# Inside Heel Hook

> A rotational leg submission that controls the knee line and turns the exposed heel inward; it demands advanced supervision and early tapping.

- **Canonical page:** https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/inside-heel-hook
- **Markdown:** https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/inside-heel-hook.md
- **JSON:** https://www.ossmeta.com/api/public/techniques/inside-heel-hook
- **Category:** submission
- **Format:** no-gi
- **Level:** advanced
- **Aliases:** inside heelhook, medial heel hook, inward heel hook
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-25

## What it is

The inside heel hook is a rotational submission usually associated with saddle, 50/50, backside 50/50, and related leg entanglements. The attacker controls the opponent's thigh and knee line, exposes the heel, and connects the foot to rotation through the leg.

It is one of grappling's most dangerous submissions because the knee can be injured before pain provides a generous warning. Responsible training emphasizes positional recognition, controlled finishing mechanics, and immediate release.

## Key principles

- Control the knee and hip before exposing the heel.
- Keep the foot connected to the torso rather than twisting with the arms alone.
- Distinguish positional control from finishing pressure during training.
- Tap and release early; never use explosive rotation.

## Common entries

- **Saddle:** Control the far hip and knee line from an inside leg configuration.
- **Backside 50/50:** Rotate behind the opponent's hips while keeping the captured knee controlled.
- **K guard:** Use the far-leg entry to reach a rotational entanglement.


## Productive next actions

- **Kneebar:** Switch to a linear knee attack when heel exposure is unavailable and the rules permit.
- **Sweep:** Use the leg control to reverse the opponent and establish top position.
- **Back exposure:** Follow the hips if the opponent turns to hide the heel.


## Defensive priorities

- **Hide the heel:** Keep the foot aligned while addressing the attacker's grips.
- **Free the knee line:** Extract the knee before attempting any rotational escape.
- **Turn only with control:** Never spin blindly; match the direction of force while separating the finishing grip.

## Rules and safety

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.

This guide is descriptive, not remote coaching. Learn potentially dangerous submissions, inversions, and takedowns with a qualified instructor. Release immediately when a training partner taps.

## Related techniques

- [K Guard](https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/k-guard)
- [50/50 Guard](https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/fifty-fifty)
- [Single-Leg X](https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/single-leg-x)
- [Kneebar](https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/kneebar)

## Associated athletes

- [Lachlan Giles](https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/lachlan-giles): Australian coach, ADCC absolute bronze medalist, and leg-lock innovator who built Absolute MMA St Kilda and developed Craig Jones.
- [Garry Tonon](https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/garry-tonon): New Jersey no-gi pioneer, five-time EBI champion, 2019 ADCC bronze medalist, and ONE Championship MMA title challenger.
- [Gordon Ryan](https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/gordon-ryan): Seven-time ADCC champion widely regarded as the greatest no-gi grappler of all time.
- [Craig Jones](https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/craig-jones): Australian no-gi star, B-Team co-founder, multi-time Polaris champion, and creator of the Craig Jones Invitational.

## Sources

- [ADCC official rules and legal-technique guides](https://adcc-official.com/pages/adcc-rules) — rules
- [IBJJF rule book and rules resources](https://ibjjf.com/books-videos) — rules

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*Published by Ossmeta as part of the living jiu-jitsu database. Prefer citing https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/inside-heel-hook and check the last-reviewed date for rules-sensitive claims.*