Ushiro ashi-garami bottom represents a critical juncture in leg lock defense where the practitioner has attempted to invert and escape from standard ashi-garami positions but remains partially entangled. This reversed configuration creates both immediate submission danger and potential escape opportunities depending on the depth of the opponent’s control and the defender’s technical knowledge.
The defensive practitioner in ushiro ashi-garami has their leg trapped in a reversed figure-four configuration with their hips inverted relative to standard positions. The opponent’s outside leg crosses over the trapped leg while their inside leg remains underneath, creating heel hook and ankle lock threats from an unusual angle. The defender’s inverted position changes the biomechanics of both submission defense and escape sequences, requiring specific technical adjustments.
The primary strategic objective from ushiro ashi-garami bottom is completing the escape sequence that the inversion initiated. This involves clearing the opponent’s legs entirely while protecting against heel hooks during the extraction process. Secondary objectives include counter-attacking with leg locks from the inverted position or transitioning to more favorable defensive configurations like single leg x-guard or deep half guard.
Defensive success in ushiro ashi-garami requires understanding the specific submission mechanics from reversed positions. Heel hooks from ushiro ashi-garami require different grip configurations and hip positioning than standard variations, creating windows of opportunity during the attacker’s adjustment phase. Defenders must capitalize on these windows while maintaining awareness of ankle lock threats that may be more readily available from the reversed angle.
The position frequently occurs in high-level no-gi competition when sophisticated defenders attempt to escape leg entanglements through inversion. Attackers who have developed ushiro ashi-garami maintenance skills can prevent complete escape, creating scramble situations that favor practitioners with superior technical knowledge of the reversed configuration. Defensive practitioners must develop both escape proficiency and submission awareness to navigate these scrambles successfully.
Energy management in ushiro ashi-garami bottom is critical, as panicked escape attempts often worsen position or create submission opportunities. Systematic clearing of the opponent’s legs while controlling distance and managing grips provides the highest success rates across skill levels. Understanding when to prioritize escape versus when to accept transitional positions like turtle or deep half guard is essential for defensive success.
Position Definition
- Defender’s leg remains trapped in reversed figure-four configuration with opponent’s outside leg crossing over the knee line while inside leg stays underneath the trapped leg, creating inverted entanglement geometry
- Defender’s hips are inverted relative to standard ashi-garami with torso rotated away from opponent, changing the biomechanical angles available for both submission defense and escape sequences
- Opponent maintains at least one controlling grip on the defender’s trapped leg or gi pants while attempting to establish heel exposure or ankle lock positioning from the reversed configuration
Prerequisites
- Attempted inversion escape from standard ashi-garami position that was partially successful in hip rotation but incomplete in leg extraction
- Opponent maintained leg entanglement during defender’s inversion attempt by adjusting leg configuration to reversed figure-four
- Defender’s leg remains trapped despite hip inversion, indicating insufficient space creation or premature rotation timing
Key Defensive 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
Available Escapes
Ushiro Ashi-Garami Escape → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 60%
Inversion to Turtle → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Counter Ashi Entry → Outside Ashi-Garami
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 25%
- Advanced: 40%
Transition to Deep Half → Deep Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Single Leg X Recovery → Single Leg X-Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 45%
Reverse Heel Hook Counter → Inside Ashi-Garami
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 20%
- Advanced: 35%
Leg Extraction to Guard → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Granby Roll Escape → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 50%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent has shallow leg entanglement with weak upper body control:
- Execute Complete Escape Sequence → Standing Position (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Turtle Recovery → Turtle (Probability: 60%)
If opponent has deep entanglement and is establishing heel grip:
- Execute Counter Heel Hook → Inside Ashi-Garami (Probability: 35%)
- Execute Accept Turtle Position → Turtle (Probability: 50%)
If opponent transitions to saddle or honey hole during inversion:
- Execute Immediate Turtle Roll → Turtle (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Deep Half Transition → Deep Half Guard (Probability: 40%)
If clearing outside leg successfully but inside leg remains:
- Execute Single Leg X Entry → Single Leg X-Guard (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Complete Leg Clear → Open Guard (Probability: 45%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Defensive Counter to Submission
Ushiro Ashi-Garami Bottom → Counter Heel Hook → Inside Ashi-Garami → Heel Hook
Escape to Guard Attack
Ushiro Ashi-Garami Bottom → Leg Extraction → Open Guard → Triangle Choke
Inversion to Back
Ushiro Ashi-Garami Bottom → Turtle Recovery → Opponent Attacks Turtle → Counter to Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 15% | 30% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 30% | 45% | 15% |
| Advanced | 50% | 65% | 30% |
Average Time in Position: 8-15 seconds (transitional position, not sustainable)
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
Ushiro ashi-garami represents a critical decision point in leg entanglement escape systems where biomechanical principles determine success or failure. The reversed hip orientation fundamentally changes the mechanical leverage available for heel hooks, creating a brief window during the attacker’s adjustment phase where escape becomes possible. However, this same inversion can trap defenders in worse positions if not executed with precise understanding of leg clearing sequences. The key biomechanical principle is that rotation must be completed fully—partial inversion creates maximum vulnerability by maintaining entanglement while removing defensive hip positioning. Students must understand that ushiro ashi-garami is never a destination but always a transitional state that must be resolved through systematic clearing of the opponent’s legs or acceptance of safer recovery positions like turtle. The decision between forcing complete escape versus accepting positional transition should be based on opponent’s control depth and grip security, not ego or frustration.
Gordon Ryan
In competition, ushiro ashi-garami appears constantly when opponents try to invert away from my leg attacks. Most competitors make the mistake of stopping their inversion halfway when they feel the position getting tight, which is exactly when I can attack most effectively. The winning approach is committing fully to turtle or continuing through to standing—never hanging out in the reversed entanglement. I use ushiro positioning myself when I’m defending leg attacks from high-level opponents; the key is controlling their inside leg with my hands while rotating, preventing them from following my inversion into saddle or honey hole. Against elite leg lockers, accepting turtle position from ushiro ashi-garami is often the highest percentage defensive option. The athletes who consistently escape my leg attacks understand that ushiro is part of the escape sequence, not the escape itself. They’re already planning their turtle defense or standing recovery before they hit the reversed position. Timing is everything—if you’re still thinking about what to do when you hit ushiro, you’re already too late.
Eddie Bravo
The whole ushiro ashi-garami situation is interesting because it shows how leg lock games have evolved—people are inverting and rolling in ways that would have seemed crazy twenty years ago. From the 10th Planet perspective, we look at inverted positions as opportunities, not just escapes. When you’re in ushiro ashi-garami bottom, you’ve got access to some creative counter-attacks if you’re comfortable upside down. The lockdown principles apply here in modified form—you can trap their inside leg with your free leg in some variations, creating control that lets you work escapes more safely. But the fundamental truth is you can’t hang out there. Either complete the inversion to turtle and start working our turtle game, or if you’ve got the conditioning and the opponent makes a mistake, counter-attack for their legs. The flexibility and inversion comfort that rubber guard training develops translates directly to surviving and escaping these reversed leg entanglement situations. Your comfort level with being inverted and your hip flexibility determine whether ushiro ashi-garami is a crisis or just another transition in the scramble.