Why and When to use BJJ, Leg Locks?

With so many different combat styles, most people think about the one method that can help them offer quick results. When someone attacks you on the street there is little to no time to gain back your control. Most of the combat games including boxing or Muay Thai mainly rely on upper body strength especially punches. However, sometimes punches are not enough. When someone attacks or takes hold of you, you need to know how you are going to regain control and make them paralyzed right away.

BJJ is known to be one of the best combat methods that help in primary and secondary self-defense. One swift move and you have not only gained back your control, but you have also gained back full dominants. The art of BJJ is filled engrossed in gaining dominance in tough situations. It is more about the mental ability to hold someone and know exactly what they are going to do. Since BJJ is still going through an evolution, certain trends start and then make a comeback. For a very long time, leg locks were considered dangerous and were banned from the game. However, they are suddenly back in action.

With the help of this article, we will explore the world of BJJ and how leg locks are becoming more fashionable than ever. We will also talk about some hazards of leg locks and why they were banned and not taught to beginners.

The Comeback of Leg Locks

BJJ is an evolving field where you will learn a lot of skills and techniques but you need to understand some of the best trends that you can use to your advantage. Over a long period, BJJ has grown through a lot of changes. Most of the locks and chokes

that you see today were once banned or were far too dangerous. However as time passed, techniques evolved and now fighters stay mindful about the damage they can cause to their opponent. Previously leg lock was a frowned upon technique and was banned for a few years and legally during a game, it was asked to not use leg locks. Beginners were not taught leg locks at all and if someone showed any interest they were asked to wait till they had an experience of at least a few years in the BJJ industry. However, recently, leg locks have made a comeback and they are even being used in International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation tournaments. For a beginner who is still trying to figure out when and why you need to use a leg lock, it is important to read your opponent well.

To answer this question in-depth, let explore the features that can help you know when to initiate a leg lock.

Basic Leg Lock Rules

As we discussed earlier, you need to have in-depth knowledge about the leg locks and you also need to experience them. Most people who are considere beginners will find it hard to learn the technique. For the white belt fighter, here are some of the most important rules and regulations you need to keep in mind. Due to the danger that is connected and associated with using leg lock, IBJJF enforce a rule that you can only have very restrict use of leg lock if you are a white belt fighter. As a new fighter in the file, you must know that since you are not very experience this might get hard to understand when to expert power and when to hold only. This is the reason as a beginner or a white belt fighter, you need to only use a straight ankle lock. No matter you are a beginner in GI or no GI, you can only use a straight ankle lock and nothing else. To apply this lock, you need to hold the knee near the ankle and then turn away. You need to know that turning away is good but turning toward the knee might hurt and it is illegal as well. For a beginner, knee reaping is illegal in GI BJJ as well.

As a Professional

As a professional who has the experience, you might have a purple belt, blue belt, black belt, or brown belt. Since you have a better experience and you know the technique you will be able to work on it in a better way. Now, as a professional, you have endless options as well. As a blue or purple belt holder, you can only use the straight ankle leg lock technique however if you have a black or brown belt you can then look for alternatives. Apart from the straight leg ankle lock, you can also use calf slicers, a rather painful and effective leg lock as well as toe hold and kneebar. One thing to keep in mind is to ensure that you are not exerting too much pressure and you know exactly when to hold and when to turn away. Without mastering the technique you will end up hurting your opponent and this can lead to disqualification. Although as your become experienced you will know better when and how to use your body, however, practice will be the only key.

Bottom Line

To sum it all up, we can all agree that leg locks were pretty dangerous. Although it offers better control and makes the other person paralyzed but it requires a great deal of control. One wrong move or yanking at the wrong tendon and you might make the other person paralyzed for the rest of their life. You need to find the right balance of pressure and hold so you do not end up causing too much pain. Another very important thing to keep in mind is that it requires a great deal of patience, practice, and a lot of work to master this art. BJJ is a very complex game and to become a professional you need to look at the trends and know when and where to use the right move. Since leg locks are making a comeback, it is much better to focus on the technique first and see how you can master it over time. Rushing the process will only make it more painful as your opponent will struggle in your hold. You have to technically see which area is more important and where you can hold for better grip without causing damage.