The Reverse Heel Hook Counter is a sophisticated defensive technique executed when trapped in ushiro ashi-garami. Rather than purely escaping, this counter-attack capitalizes on the opponent’s commitment to their heel hook attempt by entering your own leg entanglement on their exposed leg. The technique requires precise timing—executing too early reveals your intention, while waiting too long allows the opponent to finish their submission.
This counter exemplifies the modern leg lock game’s principle that defense and offense exist on a continuum. When your opponent adjusts their grips or repositions for a finishing heel hook, their own legs momentarily become vulnerable. The reverse heel hook counter exploits this window by using your free leg and hands to enter an inside ashi-garami configuration on the opponent’s attacking leg, creating a submission race or forcing them to abandon their attack.
The technique is particularly effective against opponents who over-commit to heel hook finishes without maintaining proper leg defense. Advanced practitioners use this counter as a proactive defensive strategy, actually inviting certain heel hook attempts knowing they can intercept with the counter. This creates a psychological advantage where opponents become hesitant to commit fully to their attacks.
From Position: Ushiro Ashi-Garami (Bottom) Success Rate: 50%
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Inside Ashi-Garami | 50% |
| Failure | Ushiro Ashi-Garami | 30% |
| Counter | game-over | 20% |
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute technique | Prevent or counter |
| Key Principles | Time the counter during opponent’s grip adjustment phase whe… | Recognize counter-entry attempts during your grip adjustment… |
| Options | 7 execution steps | 4 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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Time the counter during opponent’s grip adjustment phase when their legs are momentarily exposed
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Maintain heel protection on your trapped leg throughout the entire counter sequence
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Use opponent’s commitment to their attack as the opening for your counter-entanglement
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Control distance with your free leg to prevent opponent from deepening their position
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Prioritize establishing inside position on their leg before attempting any finishing grip
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Accept that successful counters may result in leg lock exchanges requiring superior finishing speed
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Monitor opponent’s upper body posture to anticipate their next grip adjustment opportunity
Execution Steps
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Protect heel: Maintain strong dorsiflexion on trapped foot with toes pulled toward shin. Use both hands to frame a…
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Identify window: Watch for opponent releasing their inside leg control or shifting hands to establish finishing heel …
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Hip rotation: Rotate your hips toward opponent’s attacking leg while using your free leg to hook behind their knee…
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Establish inside position: Thread your bottom leg between opponent’s legs to establish the inside position fundamental to insid…
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Control their leg: Use your outside leg to cross over opponent’s trapped leg, completing the inside ashi-garami configu…
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Establish heel grip: Once entanglement is secure, work to establish your heel hook grip using standard inside heel hook m…
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Finish or force release: Apply rotational pressure to their heel while monitoring their grip on your leg. Either finish the s…
Common Mistakes
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Relaxing heel protection while focusing on counter-entanglement entry
- Consequence: Opponent finishes heel hook during the counter attempt, resulting in submission loss
- Correction: Maintain dorsiflexion on trapped foot throughout entire sequence. Never sacrifice heel defense for offensive positioning.
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Attempting counter when opponent has deep, secure heel hook grip already established
- Consequence: Counter fails and movement creates space for opponent to finish, accelerating submission
- Correction: Only attempt counter during opponent’s adjustment phase. If grip is already deep, focus on escape rather than counter.
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Using hands to reach for opponent’s leg rather than protecting own heel first
- Consequence: Removes defensive barrier allowing opponent’s hands to access heel, creating immediate submission danger
- Correction: Keep hands defending your heel until opponent’s own leg is close enough to control without reaching.
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Recognize counter-entry attempts during your grip adjustment phase before inside position is established on your leg
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Maintain inside leg control throughout your heel hook finishing attempts to deny the counter-entry angle
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Keep your own heel protected by tucking your foot behind opponent’s thigh when attacking from ushiro
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Assess grip depth advantage—if your heel hook grip is deeper than their counter, accelerate the finish rather than defending
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Control your free leg position to prevent opponent from using it as a hook or lever for counter-entanglement
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Avoid releasing leg pressure during grip adjustments, as this creates the primary window for counter-attack
Recognition Cues
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Opponent’s hips begin rotating toward your attacking leg rather than away during their escape attempt
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Opponent’s free leg hooks behind your knee or begins threading between your legs instead of posting for escape
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Opponent stops defending their heel and shifts hand fighting toward your lower body and leg position
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Opponent slows or pauses their escape rotation, indicating a deliberate positional change rather than continued inversion
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You feel opponent’s inside leg crossing your hip line from an unexpected angle during your grip adjustment
Defensive Options
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Accelerate heel hook finish before counter-entanglement is established - When: When you already have a deep heel grip and opponent is only beginning their counter rotation—your positional advantage is clear
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Withdraw attacking leg and re-establish ushiro ashi-garami control from scratch - When: When you detect the counter attempt early before your leg is entangled—opponent has begun rotating but has not yet secured inside position
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Transition to saddle or honey hole to deepen your control beyond counter-attack range - When: When opponent’s counter rotation creates the angle for you to step your outside leg through to saddle configuration
Position Integration
The Reverse Heel Hook Counter represents an advanced evolution in leg lock defense philosophy—transforming a purely defensive position into an offensive opportunity. This technique integrates into the broader ashi-garami system as part of the counter-attack branch of leg entanglement defense. When trapped in ushiro ashi-garami, practitioners face a decision tree: escape to turtle, granby to standing, recover guard, or counter-attack. The reverse heel hook counter occupies the counter-attack branch, serving as the primary offensive option from this defensive position. Success with this technique requires mastery of both inside ashi-garami attacks and ushiro ashi-garami defenses, making it a purple-to-brown belt level skill that rewards deep understanding of leg lock positional hierarchies.