From the bottom perspective of Inside Sankaku, the practitioner finds themselves with their leg trapped in the opponent’s figure-four entanglement, facing one of the most dangerous positions in modern leg lock systems. The bottom player’s primary objective is immediate escape, as remaining in this position exposes them to high-percentage inside heel hook attacks with limited defensive options. Understanding the mechanics of how the position controls you is essential for developing effective escape strategies. The top player maintains control through hip-to-hip connection, knee line dominance, and proper leg configuration - each of these control points must be systematically addressed in the escape sequence. The bottom perspective requires recognizing the urgency of the situation while maintaining composure to execute technical escapes rather than panicking into worse positions. Common defensive priorities include protecting the heel by keeping it hidden against your own hip, preventing the top player from establishing optimal submission angles, and creating the space necessary to extract the trapped leg. Many practitioners make the critical error of attempting to pass the knee line by turning into the top player, which often leads directly into the Saddle position or exposes the heel more completely. Instead, effective defense focuses on hip mobility, creating angles that diminish the top player’s control, and systematically working through escape protocols. The bottom player must also be aware that desperation attempts to escape can result in injury if the top player has already established submission grips, making it essential to defend the submission first before attempting positional escapes. Understanding both the offensive mechanics from the top perspective and defensive requirements from bottom creates a complete picture of this position’s dynamics.
Position Definition
- Your leg is trapped in opponent’s figure-four configuration with their outside leg crossed over their inside leg at your knee joint, severely limiting your leg mobility
- Opponent maintains hip-to-hip connection with their hips positioned close to yours, preventing you from creating the distance needed for leg extraction
- Your heel is exposed toward opponent’s centerline in the inside heel hook position, creating immediate submission danger that must be defended
- Opponent’s legs control your knee line, preventing you from performing the rotational movements that would normally facilitate escape from leg entanglements
- Your trapped leg’s hip mobility is restricted by the entanglement structure, limiting your ability to generate the power needed for explosive escape movements
- Upper body positioning is often compromised with opponent controlling grips or maintaining distance that prevents you from attacking their legs effectively
Prerequisites
- Understanding of leg entanglement escape theory and systematic defense protocols
- Knowledge of inside heel hook mechanics to understand the submission threat being defended
- Familiarity with knee line concepts and how rotational control prevents escapes
- Development of hip flexibility to facilitate escape movements
- Understanding of when to tap to prevent injury from heel hooks
- Awareness of legal positions and submissions based on competition ruleset
Key Defensive Principles
- Protect your heel immediately by hiding it against your own hip to prevent optimal submission angle
- Never turn into opponent attempting to pass knee line as this leads directly to Saddle position
- Create hip mobility and space before attempting leg extraction - distance is the key to escape
- Address the submission threat first before attempting positional escapes to prevent injury
- Use technical escapes rather than explosive movements that can result in injury if submission is locked
- Maintain awareness of opponent’s upper body positioning to prevent them from consolidating control
- Recognize when the position is lost and tap early rather than risking serious knee or ankle injury
Available Escapes
Hip Escape to Guard Recovery → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 25%
- Advanced: 40%
Granby Roll Escape → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 20%
- Advanced: 35%
Technical Standup → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 8%
- Intermediate: 15%
- Advanced: 25%
Counter Leg Attack → 50-50 Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 12%
- Intermediate: 22%
- Advanced: 35%
Frame and Extract to Half Guard → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 18%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 45%
Rolling Escape → Defensive Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 18%
- Advanced: 30%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent has not yet established full control and submission grips:
- Execute Immediate hip escape and leg extraction → Open Guard (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Frame creation and distance generation → Half Guard (Probability: 40%)
- Execute Counter leg attack → 50-50 Guard (Probability: 35%)
If opponent has established strong position but no submission grip yet:
- Execute Heel protection and defensive posture → Inside Sankaku (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Granby roll escape attempt → Turtle (Probability: 30%)
- Execute Technical standup → Standing Position (Probability: 25%)
If opponent has established submission grip on your heel:
- Execute Immediate tap if fully locked → Lost by Submission (Probability: 100%)
- Execute Last resort rolling escape → Defensive Position (Probability: 15%)
If opponent loses hip connection or creates space:
- Execute Explosive leg extraction → Open Guard (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Hip escape to guard recovery → Half Guard (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Technical standup → Standing Position (Probability: 40%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Primary Escape Path
Inside Sankaku Bottom → Hip Escape → Open Guard → Guard Recovery
Granby Escape Path
Inside Sankaku Bottom → Granby Roll → Turtle → Guard Recovery
Counter Attack Path
Inside Sankaku Bottom → Counter Leg Attack → 50-50 Guard → Positional Reset
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 10% | 15% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 20% | 25% | 10% |
| Advanced | 35% | 40% | 15% |
Average Time in Position: 15-45 seconds before submission or escape
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
From the bottom of Inside Sankaku, your defensive priorities must follow a strict hierarchy based on immediate danger assessment. First, protect your heel by keeping it tight to your own hip - this single action prevents the optimal angle for the inside heel hook and buys you critical time. Second, prevent the opponent from establishing perfect hip-to-hip connection by creating frames and using your free leg to generate distance. Third, address the knee line control by understanding that turning into your opponent leads to the Saddle, while creating distance allows potential extraction. The most common error I observe is practitioners attempting to muscle their way out without addressing these systematic control points. The escape must be technical and sequential - first neutralize the submission threat, then diminish positional control, finally extract the leg. Understanding the biomechanics of the inside heel hook makes it clear why protecting the heel position is paramount - the internal rotation and lateral pressure on the knee requires specific alignment that your defensive posture can disrupt.
Gordon Ryan
Being caught in Inside Sankaku is one of the worst positions in competition, which is exactly why I’ve spent extensive time understanding the defensive mechanics from firsthand experience. My primary rule from bottom is never panic - the moment you start making explosive, uncontrolled movements is when injuries happen. I focus on keeping my heel protected and maintaining awareness of my opponent’s grip positioning. If they don’t have the heel grip yet, that’s my window to escape, and I take it immediately with a technical hip escape or Granby roll. If they do have grips established, I’m very honest with myself about the danger and will tap before forcing anything. In competition, I’ve also learned to counter-attack their legs when possible - entering my own leg entanglement to create 50-50 situations where their control is diminished. The key is recognizing that staying in this position is not an option; you either escape immediately or defend the submission until you can escape. Time is not your friend here.
Eddie Bravo
Inside Sankaku from bottom is a nightmare scenario, but we’ve developed some creative defensive options in the 10th Planet system that give you fighting chances. First thing - protect that heel like your life depends on it, because your knee ligaments definitely do. We emphasize the Granby roll escape because it fits our system’s emphasis on flexibility and unconventional movement patterns. When you Granby out, you’re using rotation and momentum rather than strength, which is perfect for our style. We also look for counter leg attacks more aggressively than traditional systems - if they’re attacking your leg, attack theirs and create a stalemate situation. Sometimes we’ll even look to give up the back temporarily if it means getting out of the leg entanglement, then we work our back escapes which we’re very comfortable with. The bottom line is this position requires immediate action - it’s never a resting position, never somewhere you wait and see what happens. You’re either escaping or tapping, and there’s no shame in tapping to a locked heel hook.