{"slug":"kneebar","name":"Kneebar","aliases":["knee bar","hiza juji gatame","straight knee lock"],"category":"submission","format":"both","level":"advanced","summary":"A straight leg lock that controls the hips and knee while extending the leg between the attacker's body and arms.","overview":["The kneebar resembles an armbar applied to the leg: the attacker controls the opponent's hip rotation, traps the thigh between the legs, and aligns the knee with the hips.","Entries appear from top half guard, K guard, saddle, 50/50, and rolling transitions. Because the defender can rotate the leg and because the knee has limited warning under load, controlled alignment matters more than fast extension."],"keyPrinciples":["Control the opponent's hip so the knee cannot freely rotate.","Keep your knees connected above the captured knee line.","Align the kneecap before applying any extension.","Finish slowly and release immediately on a tap."],"entries":[{"label":"K guard","description":"Capture the far leg and extend into hip control."},{"label":"Top half guard","description":"Backstep around the trapped leg while keeping the opponent's hips contained."},{"label":"Saddle","description":"Change from rotational control to a straight line through the knee."}],"continuations":[{"label":"Inside heel hook","description":"Change to rotational control only where legal and safely supervised."},{"label":"50/50","description":"Re-entangle the leg if the opponent turns the knee line."},{"label":"Top position","description":"Follow the defensive rotation and settle above the hips."}],"defenses":[{"label":"Bend the knee","description":"Recover heel-to-hip connection before the leg is fully aligned."},{"label":"Clear the hip line","description":"Move the knee outside the attacker's leg control before rotating."},{"label":"Turn with the kneecap","description":"Match the leg's alignment while separating the attacker's knees."}],"relatedTechniqueSlugs":["k-guard","inside-heel-hook","fifty-fifty","straight-ankle-lock"],"athleteSlugs":["elisabeth-clay","garry-tonon","tye-ruotolo","haisam-rida"],"rulesetNote":"Leg-lock legality changes substantially by age, belt, division, and ruleset. Reaping and the finishing mechanic may be regulated separately. Confirm the current organizer rules before competing.","sources":[{"label":"IBJJF rule book and rules resources","url":"https://ibjjf.com/books-videos","type":"rules"},{"label":"ADCC official rules and legal-technique guides","url":"https://adcc-official.com/pages/adcc-rules","type":"rules"}],"lastUpdated":"2026-07-25","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/kneebar","markdownUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/kneebar.md","jsonUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/api/public/techniques/kneebar","relatedTechniques":[{"slug":"k-guard","name":"K Guard","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/k-guard"},{"slug":"inside-heel-hook","name":"Inside Heel Hook","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/inside-heel-hook"},{"slug":"fifty-fifty","name":"50/50 Guard","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/fifty-fifty"},{"slug":"straight-ankle-lock","name":"Straight Ankle Lock","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/straight-ankle-lock"}],"associatedAthletes":[{"slug":"elisabeth-clay","name":"Elisabeth Clay","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/elisabeth-clay"},{"slug":"garry-tonon","name":"Garry Tonon","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/garry-tonon"},{"slug":"tye-ruotolo","name":"Tye Ruotolo","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/tye-ruotolo"},{"slug":"haisam-rida","name":"Haisam Rida","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/haisam-rida"}],"sourceSite":{"name":"Ossmeta","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com"}}