Toe Hold

Toe Hold from Leg Locks is a finishing attack built around a handful of repeatable controls. Sweeper is on top after a worm sweep with the opponent's knee rotated outward and the foot exposed in front of the sweeper's body. Another common starting shape: the bottom player is in half butterfly with the opponent's foot exposed near the hip, allowing access to the toes and instep. The ideas that hold it together are sweep-to-submission, knee control during footlock, and toe hold finishes through rotation, not extension.

The toe hold chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Rotate to the side to face the exposed foot. Grab the toes with the inside hand and figure-four the wrist. Rotate the foot in the natural breaking direction while pulling the knee toward the body. Grip the toes with the choking-side hand, four fingers over the top of the foot. Lock a figure-four with the second arm trapping the ankle. Rotate the foot inward and downward toward the opponent's hip. Target the toe hold when the opponent's feet are crossed loosely or in a figure-four. Grip the foot with the outside hand and bring the inside hand through to a Kobura grip. Sweeper has secured a figure-four toe hold grip on the exposed foot and is rotating the foot to elicit the tap.

Later in the toe hold, knee line must be controlled to keep the foot trapped, kobura grip, and chest attachment tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Cranking the toe hold without controlling the knee, allowing the opponent to spin out. Releasing top pressure to chase the submission. Pulling instead of rotating, which makes the lock a stretch instead of a twist. Failing to control the knee line, allowing the opponent to spin out. The high-percentage version of toe hold from leg locks is the one you can still chain when the first squeeze is defended.