{"slug":"toe-hold","name":"Toe Hold","aliases":["figure-four foot lock","toe lock"],"category":"submission","format":"both","level":"advanced","summary":"A figure-four foot lock that controls the toes and ankle while rotating the foot relative to a controlled knee.","overview":["The toe hold uses a figure-four grip on the foot, usually with one hand controlling near the toes and the other reinforcing at the wrist. The attack can appear during guard passing, leg entanglements, back takes, and scramble counters.","The foot is only one end of the lever. Safe, effective control also accounts for the knee and hip; twisting a free foot without controlling the leg creates unpredictable motion and injury risk."],"keyPrinciples":["Control the knee and hip before rotating the foot.","Connect the figure-four grip close to your body.","Apply pressure gradually because small joints can be injured quickly.","Use the grip positionally when the finishing direction is not aligned."],"entries":[{"label":"50/50","description":"Collect the far side of the foot while keeping the knee line controlled."},{"label":"Guard pass","description":"Attack a posted or exposed foot while maintaining top balance."},{"label":"Kneebar defense","description":"Counter-control the opponent's foot during a leg-lock exchange."}],"continuations":[{"label":"Kneebar","description":"Move to straight-leg control when the opponent extends the knee."},{"label":"Sweep","description":"Use the figure-four grip to disrupt base and come on top."},{"label":"Back exposure","description":"Follow the opponent's hip turn while maintaining leg control."}],"defenses":[{"label":"Hide the foot","description":"Keep the toes and heel close to the opponent's body or mat."},{"label":"Free the knee line","description":"Recover leg mobility before turning the foot."},{"label":"Hand fight","description":"Separate the figure-four grip before attempting to pull away."}],"relatedTechniqueSlugs":["fifty-fifty","kneebar","straight-ankle-lock","inside-heel-hook"],"athleteSlugs":["gabi-garcia","elisabeth-clay","william-tackett","kaynan-duarte"],"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/toe-hold","markdownUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/toe-hold.md","jsonUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/api/public/techniques/toe-hold","relatedTechniques":[{"slug":"fifty-fifty","name":"50/50 Guard","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/fifty-fifty"},{"slug":"kneebar","name":"Kneebar","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/kneebar"},{"slug":"straight-ankle-lock","name":"Straight Ankle Lock","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/straight-ankle-lock"},{"slug":"inside-heel-hook","name":"Inside Heel Hook","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/inside-heel-hook"}],"associatedAthletes":[{"slug":"gabi-garcia","name":"Gabi Garcia","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/gabi-garcia"},{"slug":"elisabeth-clay","name":"Elisabeth Clay","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/elisabeth-clay"},{"slug":"william-tackett","name":"William Tackett","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/william-tackett"},{"slug":"kaynan-duarte","name":"Kaynan Duarte","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/kaynan-duarte"}],"sourceSite":{"name":"Ossmeta","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com"}}