Kneebar from Guard

⚠️ SAFETY: Kneebar from Guard targets the Knee joint (posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament). Risk: Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tear or rupture. Release immediately upon tap.

The Kneebar from Guard represents a powerful attacking option from bottom positions, allowing the guard player to transition from defensive positioning to an immediate submission threat. This technique targets the knee joint through hyperextension, creating mechanical stress on the posterior cruciate ligament and collateral ligaments. The kneebar from guard is particularly effective because it capitalizes on the opponent’s forward pressure and weight distribution, using their momentum against them. The technique can be executed from multiple guard variations including closed guard, butterfly guard, open guard, and De La Riva guard, each offering unique entry mechanics and control positions. Modern leg lock systems have elevated the kneebar from guard to a fundamental attacking position, with practitioners developing sophisticated entries that blend seamlessly with sweeps and back takes. The position requires precise timing, hip positioning, and leg control to prevent escape while maintaining offensive pressure. When executed correctly, the kneebar from guard creates an inescapable submission that forces immediate tap or results in serious injury.

Category: Joint Lock Type: Leg Lock Target Area: Knee joint (posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament) Starting Position: Closed Guard Success Rates: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 60%

Safety Guide

Injury Risks:

Injury	Severity	Recovery Time
Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tear or rupture	CRITICAL	6-12 months with surgery, potential permanent instability
Medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain or tear	High	4-8 weeks for grade 1-2, 8-12 weeks for grade 3
Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) damage	High	6-10 weeks depending on severity
Meniscus tear from rotational stress	High	4-6 months with surgical repair
Patellar dislocation or subluxation	Medium	3-6 weeks with potential for chronic instability

Application Speed: EXTREMELY SLOW - minimum 5-7 seconds progressive pressure in training

Tap Signals:

• Verbal tap (preferred for leg locks)
• Multiple rapid hand taps on opponent or mat
• Multiple foot taps on mat or opponent
• Any vocalization of distress or pain
• Frantic or panicked movement

Release Protocol:

1. Immediately stop all hip extension pressure
2. Release the leg grip and allow knee to return to neutral position
3. Do not suddenly drop the leg - control descent
4. Allow partner to assess knee integrity before continuing
5. Check with partner verbally before resuming training

Training Restrictions:

• Never spike or jerk the submission - always apply progressive pressure
• Never use competition speed in training - always allow time to tap
• Always maintain control of opponent’s heel - never let it slip out during application
• Never practice on training partners with known knee injuries without explicit permission
• Never combine with explosive rotational movements that add torque to the knee
• Beginners should not practice finishing pressure - focus on positional control only

Key Principles

• Hip positioning is critical - your hips must be perpendicular to opponent’s leg for maximum leverage
• Control the heel tightly to your body - any space allows escape and reduces submission pressure
• Break opponent’s defensive grip structure before attempting leg isolation
• Use your legs to control opponent’s upper body and prevent them from sitting up or turning
• The power comes from hip extension, not arm strength - engage glutes and core
• Maintain constant pressure on the knee joint - any relaxation allows escape opportunities
• Angle your body away from opponent’s free leg to prevent them from establishing defensive hooks

Prerequisites

• Opponent is posturing forward or attempting to pass your guard
• You have established initial grip control on opponent’s pants or ankle
• Opponent’s weight is distributed forward, making them susceptible to being pulled down
• You have created sufficient space to thread your leg across opponent’s trapped leg
• Your hips are mobile and you can pivot to perpendicular positioning
• You have identified opponent’s defensive hand position and can break grips if necessary

Execution Steps

1. Establish grip control and break posture: From closed guard or open guard, secure a grip on opponent’s ankle or pants near their knee. Simultaneously pull them forward to break their posture, preventing them from sitting back and creating the forward momentum needed for the kneebar entry. Your opposite hand should control their same-side sleeve or collar to prevent them from posting. (Timing: 1-2 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
2. Open guard and pivot hips perpendicular: Open your closed guard if applicable and immediately pivot your hips 90 degrees so your body becomes perpendicular to opponent’s trapped leg. This is the most critical positional element - your spine should form a ‘T’ shape with their leg. Thread your inside leg across their trapped thigh to begin isolation. (Timing: 1 second - this must be explosive) [Pressure: Light]
3. Isolate the leg and establish leg triangle: Wrap your inside leg around opponent’s trapped thigh and lock a figure-four position with your outside leg hooking behind your ankle. This leg triangle prevents them from extracting their leg. Simultaneously, your arms must control their heel, pulling it tightly to your chest with their toes pointing away from you. Your outside arm typically secures the heel while your inside arm reinforces. (Timing: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
4. Control upper body with remaining leg: Your free leg (the one not in the leg triangle) must immediately establish control over opponent’s upper body. Push against their shoulder, chest, or hips to prevent them from sitting up, turning into you, or stacking you. This is critical defensive structure - without upper body control, they can escape or counter-attack. (Timing: Simultaneous with step 3) [Pressure: Moderate]
5. Adjust angle and tighten heel control: Fine-tune your perpendicular angle by scooting your hips away from opponent’s free leg. Pull their trapped heel even tighter to your chest, eliminating all space between their heel and your armpit. Their knee should be positioned just above your hips. Cup their heel with both hands in a ‘prayer grip’ position with thumbs together for maximum security. (Timing: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
6. Apply finishing pressure through hip extension: Slowly and progressively extend your hips upward while pulling their heel down toward your chest. The pressure point should be just above their kneecap, against the bottom of your abdomen or hip flexors. Engage your glutes and thrust your hips upward - do NOT arch your back excessively. The motion is controlled hip extension, creating hyperextension force on their knee joint. In training, apply pressure over 5-7 seconds minimum, stopping immediately at any tap signal. (Timing: 5-7 seconds minimum in training) [Pressure: Maximum]

Opponent Defenses

• Sitting up immediately to face you and strip heel control (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Use your free leg to push their shoulder or chest forcefully, preventing them from achieving upright posture. If they do sit up, transition to X-Guard or Single Leg X-Guard sweep rather than forcing the finish.
• Grabbing their own knee or shin to prevent leg isolation (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Use two-on-one grip breaking - both your hands should attack their weakest grip point (usually their fingers). Alternatively, threaten a sweep or back take to force them to release the defensive grip and post.
• Stepping over your head with their free leg to establish a defensive hook (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Angle your body further away from their free leg as you enter. If they do step over, you may need to transition to a different leg entanglement or sweep rather than forcing the kneebar finish.
• Stacking you by driving forward and putting weight on your shoulders (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Your perpendicular angle and leg triangle should prevent effective stacking. If they begin to stack, use your free leg to push their hips away forcefully, or roll them over the top into a kneebar from top position.
• Rolling in the direction of the kneebar to relieve pressure (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: Maintain heel control and follow their roll, often ending in an even stronger finishing position. Be prepared to adjust your leg triangle and hip position as they roll.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Failing to establish perpendicular hip positioning before attempting the finish [Low DANGER]
  • Consequence: Opponent easily escapes by simply sitting up or pulling their leg out, and you lose all control
  • Correction: Prioritize the 90-degree hip angle - your body must form a ‘T’ with their leg. Scoot your hips perpendicular before even thinking about finishing pressure.
• Mistake: Allowing space between opponent’s heel and your chest/armpit [Low DANGER]
  • Consequence: Opponent can slip their heel free and extract their leg completely, escaping the submission
  • Correction: Pull the heel as tightly as possible to your body - imagine you’re trying to make their heel touch your opposite shoulder. Use a prayer grip with both hands for maximum heel security.
• Mistake: Applying pressure by arching the back instead of extending the hips [Medium DANGER]
  • Consequence: Minimal pressure on opponent’s knee, potential lower back injury to yourself, and easy escape for opponent
  • Correction: Think ‘hip thrust’ not ‘back arch’. Engage your glutes and drive your hips upward toward the ceiling while keeping your core tight. The power source is hip extension.
• Mistake: Jerking or spiking the submission with sudden explosive pressure [CRITICAL DANGER]
  • Consequence: IMMEDIATE SEVERE KNEE INJURY to training partner - PCL tear, MCL rupture, or meniscus damage requiring surgery
  • Correction: ALWAYS apply progressive pressure over minimum 5-7 seconds in training. The submission should feel like slowly increasing tension, never a sudden spike. Your partner must have time to recognize the danger and tap.
• Mistake: Neglecting upper body control with your free leg [Medium DANGER]
  • Consequence: Opponent sits up, faces you, and easily strips your heel control or passes your guard entirely
  • Correction: As soon as you establish the leg triangle, your free leg must push against their shoulder, chest, or hips. This leg acts as a stiff arm preventing them from closing distance.
• Mistake: Attempting the kneebar when opponent has strong defensive grips locked on their own leg [Low DANGER]
  • Consequence: Wasted energy fighting their grip, allowing them to defend the kneebar and potentially pass your guard during the struggle
  • Correction: Break their defensive grips BEFORE fully committing to the kneebar entry. Use two-on-one grip breaks, or threaten sweeps/back takes to force them to release and post their hands.
• Mistake: Allowing opponent’s heel to rotate or turn out during application [CRITICAL DANGER]
  • Consequence: CRITICAL DANGER - adds rotational torque to knee joint, exponentially increasing injury risk and potentially causing ACL tear in addition to PCL damage
  • Correction: Control the heel position rigidly - their toes must point straight away from you throughout the entire submission. Any rotation must be prevented by tight control with both arms. If the heel starts to rotate, release pressure immediately.

Variations

Kneebar from Butterfly Guard: From butterfly guard with hooks established, use your butterfly hook to elevate opponent and simultaneously pivot your hips perpendicular. Your butterfly hook becomes the leg that creates the leg triangle, while your opposite leg controls upper body. This entry is particularly fast and catches opponents by surprise. (When to use: When opponent is driving forward with pressure in butterfly guard, or when you have strong butterfly hook control and want to attack before they establish passing grips.)

Kneebar from De La Riva Guard: From De La Riva guard, use your DLR hook to off-balance opponent forward while your opposite leg threads across their trapped thigh. This creates an immediate leg triangle position. Your DLR hook can remain in place initially to aid control, then transition to upper body control once the kneebar is secured. (When to use: Excellent when opponent is attempting to backstep out of De La Riva guard - their weight shift forward creates perfect entry timing. Also effective when transitioning from failed DLR sweeps.)

Rolling Kneebar from Closed Guard: From closed guard, establish a same-side collar and ankle grip. Open your guard and in one continuous motion, roll over your outside shoulder while pulling opponent’s ankle across your body. As you complete the roll, you end in perfect kneebar position with your hips already perpendicular and leg triangle established. (When to use: Effective against opponents with strong posture who are difficult to break down. The rolling motion uses their own stability against them and creates the kneebar position dynamically.)

Kneebar from Failed Triangle Attempt: When opponent defends your triangle choke by standing up or stacking you, their posture puts their leg in perfect position for kneebar attack. Release the triangle configuration and immediately transition to kneebar by pivoting perpendicular and establishing leg triangle on their standing leg. (When to use: Natural transition when triangle defense leaves opponent’s leg extended and vulnerable. Creates a submission chain that keeps constant offensive pressure.)

Test Your Knowledge

Q1: Why must you apply kneebar pressure progressively over 5-7 seconds in training rather than explosively? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Explosive application of the kneebar can cause immediate catastrophic knee injury including PCL tears, MCL ruptures, and meniscus damage before your training partner has time to recognize the danger and tap. The knee joint is extremely vulnerable to hyperextension, and unlike many other submissions, there is minimal ‘safe zone’ between no pressure and injury. Progressive application over 5-7 seconds allows your partner to feel the increasing danger and tap safely, preventing serious injuries that require surgery and months of recovery.

Q2: What is the most critical positional element that determines kneebar success or failure? A: The perpendicular hip positioning is the most critical element - your body must form a ‘T’ shape with opponent’s trapped leg, with your spine at a 90-degree angle to their leg. This perpendicular angle creates proper leverage for the submission and prevents opponent from sitting up or turning to face you. Without this angle, opponent can easily extract their leg and escape, or worse, counter-attack with a pass. The perpendicular position must be established before attempting any finishing pressure.

Q3: Why must you maintain tight heel control throughout the entire kneebar, and what happens if the heel rotates during application? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Tight heel control is essential because any space between the heel and your chest allows escape. More critically, if the heel rotates or turns during pressure application, it adds dangerous rotational torque to the knee joint, exponentially increasing injury risk. This rotation can cause ACL tears in addition to the primary PCL and collateral ligament damage from hyperextension. The heel must be locked tightly to your chest with toes pointing straight away from you, controlled rigidly by both arms in a prayer grip to prevent any rotation during the submission.

Q4: What is the proper power source for kneebar finishing pressure, and why is this important? A: The proper power source is hip extension through engaging the glutes and thrusting hips upward toward the ceiling, not arching the back or using arm strength. Hip extension creates efficient, controlled pressure against opponent’s knee while protecting your own lower back from injury. Attempting to finish with back arching generates minimal submission pressure and can cause lumbar strain. The motion should feel like a controlled hip thrust with engaged core, driving hips up while pulling the heel down to your chest.

Q5: How should you use your free leg (the one not in the leg triangle) during kneebar execution? A: Your free leg must establish immediate upper body control by pushing against opponent’s shoulder, chest, or hips to prevent them from sitting up or turning to face you. This creates a critical defensive frame that maintains distance and prevents them from stripping your heel control or establishing counter-pressure. Without this upper body control, even a perfectly positioned kneebar can fail because opponent can simply sit up, face you, and break your grips. The free leg acts as a stiff arm that maintains the positional structure needed for submission success.

Q6: What are the primary tap signals you must recognize immediately when applying a kneebar? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: You must immediately recognize verbal taps (preferred for leg locks due to injury danger), multiple rapid hand taps on you or the mat, multiple foot taps, any vocalization of distress or pain, and frantic or panicked movement. Leg locks like the kneebar can cause injury extremely quickly, so any indication of submission must result in immediate release. Unlike some chokes where there may be a brief delay in tap response, knee joint submissions require instant recognition and release because the injury threshold is reached much faster than unconsciousness in a choke.

Q7: Why is it critical to control opponent’s defensive grips before fully committing to the kneebar entry? A: If opponent has strong defensive grips locked on their own leg (grabbing their knee or shin), attempting to force the kneebar entry against these grips wastes significant energy and time while allowing opponent to defend effectively. More importantly, fighting against their defensive grips often leaves you vulnerable to guard passes as you exhaust yourself in the struggle. It is far more efficient to break their defensive grips first using two-on-one grip breaks, or to threaten sweeps and back takes that force them to release their defensive grip and post their hands for base, creating the opening for clean kneebar entry.

Training Progressions

Technical Understanding and Positional Drilling (Weeks 1-3)

• Focus: Learn proper entry mechanics, perpendicular hip positioning, leg triangle configuration, and heel control without any finishing pressure. Partner remains completely passive allowing you to achieve perfect position repeatedly.
• Resistance: Zero resistance
• Safety: Focus exclusively on positional control and proper angles. No finishing pressure whatsoever - this phase is purely about understanding the mechanics and achieving consistent positional control. Drill entries from multiple guard types (closed, butterfly, open, DLR) to build pattern recognition.

Positional Maintenance Against Light Movement (Weeks 4-6)

• Focus: Maintain kneebar control position as partner makes slow, predictable escape attempts. Focus on hip positioning adjustments, heel control security, and using free leg for upper body control. Still no finishing pressure.
• Resistance: Mild resistance
• Safety: Partner performs only pre-agreed escape attempts at slow speed. Still absolutely no finishing pressure - focus remains on positional control and adjustment. Practice recognizing when position is lost and resetting rather than forcing a compromised position.

Grip Fighting and Entry Timing (Weeks 7-10)

• Focus: Practice breaking opponent’s defensive grips, timing entries against forward pressure, and chaining kneebar attempts with sweep threats. Begin recognizing proper entry opportunities versus forced entries that won’t succeed.
• Resistance: Realistic resistance
• Safety: Partner can defend with realistic grip fighting and posture but still no stacking or explosive counters. No finishing pressure yet - focus is on entry success and position achievement against resistance. Build sensitivity to when entry is available versus when to abandon attempt.

Introduction to Controlled Finishing Pressure (Weeks 11-14)

• Focus: Begin applying very light finishing pressure over 10+ seconds, communicating constantly with partner about pressure level. Partner taps early to prevent any joint stress. Focus on feeling proper hip extension mechanics and pressure points.
• Resistance: Mild resistance
• Safety: CRITICAL PHASE - this is where injuries occur if rushed. Pressure must be extremely slow (10+ seconds) and progressive. Partner must tap at first sensation of knee pressure, well before actual danger point. Absolutely no explosive pressure. Practice proper release protocol after every tap. Both partners verbally confirm comfort level before continuing.

Realistic Training with Safety Margins (Weeks 15-20)

• Focus: Apply kneebar against realistic resistance including defensive grips, stacking attempts, and escape efforts. Finishing pressure still applied over minimum 5-7 seconds. Begin recognizing when position quality allows finish versus when to transition to sweeps or other attacks.
• Resistance: Realistic resistance
• Safety: Maintain 5-7 second minimum pressure application even against resistance. Partner taps early but at more realistic danger point (when they feel significant pressure but before pain). Never spike pressure to overcome defense - if position is defended, transition to alternative attacks. Verbally confirm partner’s knee health after each training session.

Competition Simulation with Advanced Safety (Weeks 21+)

• Focus: Full-speed entries and position maintenance, but finishing pressure still controlled and progressive. Practice kneebar as part of complete guard game including sweeps, back takes, and submission chains. Develop sensitivity to position quality.
• Resistance: Full resistance
• Safety: Even at competition simulation, training partners apply pressure progressively (minimum 3-5 seconds) versus the instant application used in actual competition. Both partners must have established trust and consistent training relationship. Agree on tap threshold before rolling - some prefer to tap earlier to preserve training longevity. Never train kneebars hard on consecutive days - knee joints need recovery time between sessions.

From Which Positions?

• Closed Guard
• Butterfly Guard
• Open Guard
• De La Riva Guard
• Spider Guard
• Lasso Guard
• X-Guard
• Single Leg X-Guard
• Half Butterfly
• Seated Guard

Related Submissions

• Kneebar Finish
• Kneebar Variations
• Kneebar from 50-50
• Kneebar from Half Guard
• Kneebar from Top
• Heel Hook
• Straight Ankle Lock
• Toe Hold
• Triangle Choke
• Armbar from Guard
• Omoplata from Guard
• Triangle from Guard
• Triangle from Closed Guard

Additional Related Content

• Single Leg X-Guard - Natural transition position that shares similar leg isolation mechanics
• X-Guard to Ashi Transition - Alternative leg entanglement entry that can lead to kneebar opportunities
• Ashi Garami - Understanding escapes helps recognize defensive patterns to counter
• De La Riva to X-Guard Transition - Common sweep chain that can convert to kneebar attacks
• Danaher Leg Lock System - Systematic framework for understanding kneebar within complete leg lock game
• Craig Jones Leg Lock System - Modern competitive approach emphasizing kneebar from guard positions
• Leg Entanglement - Fundamental principle underlying all kneebar entries and control
• Inside Ashi-Garami - Related leg entanglement position with similar finishing mechanics
• 50-50 Guard - Connected leg entanglement position where kneebar is primary attack
• Reverse X-Guard - Alternative guard position that can transition to kneebar attacks

Expert Insights

• Danaher System: The kneebar from guard represents a critical evolution in bottom position philosophy - the guard player is no longer purely defensive or sweep-focused, but becomes an immediate submission threat. The key to successful kneebar application from guard lies in understanding perpendicular mechanics and heel control as absolute prerequisites before any finishing pressure. Most practitioners fail because they attempt to finish from poor positional alignment, which is biomechanically impossible regardless of strength or technique. The proper sequence is invariant: first achieve perfect perpendicular hip positioning creating the ‘T’ configuration, second establish unbreakable heel control with the heel locked to your chest, third create leg triangle preventing leg extraction, and only fourth apply progressive hip extension pressure. Each element must be secured before progressing to the next - attempting to skip steps results in consistent failure. From a safety perspective, the kneebar is among the most dangerous submissions because the knee joint has minimal capacity to absorb hyperextension force before structural damage occurs. Unlike shoulder locks where there is more anatomical resilience, the knee’s ligamentous structure tears rapidly under hyperextension. This demands absolute control and progressive pressure application in training, with both partners understanding that the submission success relies on position quality, never on explosive force.
• Gordon Ryan: In competition, the kneebar from guard is one of my highest-percentage submissions because opponents simply don’t expect the guard player to attack legs so aggressively - they’re conditioned to defend upper body attacks and worry about being swept. The moment they start pressuring forward to pass, they’re walking into the kneebar entry. The critical distinction between training and competition is pressure application speed. In training, I always give my partners 5-7 seconds to tap because I need healthy training partners and knee injuries are career-threatening. In competition, once I achieve that perpendicular position with the heel controlled, I’m finishing in under 2 seconds because my opponent will fight it and I cannot give them time to escape. The entry speed is identical in both contexts - explosive and immediate - but the finishing pressure differs drastically. My advice for developing this submission competitively is to become absolutely ruthless about position quality recognition. If your hips aren’t perfectly perpendicular and the heel isn’t locked tight, don’t waste energy trying to finish - immediately transition to X-Guard sweeps or back takes. The kneebar finishes itself when position is perfect; forcing it from imperfect position just burns your arms out and gives opponent time to pass. Also, train the kneebar extensively from butterfly guard specifically - it’s the fastest entry and catches even experienced opponents by surprise because the setup looks identical to butterfly sweep attempts.
• Eddie Bravo: The kneebar from guard fits perfectly into 10th Planet methodology because it creates multi-directional threats that keep opponents frozen and unable to commit to passing. From positions like Lockdown or Rubber Guard, I can threaten Electric Chair sweeps, back takes, triangle chokes, AND kneebars all from similar setups - opponent has no idea which attack is coming until it’s too late. The beauty of the kneebar from guard is that it punishes the exact pressure and forward movement that many traditional guard passers rely on. They drive forward trying to smash and pass, and suddenly their leg is isolated and they’re in deep trouble. One innovation we emphasize at 10th Planet is combining the kneebar threat with twisting motions and unconventional angles - rolling kneebars, inverted entries, transitions from Truck position back to guard kneebar. These unorthodox entries catch opponents completely off-guard because they’re not drilling defenses to attacks they don’t commonly see. However, and this is critical, we have an extremely strict safety culture around leg locks in training. Every 10th Planet school emphasizes that kneebars must be applied slowly in training with constant communication. We’ve seen too many careers ended by training injuries from explosive leg lock application. In our system, you build the position perfectly, announce ‘I got the kneebar’ so your partner knows, and then apply pressure over 5-7 seconds minimum. Tapping to leg locks early isn’t weakness - it’s intelligence and longevity. Save the explosive finishes for competition where the stakes justify the risk.