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Ushiro Ashi-Garami

Dec 09, 20259 min read

Ushiro Ashi-Garami, translated as “reverse leg entanglement,” represents a critical defensive position within modern leg lock systems. This configuration occurs when an opponent attempts to escape standard ashi-garami positions by inverting their hips and turning away, creating a reversed leg entanglement where the attacking practitioner’s legs are positioned differently than in standard outside or inside ashi-garami.

The position is characterized by the attacker’s outside leg crossing over the defender’s trapped leg while the inside leg remains underneath, creating a figure-four configuration from a reversed angle. This orientation fundamentally changes the biomechanical leverage available for heel hooks and ankle locks, requiring different grips, hip positioning, and finishing mechanics compared to standard ashi-garami variations.

Ushiro ashi-garami emerged as competitors developed sophisticated leg lock escape systems, particularly the ability to invert and turn away from dangerous positions. Rather than allowing complete escape, advanced leg lock specialists learned to maintain entanglement through this inversion, creating new attacking opportunities from the reversed configuration. The position now serves as both a defensive recovery option and an offensive platform within comprehensive leg lock systems.

From the bottom perspective, ushiro ashi-garami represents a compromised defensive position where the practitioner has inverted to escape standard leg entanglements but remains trapped. The primary goals are to complete the escape by clearing the legs entirely, transition to a more favorable defensive configuration, or counter-attack with leg locks from the inverted position. Success requires understanding how to use the reversed orientation to create space, break grips, and extract the trapped leg while managing submission threats.

From the top perspective, maintaining ushiro ashi-garami requires adapting grip strategies and body positioning to the reversed configuration. The attacker must prevent the defender from completing their escape while establishing control sufficient for heel hook or ankle lock attempts. This involves specific adjustments to leg positioning, hip placement, and upper body control that differ significantly from standard ashi-garami attacks.

The tactical importance of ushiro ashi-garami lies in its role as a transitional position within leg lock exchanges. Practitioners who cannot maintain or escape this position effectively will find themselves consistently losing scrambles in the leg entanglement game. Modern no-gi competition, particularly at high levels, frequently involves rapid transitions through various ashi-garami configurations, making ushiro ashi-garami literacy essential for both attacking and defensive success.

Understanding the biomechanical differences between ushiro ashi-garami and standard configurations is crucial for technique selection and success rate optimization across skill levels.

Key Principles

  • Reversed orientation fundamentally changes heel hook finishing mechanics and required adjustments

  • Hip inversion creates both escape opportunities and unique submission angles depending on control depth

  • Grip fighting becomes critical as reversed position allows different hand fighting options

  • Leg configuration must be maintained precisely to prevent complete escape or counter-entanglement

  • Transition timing to other ashi-garami variants or back attacks is essential for offensive success

  • Defensive priority is clearing legs completely rather than attempting submissions from compromised position

  • Body positioning relative to opponent’s hips determines whether position favors escape or attack

Top vs Bottom

 BottomTop
Position TypeDefensiveOffensive
Risk LevelHighMedium
Energy CostMediumMedium
TimeShortShort

Key Difference: Reverse entanglement with unique heel angles

Playing as Bottom

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Key Principles

  • Complete the escape sequence by continuing rotation and leg clearing rather than stopping in reversed position

  • Protect heel exposure during extraction by keeping foot flexed and controlling distance from opponent’s upper body

  • Use inverted position to access counter-attack opportunities on opponent’s legs if escape is temporarily blocked

  • Control opponent’s inside leg with hands to prevent them from deepening entanglement or transitioning to saddle

  • Create space by extending the trapped leg and using free leg to push opponent’s hips away

  • Recognize when to accept transitional positions like turtle or deep half rather than forcing extraction

  • Monitor opponent’s grip changes as indicators of submission attempt timing and type

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Stopping the inversion movement halfway instead of committing to full rotation and escape

    • Consequence: Creates worst-case scenario where defender is inverted but still fully entangled, maximizing submission vulnerability
    • ✅ Correction: Complete inversion to turtle position or continue rotating through to standing, never pause in reversed entanglement

  • ❌ Pointing toes or relaxing foot during leg extraction, exposing heel for finishing grip

    • Consequence: Allows opponent to secure heel hook grip during escape attempt, converting defensive movement into submission
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain dorsiflexion throughout extraction process, keeping foot flexed and heel protected from opponent’s hands

  • ❌ Ignoring opponent’s inside leg position while focusing only on clearing the outside leg

    • Consequence: Opponent easily transitions to saddle or honey hole as defender clears outside leg without controlling inside position
    • ✅ Correction: Use hands to control opponent’s inside knee, preventing deep entanglement while clearing outside leg systematically

  • ❌ Attempting to stand immediately without clearing leg entanglement first

    • Consequence: Weight commitment to standing makes defender easy to sweep while legs remain entangled, often resulting in worse position
    • ✅ Correction: Clear all leg entanglement before attempting to stand, or accept turtle position as safer transitional recovery option

  • ❌ Extending trapped leg aggressively toward opponent instead of pulling away to create space

    • Consequence: Drives leg deeper into opponent’s control and tightens entanglement, making escape progressively more difficult
    • ✅ Correction: Pull trapped leg away while using free leg to push opponent’s hips, creating space for systematic extraction

  • ❌ Panicking and abandoning systematic escape for explosive scrambling

    • Consequence: Exhausts energy while creating submission windows through uncontrolled movement and position changes
    • ✅ Correction: Execute deliberate escape sequence steps in order, controlling opponent’s legs with hands while systematically clearing entanglement

Playing as Top

→ Full Top Guide

Key Principles

  • Adapt leg pressure and configuration continuously as opponent inverts to prevent complete escape

  • Adjust grip strategies for heel hooks to account for reversed hip orientation and different leverage angles

  • Control opponent’s inside leg with outside leg to prevent them from completing rotation to turtle or standing

  • Use opponent’s inversion momentum to transition to higher-control positions like saddle or back control

  • Recognize when opponent has achieved sufficient rotation that maintaining ushiro becomes inefficient

  • Balance submission attempts against position retention, prioritizing control when opponent’s escape is advanced

  • Monitor opponent’s free leg position as indicator of their next escape attempt or counter-attack opportunity

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Maintaining standard ashi-garami grips without adjusting for opponent’s inverted hip position

    • Consequence: Heel hook finishing leverage becomes compromised as opponent’s reversed orientation changes optimal grip and hip placement requirements
    • ✅ Correction: Adjust grip positions to account for inverted hip orientation, often requiring different hand placement on heel and different body angle relative to opponent

  • ❌ Focusing exclusively on immediate submission without controlling opponent’s continued rotation

    • Consequence: Opponent completes escape to turtle or standing while attacker is committed to submission attempt with inadequate position control
    • ✅ Correction: Balance submission attempts with position control, using inside leg to prevent complete rotation while establishing finishing grips

  • ❌ Allowing opponent’s free leg to get underneath attacker’s body during inversion

    • Consequence: Opponent uses free leg as lever to complete rotation or enter counter-entanglement, escaping ushiro ashi-garami entirely
    • ✅ Correction: Control opponent’s free leg with outside leg pressure, preventing them from using it as rotational lever or posting mechanism

  • ❌ Releasing leg entanglement prematurely when opponent begins inverting

    • Consequence: Allows complete escape when maintained control could have prevented rotation or created submission opportunity during transition
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain leg configuration through opponent’s inversion, adapting pressure and positioning rather than abandoning entanglement

  • ❌ Attempting to prevent inversion through pure strength rather than technical leg positioning

    • Consequence: Exhausts energy in failed attempt to stop inevitable rotation, leaving attacker too fatigued to capitalize on ushiro position
    • ✅ Correction: Allow controlled inversion while maintaining technical leg entanglement, conserving energy for submission or transition opportunities

  • ❌ Missing transition timing to saddle or honey hole when inside leg control is optimal

    • Consequence: Opponent escapes from ushiro ashi-garami during window when transition to higher-control position would have maintained attack
    • ✅ Correction: Recognize optimal transition windows based on opponent’s leg clearing progress, transitioning to saddle when inside leg is deeply controlled

  • Outside Ashi-Garami - Standard position that ushiro ashi-garami often transitions from during escape attempts

  • Inside Ashi-Garami - Alternative standard configuration with similar inversion escape vulnerabilities

  • Saddle - High-control leg entanglement that can transition through ushiro during scrambles

  • 50-50 Guard - Neutral leg entanglement that shares similar escape and counter-attack principles

  • Back Control - Common transition target when opponent continues inverting from ushiro ashi-garami

  • Single Leg X-Guard - Defensive recovery position accessible when clearing reversed leg entanglement

  • Cross Ashi-Garami - Related entanglement configuration with different mechanical properties

  • Honey Hole - High-control variant that attackers may transition to from ushiro configuration

  • Turtle - Common defensive position reached when fully inverting away from leg entanglements

  • Deep Half Guard - Alternative defensive recovery position when successfully clearing reversed entanglement