Garry Tonon Leg Lock to Back System is a advanced difficulty Attack System system. Integrates 5 components.
System ID: System Type: Attack System Difficulty Level: Advanced
What is Garry Tonon Leg Lock to Back System?
The Garry Tonon Leg Lock to Back System represents one of the most sophisticated attack frameworks in modern no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This system creates a continuous threat cycle between lower body submissions and back control, forcing opponents into a constant state of defensive decision-making. When an opponent defends the leg attack, they expose pathways to the back. When they defend the back attack, they expose the legs again. The system is built on the principle that no position is terminal—every defensive movement creates an offensive opportunity. Tonon developed this approach through years of high-level competition, recognizing that opponents who successfully defend one attack category often do so by compromising their defense in another area. The beauty of this system lies in its adaptability: it works from standing exchanges, guard passing scenarios, and scrambles. Rather than viewing leg locks and back attacks as separate skillsets, this framework treats them as interconnected components of a unified offensive strategy. Practitioners learn to flow seamlessly between ashi garami variations, truck positions, and back control, maintaining offensive pressure regardless of which position they occupy.
Core Principles
- Attack cycling between lower body submissions and back control creates inescapable dilemmas
- Defensive movements against leg locks naturally expose back taking opportunities
- Back escape attempts frequently re-expose leg entanglement positions
- Connection maintenance throughout transitions prevents opponent’s positional reset
- Off-balancing precedes all major transitions to reduce defensive effectiveness
- Control hierarchies shift based on opponent’s defensive priorities
- Submission threats force movement which enables position advancement
Key Components
Inside Ashi to Back Transition (Primary entry to back control from leg entanglement positions) The fundamental pathway from inside ashi-garami to back control. When opponent attempts to clear the bottom leg hook, their rotation creates exposure for seat belt grip establishment. This transition capitalizes on the forward roll escape attempt, using their momentum to achieve rear mount positioning. The key is maintaining connection with the far hip throughout the rotation.
Saddle to Truck Connection (Converts heel hook defense into truck position and twister threats) When opponents defend the heel hook by turning into the position, their defensive turn exposes the truck position. This component teaches recognizing the exact moment when heel hook pressure should be released to capitalize on truck entries. The lockdown-style leg configuration from saddle translates directly into truck control mechanics, making this one of the highest percentage connections in the system.
Back Control to Leg Reentry (Recaptures leg entanglement when back control is escaped) When opponents escape back control by turning into you or executing granby rolls, their leg configuration during these escapes creates immediate leg entanglement opportunities. This component focuses on recognizing which escape direction leads to which ashi variation. Forward granby typically exposes outside ashi, while backward rolls create inside ashi opportunities. Maintaining leg contact throughout back escape attempts is critical.
X-Guard to Ashi Transition (Establishes offensive positioning from standing or guard scenarios) The system incorporates x-guard and single leg x-guard as transitional positions that bridge standing entries to leg locks or sweeps to back attacks. From x-guard, the bottom hook can be converted to inside ashi when opponent attempts to pass. From single leg x, the elevated leg position creates entries to saddle or outside ashi. These positions serve as offensive hubs that threaten multiple attack categories simultaneously.
Kiss of the Dragon Back Take (Dynamic back entry that maintains offensive continuity from leg attacks) This dynamic rolling back take serves as both an entry to back control and a reconnection point when leg attacks are initially defended. The inversion underneath opponent’s base while maintaining leg connection creates the momentum needed to achieve back mount. The technique requires precise timing and hip elevation to prevent being flattened during the roll. It works particularly well when opponent is defending leg attacks by attempting to pressure pass.
Implementation Sequence
- Entry Establishment: Establish initial control position through standing leg attacks, guard pulling to x-guard variations, or transitional leg entanglements during scrambles Key points:
- Prefer inside ashi-garami as primary starting position for bilateral attack options
- Use single leg x-guard when opponent maintains strong posting base
- Control opponent’s near hip to prevent immediate escape rolling
- Establish leg triangle configuration before attempting submissions
- Initial Submission Threat: Apply heel hook, kneebar, or straight ankle lock pressure based on ashi variation and opponent’s leg configuration Key points:
- Submission attempts must be legitimate threats that force defensive reactions
- Monitor opponent’s upper body rotation and hip turning responses
- Maintain connection with far hip even while focusing on leg attack
- Recognize defensive patterns: forward turn vs backward turn vs base widening
- Transition Recognition: Identify which defensive response opponent employs and select appropriate transition pathway to either back or alternative leg position Key points:
- Forward turns toward you expose back taking with seat belt grip
- Backward turns away expose truck position entries
- Base widening and posting creates kiss of the dragon opportunities
- Hip clears without rotation indicate need to switch ashi variations
- Position Conversion: Execute the identified transition while maintaining continuous connection and control throughout the movement Key points:
- Release leg submission grip only when next control point is secured
- Use opponent’s defensive momentum to facilitate position changes
- Keep hips connected throughout transitions to prevent space creation
- Establish primary control points before attempting secondary submissions
- Secondary Attack Application: Apply back attack submissions or alternative leg locks from newly achieved position Key points:
- From back control, threaten rear naked choke while monitoring leg exposure
- From truck, threaten twister while maintaining ability to return to legs
- Chain multiple submission attempts within same position family
- Force opponent into next defensive cycle that reopens previous attack category
- Cycle Continuation: Recognize when opponent’s current defensive response creates opportunity to return to previous attack category, maintaining the perpetual threat cycle Key points:
- Back escapes via granby or turn-in expose leg entanglements
- Successful leg attack defenses often compromise upper body control
- System mastery means never accepting neutral position resets
- Each defensive success by opponent should lead to next offensive opportunity
How to Measure Your Progress
Transition Success Rate: Percentage of leg attack attempts that successfully convert to back control when initially defended, or back control attempts that successfully return to leg attacks when escaped Proficiency indicators:
- Beginner: 20-30% conversion rate with noticeable position resets between attempts
- Intermediate: 50-60% conversion rate with maintained connection during transitions
- Advanced: 75%+ conversion rate with seamless flow and multiple transition options per defensive response
- Expert: Near 90% conversion rate with ability to chain 3+ positions within single sequence
Defensive Response Recognition: Ability to immediately identify which transition pathway is exposed by opponent’s current defensive movement Proficiency indicators:
- Beginner: Recognizes transitions only after opponent has fully committed to escape movement
- Intermediate: Identifies correct transition option during early phase of defensive response
- Advanced: Anticipates which defense opponent will employ based on positional cues and body language
- Expert: Manipulates opponent’s defensive choices through feinting and pressure variation to expose desired transitions
Submission Finishing Efficiency: Percentage of fully established submission attempts that result in tap or technical completion Proficiency indicators:
- Beginner: 30-40% finish rate when position is fully established
- Intermediate: 60-70% finish rate with refined breaking mechanics
- Advanced: 80%+ finish rate with ability to finish from suboptimal positions
- Expert: Near 95% finish rate when position is achieved, forcing opponent to defend before full establishment
Connection Maintenance: Ability to maintain hip and leg contact throughout all transitions preventing opponent’s positional reset Proficiency indicators:
- Beginner: Frequent connection breaks requiring position reestablishment
- Intermediate: Maintains primary connection points but loses secondary controls during transitions
- Advanced: Simultaneous old and new position control during all major transitions
- Expert: Multi-layered connection redundancy where losing one control point still maintains offensive capability
Expert Insights
- John Danaher: The brilliance of Tonon’s approach lies in its recognition that opponent defensive movements are predictable reactions to submission pressure. When you apply systematic heel hook pressure from inside ashi-garami, the opponent has limited defensive options: turn toward you, turn away from you, or attempt to widen base and clear the entanglement. Each of these defenses exposes a specific counter-attack pathway. The turn toward you creates the angle for seat belt establishment and back control. The turn away exposes truck position and spine attacks. The base widening creates space for kiss of the dragon entries. This is not opportunistic scrambling—it is systematic exploitation of defensive necessity. The key is maintaining what I call ‘transitional connection’ throughout these movements. Your hips must remain in contact with opponent’s hips during every position change. This connection prevents the defensive reset that would allow opponent to escape the system entirely. Train each binary relationship until the defensive movement automatically triggers the appropriate offensive response. The system’s true power emerges when you stop thinking about individual positions and instead recognize the continuous attack cycle. You are never stuck in one position hoping for a finish—you are systematically moving through a predetermined sequence where every defensive success creates the next offensive opportunity.
- Gordon Ryan: I’ve competed against Garry extensively and also implemented variations of this system in my own competition game. The reality is that most high-level opponents can defend individual leg attacks or individual back attacks when that’s all you’re threatening. But nobody can simultaneously defend both categories effectively while also preventing the transitions between them. That’s what makes this system so dangerous at the highest levels. When I have inside ashi and my opponent starts defending the heel hook, I’m already looking for their hips turning—that turn is my entry to the back. When I have their back and they try that granby roll escape, I’m immediately looking to recapture their legs because that roll exposes them perfectly. The key competitive application is finish rate on the individual submissions. If you can’t actually finish heel hooks or rear naked chokes, opponents will just accept being in those positions and focus all their energy on preventing transitions. You need legitimate finishing ability in both categories to make the dilemma real. Also, this system shines in no-gi competition where the reduced friction makes transitions faster and harder to defend. In the gi, you can implement similar concepts but the execution timing changes due to grip friction. For competition, I recommend emphasizing whichever attack category your opponent is weaker at defending first, then using their defensive over-commitment to attack the other category.
- Eddie Bravo: What Garry developed here is the modern evolution of what we were trying to do with the twister system—create multiple submission threats from interconnected positions where defending one exposes another. The truck position is a perfect example of this intersection between leg attacks and back attacks. When you have saddle and they turn into you defending the heel hook, you’re right there in truck which can go to twister, back take, or return to legs. It’s beautiful because nothing is wasted movement. The innovation that takes this beyond traditional back attack systems is the leg entanglement integration. Old school back attack systems relied on getting past the legs first, then working the back. This approach treats the legs as both destination and pathway—you’re attacking legs as a primary target but also using leg control as the highway to the back. For 10th Planet practitioners, integrate this with rubber guard and lockdown concepts. When you have lockdown from bottom half guard, you’re already in position for electric chair which connects to truck which connects to this whole system. The lockdown becomes an entry point rather than an isolated position. Also, develop your truck game heavily because it’s the nexus position connecting everything. Master the truck and you can flow between heel hooks, calf slicers, twisters, and back takes all from one position. That’s the 10th Planet philosophy applied to modern leg lock integration.