Inside Sankaku

bjjstateleg_entanglementsubmission_positionleglock

State Properties

• State ID: S010
• Point Value: 2 (Significant advantage)
• Position Type: Offensive control position
• Risk Level: Medium
• Energy Cost: Low
• Time Sustainability: Medium to Long

State Description

Inside Sankaku, also known as the “Honey Hole” or “411”, is an advanced leg entanglement position where the opponent’s leg is trapped in a figure-four configuration that exposes the inside of their heel. This position is considered one of the most dominant leg entanglements in modern BJJ, offering exceptional control and high-percentage submission opportunities. Inside Sankaku provides superior control over the opponent’s hip mobility while creating optimal angles for attacking with the inside heel hook.

Key Principles

• Control opponent’s hip mobility through proper leg positioning
• Maintain the “knee line” control to prevent defensive rotation
• Create and maintain proper angles for inside heel hook
• Establish strong hip connection to prevent escapes
• Isolate the trapped leg from defensive resources
• Control upper body positioning when possible to prevent counters

Prerequisites

• Understanding of basic leg entanglements
• Knowledge of proper hip positioning and control
• Familiarity with rotational control concepts
• Awareness of competition rule restrictions

State Invariants

• Opponent’s leg trapped in figure-four configuration
• Your legs form a triangle around opponent’s trapped leg
• Inside heel exposure (heel facing toward your center line)
• Hip connection maintained
• Control of opponent’s knee line

Defensive Responses (When Opponent Has This State)

• Hip Elevation and Escape → Leg Entanglement Escape
• Knee Line Fight → Leg Entanglement Neutral
• Counter Rotation → 50 Guard
• Leg Extension Defense → Neutral Position
• Hands-On-Mat Escape → Standing Position

Offensive Transitions (Available From This State)

• Inside Heel Hook → Won by Submission
• Ankle Lock from Inside Sankaku → Won by Submission
• Toe Hold Transition → Toe Hold Control
• 50 → 50
• Back Take from Inside Sankaku → Back Control
• Cross Ashi Transition → Cross Ashi
• Technical Stand-up → Top Position

Counter Transitions

• Re-establish Inside Sankaku → Inside Sankaku (against escape attempts)
• Switch to Outside Sankaku → Outside Sankaku (if position is compromised)
• Retreat to Standard Ashi → Ashi Garami (under strong pressure)

Expert Insights

• Danaher System: Considers Inside Sankaku the premier leg entanglement position, emphasizing complete control before submission attempts. Focuses on systematic breakdown of defensive barriers through precise mechanical control of the hip, knee line, and ankle. Creates a hierarchy of control that must be established before attempting the submission.
• Gordon Ryan: Utilizes subtle weight shifting and angle adjustments in Inside Sankaku to create submission opportunities while maintaining positional control. Often combines upper body control with the leg entanglement to neutralize defensive hand fighting and create dilemmas where defending one attack exposes another.
• Eddie Bravo: Incorporated Inside Sankaku (Honey Hole) into the 10th Planet system as an extension of the lockdown half guard game. Often emphasizes unique entries from 10th Planet-specific positions and combines with upper body attacks to create comprehensive attacking systems.

Common Errors

• Poor hip connection → Escape opportunities
• Failure to control knee line → Loss of inside heel exposure
• Crossing ankles improperly → Reduced control and vulnerability
• Hunting submissions prematurely → Position compromise
• Neglecting upper body awareness → Vulnerability to counter attacks

Training Drills

• Inside Sankaku entries from various positions
• Knee line maintenance against resistance
• Hip connection and control drills
• Submission setup sequences
• Defensive recognition and recounter drills

Related States

• Ashi Garami - Basic leg entanglement position
• Outside Sankaku - Related 50/50 position
• Single Leg X Guard - Common entry position
• Cross Ashi - Alternative advanced leg entanglement
• 50 - Attacking from behind the leg

Decision Tree

If opponent defends knee line:

• Execute Hip Switch to Outside Sankaku

Else if opponent elevates hips:

• Execute Leg Pressure Control → Inside Heel Hook

Else if opponent hand fights aggressively:

• Execute Upper Body Control Sequence

Else if opponent is flat and controlled:

• Execute Inside Heel Hook

Position Metrics

• Success Rate: 85% control retention (competition data)
• Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds
• Submission Probability: 75%
• Position Advancement Probability: 15%
• Position Loss Probability: 10%

Optimal Paths

Primary submission path: Inside Sankaku → Inside Heel Hook → Won by Submission

Competition-legal path (IBJJF): Inside Sankaku → Ankle Lock from Inside Sankaku → Won by Submission

Top position transition path: Inside Sankaku → Technical Stand-up → Top Position → conventional control sequence

Computer Science Analogy

Inside Sankaku functions as a high-leverage node in the BJJ state graph, with exceptionally weighted edges to the terminal submission state (via Inside Heel Hook). The defensive graph against this position has a limited branching factor, with most defensive edges having low probability of success. This creates a mathematical expectation heavily favoring the controlling player, making it one of the most dominant positions in the positional hierarchy.

Safety Considerations

Inside Sankaku creates opportunities for potentially dangerous submissions, particularly the inside heel hook. Practitioners should understand proper control mechanics and apply submissions with control, especially in training. Some competition rulesets restrict this position or the submissions available from it, requiring rule-specific knowledge.