BJJ Graph

Lockdown Bottom

Dec 09, 202514 min read

Lockdown Bottom is Eddie Bravo’s signature half guard variation where the bottom practitioner uses a triangled leg configuration to control the opponent’s trapped leg. This 10th Planet system position transforms traditional half guard from a stalling position into a dynamic offensive platform. The lockdown prevents the top player from completing passes while creating leverage for sweeps and back takes. By extending and controlling the trapped leg, the bottom practitioner can off-balance opponents, create angles, and attack with the whip-up, Old School sweep, and Electric Chair submissions. The position emphasizes active offense over passive defense, using the leg triangle as both a retention mechanism and an attacking lever. This position revolutionized half guard play in no-gi grappling and has become a fundamental component of modern BJJ game plans.

Position Definition

  • Bottom practitioner’s near-side leg threads over opponent’s trapped leg at knee level, then triangles back underneath the ankle, creating the lockdown configuration with ankles crossed and locked tightly to immobilize the leg
  • Top practitioner’s trapped leg is extended and controlled between bottom player’s legs with limited mobility and compromised base, forcing them to post free leg wide for stability
  • Bottom practitioner maintains underhook on trapped-leg side or uses overhook control on far side, preventing opponent from establishing dominant crossface or underhook position that would flatten the bottom player
  • Bottom practitioner’s hips remain mobile and active underneath opponent, capable of extending lockdown to off-balance or creating angular attacks toward back or sweeps
  • Top practitioner’s weight distributed partially on bottom player’s torso while struggling to maintain base against lockdown extensions and hip movements

Prerequisites

  • Half guard position established with one opponent’s leg controlled between bottom player’s legs
  • Ability to thread near-side leg over opponent’s trapped leg and triangle configuration underneath
  • Space to complete lockdown triangle without opponent immediately passing or extracting leg
  • Basic understanding of hip movement and extension mechanics for lockdown control
  • Opponent in range for underhook or overhook control on upper body

Key Defensive Principles

  • Maintain tight lockdown configuration with ankles crossed and locked, using top foot to hook and extend opponent’s leg
  • Keep lockdown active and dynamic, constantly extending and flexing to off-balance opponent and prevent base establishment
  • Secure underhook on trapped-leg side whenever possible for maximum control and offensive opportunities
  • Use hip movement to create angles toward opponent’s back or to set up whip-up and Old School sweeps
  • Prevent opponent from getting crossface control by using frames, overhooks, or underhook dominance
  • Stay active with attacks and sweeps rather than holding static position, forcing opponent to defend
  • Coordinate lockdown extensions with upper body movements to multiply off-balancing effects

Available Escapes

Whip-up Sweep → Dogfight Position

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Old School Sweep → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Electric Chair Submission → Electric Chair

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 60%

Lockdown Sweeps → Side Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Rolling Back Take → Back Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 55%

Transition to Truck → Truck

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Kimura from Half Guard → Kimura Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Opponent Counters

Counter-Attacks

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent maintains high posture with weight back, trying to extract trapped leg:

If opponent drives forward with heavy crossface pressure and low posture:

If opponent establishes underhook and attempts knee slice pass:

If opponent maintains neutral posture in half guard without committing:

Common Defensive Mistakes

1. Locking lockdown too loosely, allowing opponent to easily extract trapped leg

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent escapes half guard and completes pass to side control or mount
  • ✅ Correction: Cross ankles tightly with top foot hooking deep under opponent’s ankle, squeeze knees together to create maximum pressure on trapped leg

2. Remaining static in lockdown without extending or attacking, allowing opponent to establish dominant grips

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent secures crossface and underhook control, nullifying lockdown’s offensive potential and setting up pass
  • ✅ Correction: Constantly move hips, extend lockdown to off-balance opponent, and immediately attack with sweeps when opponent adjusts base

3. Failing to fight for underhook on trapped-leg side, allowing opponent free underhook

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent uses underhook to flatten bottom player, establish crossface, and systematically break down lockdown for pass
  • ✅ Correction: Prioritize underhook battle, use frames and overhooks when underhook unavailable, never allow opponent free underhook without immediate counter

4. Extending lockdown without coordinating upper body attack or sweep attempt

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent anticipates lockdown extension, times extraction or pass, and escapes without significant difficulty
  • ✅ Correction: Coordinate lockdown extensions with upper body movements, attack combinations (extend while setting up Old School or whip-up), making extensions purposeful rather than random

5. Allowing opponent to establish strong crossface without defensive response

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent flattens bottom player completely, eliminates lockdown’s effectiveness, and completes pass to side control
  • ✅ Correction: Immediately counter crossface with frames, overhook, or whip-up movement to prevent flattening, maintain ability to turn into opponent

6. Attempting Electric Chair or Old School without proper setup and angle creation

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent defends sweep or submission easily, potentially counters with pass or dominant position
  • ✅ Correction: Create proper angles with hip movement before committing to attacks, use lockdown extensions to off-balance first, then enter sweeps and submissions with timing

Training Drills for Defense

Lockdown Retention Drill

Partner attempts to extract trapped leg using various methods (pulling back, driving forward, underhook pressure) while bottom player maintains lockdown integrity and counters extraction attempts. Focus on keeping ankles locked, extending strategically, and preventing leg escape. Duration: 3-5 minutes per round, switching roles.

Duration: 3-5 minutes

Whip-up to Old School Combination Drill

From established lockdown, bottom player practices transitioning between whip-up and Old School sweep based on opponent’s reactions. If opponent bases out against whip-up, switch to Old School. If opponent sits back against Old School, switch to whip-up. Develop timing and recognition of sweep opportunities. Duration: 5 minutes per round.

Duration: 5 minutes

Lockdown to Electric Chair Progression

Starting from lockdown with underhook, practice full Electric Chair entry sequence: extend opponent’s leg with lockdown, rotate to outside, establish lockdown triangle in Electric Chair configuration, and apply submission pressure. Partner provides progressive resistance. Duration: 5-7 minutes per round.

Duration: 5-7 minutes

Underhook Battle from Lockdown

Both partners fight for underhook control while bottom player maintains lockdown. Top player attempts to strip underhook and establish crossface, bottom player recovers underhook and prevents flattening. Emphasizes grip fighting and positional maintenance under pressure. Duration: 3-5 minutes per round.

Duration: 3-5 minutes

Positional Sparring: Lockdown vs. Pass

Bottom player starts in lockdown with underhook, top player attempts to pass. Bottom player scores points for sweeps and submissions, top player scores for passes and dominant positions. Resets after each score. Develop competitive timing and strategy. Duration: 5-10 minute rounds.

Duration: 5-10 minutes

Escape and Survival Paths

Electric Chair Direct Path

Lockdown → Electric Chair → Electric Chair Submission → Won by Submission

Sweep to Back Attack Path

Lockdown → Old School Sweep → Mount → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke → Won by Submission

Kimura from Half Guard Path

Lockdown → Kimura from Half Guard → Kimura → Won by Submission

Truck Submission Path

Lockdown → Truck → Twister → Won by Submission

Sweep to Mount Path

Lockdown → Whip-up Sweep → Dogfight Position → Back Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount → Won by Submission

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner50%35%20%
Intermediate65%50%35%
Advanced80%65%55%

Average Time in Position: 1-3 minutes depending on activity level and opponent’s passing pressure

Expert Analysis

John Danaher

The lockdown represents a fundamental shift in half guard philosophy from purely defensive retention to active offensive control. By creating a mechanical advantage through the triangled leg configuration, the bottom practitioner transforms the opponent’s trapped leg into a lever system that can be extended, retracted, and manipulated to generate off-balancing forces. The biomechanical principle at work is simple: when you control an opponent’s base through their leg and can extend or compress that leg at will, you create instability that opens opportunities for sweeps and positional advances. The lockdown’s effectiveness stems from its ability to simultaneously limit the opponent’s mobility while maximizing your own offensive options. However, practitioners must understand that the lockdown is not a static holding position but rather a dynamic control platform that requires constant adjustment, extension timing, and coordination with upper body attacks to be effective at high levels.

Gordon Ryan

In competition, the lockdown can be an extremely effective tool when used with aggressive intent and proper timing, but it requires complete commitment to the position’s offensive nature. I’ve seen too many competitors use lockdown passively, simply holding and waiting, which allows elite passers to systematically break it down and complete passes. The key to competitive success with lockdown is maintaining constant pressure through extensions, immediately attacking with sweeps when opponents adjust their base, and never allowing them to establish both crossface and underhook control simultaneously. The whip-up and Old School sweeps are high-percentage techniques that work even against world-class opponents if you commit fully and time them with the opponent’s weight shifts. The Electric Chair is a legitimate submission threat that forces opponents to defend, opening other opportunities. The lockdown works best when you treat it as a launching pad for attacks rather than a defensive bunker, making it a viable option even at the highest levels of no-gi competition.

Eddie Bravo

The lockdown is the foundation of the entire 10th Planet half guard system and represents a complete reimagining of what half guard can be. Traditional half guard was always seen as a stalling position or a last resort before getting passed, but the lockdown transforms it into one of the most dynamic and dangerous positions in all of grappling. When you lock down that leg and start extending, you’re not just preventing passes—you’re actively attacking, creating dilemmas, and forcing your opponent to make difficult choices under pressure. The beauty of the lockdown is how it chains into so many different attacks: the Old School sweep, the whip-up, the Electric Chair, transitions to the truck, and numerous other options. The position rewards creativity and aggression, allowing smaller practitioners to control and sweep much larger opponents through leverage rather than strength. The key is staying active, constantly moving your hips, extending that lockdown to off-balance them, and immediately attacking when they react. The lockdown isn’t just a technique—it’s a complete game plan that can carry you through entire matches if you commit to mastering its intricacies and developing the timing to execute its attacks under pressure.