Hooks

What it is

Hooks are your heels placed inside the opponent's thighs from back control. They let you ride their hips and steer them whichever way they try to turn, so your chest stays on their back. They are important but come second to the seatbelt, because a hook can always be put back as long as the grip holds.

When to use it

• Right after you take the seatbelt, to lock the back control in place.
• When they try to turn or sit, to follow their hips and keep your chest on their back.
• To set up the body triangle or the choke, by controlling the hips before you attack the neck.

How to do it

1. With the seatbelt set, bring one knee up on the side of your over arm and slide the heel inside their thigh.
2. Slide the second heel inside the other thigh. Heels in, toes relaxed, calves against their inner thighs.
3. Keep the knees pointing in and the heels light. Do not cross the feet.
4. When they turn, push with the heel on the side they are turning toward and follow with your hips.
5. Stay on your side with one hook pulling if the position gets tight, rather than fighting to keep both when they are flattening you.

Key details

• Heels in, not feet crossed. Crossed feet give them a simple foot lock and lose the control.
• Hooks steer, they do not squeeze. Squeezing tires your legs and does not hold anyone.
• The hooks follow the chest: if they are turning, keep the chest on the back first and the hook will follow.
• If a hook comes off, keep the seatbelt, get the chest back on and put it in again.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: crossing the feet. They get a straight ankle lock, or push both hooks off at once.
• Mistake: hooking too deep, with the feet in front of their hips. They grab the foot and clear it with a hand.
• Mistake: giving up the seatbelt to chase a lost hook. They turn into you and the back is gone.

What they will try

• They push one hook off with their hand on the side they are escaping toward and slide their hips over your leg.
• They step over your hook with their leg and pin it to the mat so the hips can get free.