Also called Figure-four toe hold, Ashi-dori-garami
The toe hold is a figure-four foot lock: grip the top of the opponent's foot near the toes, thread your other arm under their Achilles tendon and grab your own wrist, then bend the foot down and turn it. It attacks the ankle and can reach the knee, so jiu-jitsu keeps it for advanced belts. Frank Gotch made it famous.
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How to do it
- 1Control the opponent's leg so their foot is in front of you.
- 2Grip the top of their foot near the toes with one hand.
- 3Thread your other arm under their Achilles tendon and grab your own wrist.
- 4Pin their knee with your legs so it cannot turn with the foot.
- 5Bend the foot down and turn it slightly inward, slowly, until they tap.
- Letting their knee turn freely, so they spin out of the lock.
- Holding the foot loosely away from your body.
- Cranking fast; the ankle and knee can be damaged before a tap.
Safety: Leg locks can injure the ankle and knee before pain warns you: apply them slowly, tap early and drill them only with a coach present.
Drills
With a coach present, your partner stands in your open guard and steps a foot near your hip; trap it, lock the figure-four and apply slowly, five reps a side.
Legends known for it
2010–now
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