Heel hooks, calf slicers, are all deemed dangerous submissions & prohibited from competition by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (apart from the adult black belt level which now allows them), a non-profit that hosts some of the biggest Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in the world..
Usually, learning these dangerous moves are at the discretion of the BJJ instructor. Some students may never learn these submissions, but others begin to learn them from day one, especially if their academy is not focused on sports competition. Should academies teach these submissions at all? If BJJ practitioners want to be well rounded grapplers, then yes they should and they should also learn how to escape them.
The Outside Heel Hook is one of the most devastating submission techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If you don’t escape it – and if you don’t tap on time – it could leave you seriously injured. Which is why you need to learn proper defense.
If you don’t know the defense against it, then watch the video below. The Ruotolo brothers demonstrate and explain 3 principles for defending against and escaping this devastating technique:
Shut down leg locks and turn their attack into your counters and passes with the Ruotolo brothers’ guide to staying safe.
- Kade and Tye Ruotolo are twin brothers training at Atos and two of the highest-profile and most successful young grapplers in the world.
- Escape from dangerous no-gi positions like 50/50, outside ashi, cross ashi/honey hole, and more.
- Turn heel hook attempts into your own counters as the Ruotolo brothers show you how they navigate these tricky positions.
