Honey Hole Position Bottom (also called Inside Ashi Garami Bottom, Saddle Bottom, Inside Sankaku Bottom, or 4/11 Bottom) is one of the most dangerous defensive positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where your leg is trapped in your opponent’s inside ashi garami configuration with your heel exposed for heel hook attacks. This position represents critical defensive challenge because opponent has dominant control of your leg with direct access to inside heel hook - the highest percentage leg lock submission.
From bottom of Honey Hole, your leg is trapped between opponent’s legs with their inside leg triangled around your leg, controlling your hip and preventing rotation. Your heel is exposed and captured by opponent’s hands, positioned for immediate heel hook application. The position is characterized by extreme limitation of defensive options - you cannot effectively pull your leg free, rotation is restricted by leg triangle, and opponent’s control enables rapid submission finishing.
Strategically, being on bottom of Honey Hole is survival situation rather than competitive position. Goal is immediate escape or, if escape impossible, recognizing submission inevitability and tapping before injury. Position is so dominant for top player that defensive success rates are significantly lower than other defensive positions. Modern leg lock systems have made Honey Hole bottom one of most feared positions in competition.
Position Definition
- Your leg is trapped deep between opponent’s legs with their inside leg triangled around your thigh, creating inescapable entanglement that controls your hip rotation and prevents leg extraction through mechanical advantage
- Your heel is exposed and accessible to opponent’s grip, positioned vulnerably for inside heel hook application with your foot typically captured by both of opponent’s hands establishing breaking grip configuration
- You are on your back or side with trapped leg extended and controlled, while opponent’s hips are elevated and tight against your leg creating maximum control and pressure on the knee joint
Prerequisites
- Opponent successfully established inside position during leg entanglement exchange
- Your leg became trapped between opponent’s legs during guard passing, scramble, or leg lock transition
- Opponent secured triangle configuration with inside leg around your thigh
- Your heel became exposed and accessible to opponent’s hands
- Failed to prevent opponent’s entry into inside ashi garami during transition
Key Defensive Principles
- Immediate escape is paramount - Every second in this position increases submission danger exponentially
- Prevent heel exposure at all costs - Once heel is fully captured, escape probability drops dramatically
- Rotation defense requires explosive commitment - Half-measures fail, escapes must be immediate and total
- Recognize submission inevitability - When position is locked and opponent begins pressure, tap immediately
- Never fight heel hook past tightening point - Knee damage occurs in seconds once pressure applied
- Grip fighting is last-resort defense - If you cannot escape position, prevent heel hook grip establishment
- Protect your knee by controlling rotation - Your knee ligaments are most vulnerable to rotational pressure combined with heel exposure
Available Escapes
Inversion Escape → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 45%
Hip Escape → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 25%
- Advanced: 40%
Counter Sweep → 50-50 Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Rolling to Guard → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 12%
- Intermediate: 28%
- Advanced: 42%
Technical Standup → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 8%
- Intermediate: 20%
- Advanced: 35%
Saddle Defense → Outside Ashi-Garami
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 18%
- Intermediate: 32%
- Advanced: 48%
Rolling Back Take → Backside 50-50
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 14%
- Intermediate: 27%
- Advanced: 43%
Ashi Garami Escape → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 16%
- Intermediate: 31%
- Advanced: 46%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent has not yet secured heel grip and triangle is forming:
- Execute Hip Escape → Open Guard (Probability: 35%)
- Execute Granby Roll → Turtle (Probability: 30%)
- Execute Counter Sweep → 50-50 Guard (Probability: 25%)
If opponent has heel grip but has not yet applied breaking pressure:
- Execute Grip Break → Defensive Position (Probability: 20%)
- Execute Rolling to Guard → Half Guard (Probability: 15%)
- Execute Saddle Defense → Outside Ashi-Garami (Probability: 18%)
If opponent has locked heel hook grip with triangle secured and begins applying pressure:
- Execute Tap Out → Won by Submission (Probability: 95%)
- Execute Rolling Back Take → Defensive Position (Probability: 5%)
If opponent loses triangle momentarily during transition:
- Execute Hip Escape → Open Guard (Probability: 40%)
- Execute Technical Standup → Standing Position (Probability: 25%)
- Execute Granby Roll → Turtle (Probability: 30%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Most dangerous opponent submission path
Honey Hole Bottom → Inside Heel Hook → Won by Submission
Secondary opponent submission threat
Honey Hole Bottom → Toe Hold → Won by Submission
Opponent positional advancement path
Honey Hole Bottom → Leg Drag Pass → Side Control → Mount
Best escape path to safety
Honey Hole Bottom → Counter Sweep → 50-50 Guard → Open Guard
Explosive escape to neutral
Honey Hole Bottom → Granby Roll → Turtle → Standing Position
Alternative submission threat from position
Honey Hole Bottom → Kneebar Finish → Won by Submission
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 5% | 10% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 15% | 25% | 15% |
| Advanced | 30% | 45% | 35% |
Average Time in Position: 5-15 seconds before submission or escape
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The inside ashi garami bottom position represents one of the most asymmetric control-to-escape ratios in all of grappling. From mechanical perspective, the inside leg triangle creates what I call ‘rotational imprisonment’ - your hip’s natural escape mechanism through rotation is directly countered by opponent’s inside leg configuration. The geometry of the position is such that every force vector you can generate for escape is met with superior mechanical advantage from top position. What makes this position particularly insidious is the time factor - unlike positional submissions where you have extended period to work escapes, the heel hook from inside position can be completed in under two seconds once grip is established. Your defensive priority must be prevention of entry rather than escape after establishment. The moment you feel opponent’s inside leg beginning to triangle around your thigh, you have approximately one second window for explosive escape before mechanical control becomes total. This is not hyperbole - the position’s control efficiency is so high that even small delays in defensive reaction reduce escape probability exponentially. Training must emphasize immediate recognition and instantaneous response, as deliberative decision-making occurs too slowly to be effective.
Gordon Ryan
From competition experience, I can tell you that once I lock up inside position on someone’s leg, the match is essentially over unless they escape in the first second. I’ve submitted numerous black belt world champions from this position, and the pattern is always the same - if they don’t explode out immediately when I’m establishing the triangle, they’re getting tapped. The success rate from fully locked inside ashi garami is probably 95% or higher at the highest levels. What people don’t understand is how fast the submission happens once I have my grips. I’m not slowly building pressure like an armbar - I can go from grips to full breaking pressure in under two seconds. In competition, I actually prefer when opponents try to fight the position after I’ve locked it up, because their struggling just lets me adjust my angle and finish faster. The only people who escape are those who recognize the danger early and commit 100% to explosive rotation before my position is set. If you’re thinking about your options while I have inside position, you’ve already lost. In training, I expect immediate taps from my partners when I lock this up, because there’s no benefit to fighting it - you’re just risking injury for no learning value. The real learning is in preventing me from getting there in the first place.
Eddie Bravo
The Honey Hole is probably the most dangerous position we teach in the 10th Planet system, and we spend a lot of time drilling both the offense and defense because the injury risk is so real. From bottom, the defensive mindset has to be ‘escape or tap’ - there’s no in-between. I’ve seen too many people get hurt trying to tough it out when someone has them locked up in inside position. The key thing I teach is recognizing the position early - if you can feel their inside leg starting to come around your thigh, that’s your alarm bell going off. You’ve got maybe one explosive movement to get out before they lock it down. We drill a lot of inverted escapes and counter-entanglements, but honestly, the best defense is not letting them get inside position in the first place. In rolling, our culture is tap early and tap often from leg locks, especially Honey Hole. There’s no shame in tapping to position - I’d rather have healthy training partners who can train tomorrow than tough guys who need knee surgery. When we’re teaching beginners, we don’t even let them work heel hooks from inside position until they’ve demonstrated they understand the danger and can recognize when to tap. This isn’t a position where you learn through trial and error - you learn through drilling the escapes and respecting the tap.