BJJ Graph

Outside Ashi Garami Top | BJJ Position Guide | BJJ Graph

Oct 25, 202512 min read

Outside Ashi Garami Top

bjjstateleglocktopadvanceddefensive

State Properties

  • State ID: S076
  • Point Value: 0 (Neutral position in most rule sets)
  • Position Type: Defensive / Escape-focused
  • Risk Level: Medium to High
  • Energy Cost: Medium
  • Time Sustainability: Short (escape urgently)

State Description

Outside Ashi Garami Top is the defensive counterpart to Outside Ashi Garami Bottom, where your right leg is trapped in your opponent’s outside leg entanglement while you are on top or in a more elevated position. This is generally considered a disadvantageous position requiring immediate defensive action to prevent heel hooks or ankle locks and to extract your leg from the entanglement.

In this position, your opponent has their legs configured in a figure-4 around your right leg, with their outside leg (left) crossing over your thigh and their inside leg (right) triangling under your knee. Your primary objectives are to prevent your hip from being controlled (stopping external rotation), extract your trapped leg, and either pass to a dominant position or establish your own leg entanglement.

This position represents a defensive challenge where understanding leg lock mechanics, maintaining proper posture, and executing timely escapes are critical to preventing submission and recovering advantageous position.

Visual Description

Your right leg is trapped between your opponent’s legs in a figure-4 configuration. You are in an elevated position - either on your knees, hip, or standing with your trapped leg - while your opponent is on their back or side beneath you. Their left leg crosses over the top of your right thigh, while their right leg triangles underneath your right knee, creating a locked clamp around your leg. Your opponent’s body is angled perpendicular or diagonal to you (45-90 degrees), facing your trapped leg. Their hands are controlling your leg, typically one hand on your heel or foot (threatening heel hook), the other on your knee or thigh (preventing your hip rotation). Your left leg is free, providing some mobility and balance. Your upper body is upright or posted on hands, working to maintain posture and prevent being pulled down. Your trapped leg is at risk of heel hook or ankle lock, and your hip is being controlled to prevent rotation that would facilitate escape.

Key Principles

  • Protect your heel immediately - Keep heel hidden from opponent’s grip
  • Maintain standing or elevated posture - Height creates escape opportunities
  • Prevent hip external rotation - Keep knee pointing forward, don’t let knee turn outward
  • Create frames on opponent’s hips/chest - Distance prevents submission leverage
  • Extract leg using proper mechanics - Pull leg through entanglement systematically
  • Stay calm under pressure - Panic leads to exposed heel and submissions
  • Counter-entangle when appropriate - Establish your own leg lock position as escape route

Prerequisites

  • Understanding of leg entanglement risks and submission mechanics
  • Knowledge of heel exposure and protection techniques
  • Experience with leg lock defense and escape drilling
  • Mental composure under submission threat

State Invariants

  • Your right leg trapped in opponent’s figure-4 configuration
  • Opponent on back/side below you with perpendicular angle
  • You in elevated position (knees, hip, or standing)
  • Opponent controlling your trapped leg with grips

Defensive Responses (When You Are In This State)

Your primary goal is to escape. Available escapes:

Offensive Transitions (Available From This State)

From this disadvantaged position, limited offensive options exist:

Counter Transitions

Expert Insights

Danaher System: Emphasizes that being on top in outside ashi is still a losing position that requires immediate escape action. The key concept is “standing is winning” - getting to standing posture as quickly as possible creates the best escape opportunities. Danaher teaches systematic hip rotation to clear the leg entanglement, emphasizing that small circular movements of the hip (internal rotation) help thread the leg out. The critical error is trying to pull the leg straight out against the figure-4 - this exposes the heel and makes submission easier. Instead, focus on rotating hip inward, collapsing opponent’s triangle, and systematically extracting the leg.

Gordon Ryan: When caught in opponent’s leg entanglement, Ryan’s competition strategy emphasizes aggressive counter-attacking rather than purely defensive escape. If opponent threatens heel hook, immediately threaten counter heel hook while working escape mechanics. This creates a dilemma for opponent - pursue their attack or defend against yours. Ryan’s footage shows him frequently establishing counter leg entanglements from top position, creating mutual danger that often results in both practitioners releasing and resetting. His teaching emphasizes that pure defense in leg locks is lower percentage than creating mutual threats while escaping.

Eddie Bravo: Teaches that leg lock positions are “dangerous for everyone” and that being on top doesn’t guarantee safety. 10th Planet methodology includes extensive leg lock defense drilling, emphasizing maintaining calm mental state when trapped. Bravo’s approach focuses on systematic extraction techniques combined with awareness of competition rule sets (many competitions restrict heel hooks, changing defensive priorities). Emphasizes practicing leg lock escapes regularly so practitioners don’t panic when caught in entanglements during competition or sparring.

Common Errors

  • Error: Pulling leg straight out against figure-4
    • Consequence: Strengthens opponent’s leg triangle, exposes heel to heel hook grip, accelerates submission threat
    • Correction: Rotate hip internally (inward), collapse opponent’s triangle structure, thread leg out systematically
  • Error: Dropping down to opponent’s level (lowering hips)
    • Consequence: Removes height advantage, makes escape more difficult, allows opponent to improve angle and grip
    • Correction: Maintain elevated posture (standing if possible), keep hips high, use gravity to your advantage
  • Error: Exposing heel to opponent’s grips
    • Consequence: Immediate heel hook threat, submission can finish rapidly, high injury risk
    • Correction: Keep heel hidden by tucking foot toward buttocks, controlling heel position away from opponent’s hands
  • Error: Static position without movement
    • Consequence: Allows opponent to perfect their grips and positioning, increases submission probability
    • Correction: Constant small adjustments, hip rotation, frame pressure - make it difficult for opponent to settle controls
  • Error: Panicking and explosive movement
    • Consequence: Wastes energy, creates worse positioning, often exposes heel or allows opponent to advance entanglement
    • Correction: Calm, systematic escape process, methodical execution of defensive techniques
  • Error: Ignoring submission threats while escaping
    • Consequence: Injury from heel hook or ankle lock during escape attempt
    • Correction: Monitor opponent’s grips continuously, abort escape if submission threat is immediate, defend first then escape

Training Drills

  • Posture Maintenance Under Pressure: Partner establishes outside ashi control on your leg, practice maintaining standing or elevated posture while they apply downward pressure, 30-60 second holds with progressive resistance, develop postural strength and stability
  • Hip Rotation Escape Mechanics: From standing in opponent’s outside ashi, practice internal hip rotation and leg extraction (slow motion, no resistance initially), focus on proper mechanical sequence, 10 reps per side
  • Frame and Extract: Partner establishes outside ashi, you create frames on hips/chest and systematically extract leg, partner provides 25%, 50%, 75% resistance progression, develop frame strength and coordination
  • Counter Entanglement Establishment: From top of outside ashi, practice establishing your own leg entanglement, partner allows setup then provides escalating resistance, develop alternative escape strategy
  • Position Sparring - Defense Focus: 5-minute rounds where partner starts with outside ashi on your leg (full resistance), practice escapes and defensive techniques, develop live timing and pressure management
  • Submission Defense Integration: Partner threatens heel hook or ankle lock from outside ashi while you attempt escape, practice recognizing immediate danger and defensive priorities, develop submission awareness

Decision Tree

If you can achieve standing posture:

Else if opponent is threatening heel hook:

Else if opponent’s grip is weak:

Else (opponent has strong control):

Position Metrics

  • Position Retention Rate (holding defensive structure): Beginner 40%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
  • Escape Probability: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
  • Submission Defense Rate: Beginner 60%, Intermediate 75%, Advanced 85%
  • Position Loss Probability (to worse entanglement): Beginner 35%, Intermediate 25%, Advanced 15%
  • Average Time to Escape: Beginner 60-90 seconds, Intermediate 30-60 seconds, Advanced 15-30 seconds

Optimal Escape Paths

Fastest escape (standing posture): Outside Ashi Garami Top → Standing Leg Lock Escape → Standing Position Reasoning: Standing creates maximum leverage for escape and removes ground-based submission threats

High-percentage escape (systematic extraction): Outside Ashi Garami Top → Frame and Posture → Hip Rotation Escape → Top Ashi Position → Pass to Side Control Reasoning: Methodical approach with lower risk of injury, creates solid defensive structure before extraction

Counter-attack escape (aggressive): Outside Ashi Garami Top → Counter Leg Entanglement → Inside Ashi Top → Counter Ankle Lock Reasoning: Create mutual danger, force opponent to defend, escape during their defensive reaction

Emergency defense (immediate submission threat): Outside Ashi Garami Top → Heel Protection → Frame and Posture → Hip Rotation Escape → Top Ashi Position Reasoning: When submission is imminent, defend first, then escape systematically

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