat, taking away their ability to use that leg to guard. It is one of the most reliable passes in modern no-gi and gi.
Take the leg out of the fight
By dragging a leg across and stapling it, you remove the frame the bottom player needs to keep you out. From the leg drag you can settle into side control, spin to the back as they turn in, or re-drag if they recover.
A passing hub, not a single move
The leg drag connects to the back take, the crab ride, and other passes, so it works best as a hub you pass through. Most high-level passing chains run through some version of the leg drag.
Community flows for Leg Drag
- Leg Drag Fundamentals — Leg drag techniques from the Mikey Musumeci instructional series.
- Gordon Ryan Guard Passing, Part 2: Establishing Top & Passing Legs — From trilemma to top position: let knee drop to land in half guard, hand-above-elbow rule for underhook (inside bicep tie vs reverse crossface), high-elbow…
- Gordon Ryan Guard Passing: System Overview — Two-part FloGrappling guard passing system overview. Incremental inside-position approach: feet first (Part 1), upper body second (Part 2), then clear legs and…
- Gordon Ryan Guard Passing, Part 1: Entering Seated Guard — Incremental entry to inside position against seated guard: step past hip line to force three choices, achieve inside foot (straight or cross hamstring)…
- Roger Gracie’s Pressure System: Side Control to Mount Armbar [Jiu Jitsu Con 2026] — Roger Gracie teaches a seminar on his pressure-first system for turning side control into elbow isolation, a controlled mount, and an armbar. At September 5…
- Open Guard Passing System — A system for passing complicated open guard using distance, grips, and leg control.
- Bodylock Pass: Full System Map — Navigate the six-volume Lachlan Giles body lock pass. One grip, five stages, six real counters, one closed-guard opener, and six rolls of live reps. Pick your…
- Bodylock Pass, Vol 6: Live Rolling Patterns — Narrated rolling with six partners. Not new techniques: the patterns that actually repeat when the body lock meets a real opponent. The reset habit after…
- Bodylock Pass, Vol 5: Sao Paulo Open to Body Lock — Lachlan Giles' closed-guard opener that hands off directly into the body lock entry. Four-stage sequence: posture and ankle grip, trap both feet, isolate one…
- Bodylock Pass, Vol 4: Finishing the Pass — Lachlan Giles' last two stages of bodylock passing: free the knee, free the foot. Half-guard base mechanics with the body lock still on. Counters for…
- Bodylock Pass, Vol 3: Clearing the Knee Line — Lachlan Giles' The middle stage of the pass. Arm past the knee line first, then leg. Flatten a vertical thigh before you step. Butterfly-hook handling with the…
- Bodylock Pass, Vol 2: Setups & Entries — Every path into the body lock. Force them to sit up by squaring and pulling knees from chest. A flat-on-back grip for opponents who refuse. Wrist-grip breaks…
Frequently asked questions
What is a leg drag in BJJ?
A pass where you pull the bottom player's leg across your body and pin it, neutralizing that leg so you can move to a pin or the back.
What does the leg drag lead to?
Side control when you settle, or the back when the bottom player turns away to recover. It also re-chains into other passes if they defend.
Is the leg drag good for no-gi?
Yes. It relies on controlling the leg and hips rather than grips, which makes it one of the most reliable no-gi passes.
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