Lockdown

What it is

Lockdown is a half guard leg lock-up where your outside leg wraps the opponent's trapped leg and your feet hook together behind it, then you stretch the leg out by pushing with your legs. A stretched leg cannot step free or post, so their pass and their base both stall. Pair it with an underhook or a hold on their head, because the lockdown holds the leg while the upper body grips set up the sweep.

What you want from here

• You are in half guard and they are trying to free their trapped leg to pass.
• You need to slow down a strong passer and buy time to get the underhook.
• You want to sweep them by stretching the trapped leg and pushing over that side.
• On top: keep your weight on them, keep your head low and work your knee out before the leg gets stretched.

Key details

• Your outside leg wraps their trapped leg and your feet lock behind it, toes pulling back.
• Stretch the leg out by pushing your legs away from you. A straight leg has no power.
• Get an underhook or hold their head so they cannot flatten you while you control the leg.
• Release the lockdown to sweep or come up. It is a tool to stop the pass, not a place to lie forever.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: lying flat holding the lockdown with nothing on top. They crossface you and work around it slowly.
• Mistake: only squeezing, not stretching. They bend the knee, walk the leg out and pass.
• Mistake: staying locked down when the sweep is there. You lose your chance and get tired.

How it is escaped or passed

• Crossfacing and flattening the bottom player to kill the upper body.
• Turning the trapped knee out and pulling it free with their hips back.
• Back stepping or switching their hips to change the angle of the trapped leg.