Also called Inside heel hook, Outside heel hook
The heel hook traps the opponent's heel in the crook of your elbow and rotates it, twisting the knee rather than the ankle. It is one of the most effective and most dangerous submissions in no-gi grappling: knee ligaments can tear before real pain arrives, which is why IBJJF allows it only for adult brown and black belts in no-gi.
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How to do it
- 1Enter a leg entanglement with your legs controlling the opponent's trapped thigh.
- 2Pinch your knees together so their knee cannot slide or rotate out.
- 3Cup their heel in the crook of your elbow, the foot trapped against your side.
- 4Clasp your hands and keep your elbow tight to your ribs.
- 5Rotate your whole upper body a few centimetres at a time, stopping at the first tap.
- Holding the heel without controlling their knee, so they rotate out while you crank.
- Twisting with the arms and jerking, which can tear ligaments instantly.
- Spinning to escape instead of tapping when caught.
Safety: Heel hooks can tear knee ligaments before pain warns you: drill them only under a coach, apply them at a crawl, tap as soon as the heel is caught and never spin to escape.
Drills
With a coach present, drill the entry to the leg entanglement and the heel grip with no rotation; add a slow, minimal finish only when your coach clears you.
Legends known for it
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