Leg Drag Pass
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The leg drag is a pass where you pull one of the bottom player's legs across your body and pin it to the mat with your hip, so their legs point away from you and can no longer guard. From the leg drag you settle into side control or, when they turn away, take the back. It works in gi and no-gi.
The pass, step by step
Get to the position, hold it, then pick the finish.
- Grip the leg
- In the gi, a cross grip on the pants at the knee and a same-side grip at the ankle. In no-gi, cup behind the knee and control the ankle or wrap the leg.
- Drag it across
- Pull their leg across your body toward your far hip so both their knees point away from you.
- Pin it with your hip
- Step your near knee in behind their thigh and drop your hip onto their leg. This is the leg drag position.
- Settle or take the back
- Crossface or underhook the far arm and walk to side control. If they turn away to escape, take the seatbelt and put your hooks in.
When they defend
They only have a few ways out from here.
- If they turn away to recover
- Their back is open. Seatbelt and hooks before they reach their knees.
- If they turn in and frame on your hip
- Stay heavy on the leg and re-drag, or switch to a knee cut on the other side.
- If they push your head or reach across
- Their arm is extended. Step over for the armbar, or trap it and keep passing.
- If they invert or roll through
- Let go of the drag and follow to their back or settle on top as they come out.
How to defend the leg drag
Don't let your knees point away from the passer. Turn in toward them early, frame on their hip or knee with your hands, and swim your bottom knee back inside. Once your hips are pinned and you are facing away, recover by coming up to your knees with a wrestling base rather than turning your back.
Leg drag vs knee cut
The knee cut goes through the legs. The leg drag moves them out of the way and goes around. Knee cut when they're close and turned toward you, leg drag when their legs are up and active.
When to knee cut and when to leg drag →Community flows for Leg Drag Pass
- Leg Drag Fundamentals — Leg drag techniques from the Mikey Musumeci instructional series.
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 with your hip, 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, so it works well in no-gi.
How do you defend a leg drag?
Turn your knees back toward the passer before your hip is pinned, frame on their hip, and swim your bottom knee inside. If you are already flattened facing away, come up to your knees instead of turning your back.
Who is known for the leg drag?
Andre Galvao and Rodolfo Vieira are two of the best known, and most passing systems include it.
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