Tricky Ankle Pick With Garry St. Leger
Breaking The Law….Breaking The Law!
We get it, the IOC banned leg grabs back in ‘08. That doesn’t mean that you still can’t learn some super effective techniques that can get your opponent to the mat! Cross-overs between grappling sports are becoming more and more common. So whether you are a Judo athlete looking to compete in Jiu-Jitsu or a Jiu-Jitsu person looking to add some Judo technique to your game, adding another effective tool to your kit is never a bad idea!
Garry St. Leger recently released an instructional with Judofanatics.com titled Old School Judo. The goal of the instructional is to focus on flat-out effective techniques that are no longer legal in International events. That said, many of the techniques would fit nicely in a Jiu-Jitsu competition setting.
Here is a tricky counter to Sasae Tsurikomi that requires a little anticipation but is an effective way to turn the tables on your opponent. Check out this demo from Old School Judo!
Sasae involves a lot of movement, so it’s something you can start to develop an eye for. In Old School Judo Garry has a complete section dedicated to counter leg grabs. He covers counters for techniques like Uchi Mata, Harai Goshi, and of course the Sasae, using leg grabs! Garry also explains overall positioning concepts that will leave you less vulnerable to being thrown. This will help you develop your timing and anticipation of your opponent’s attacks.
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To hit the ankle pick Garry emphasizes getting into a lowered position with a wide base. This allows him to slow down the Sasae attempt. At the same time this puts him into position to snag the ankle. Some ankle picks have you run through your opponent, but if your opponent has good balance they can hop on one foot to defend. Instead Garry opts to use a pivoting motion to pull his opponent’s foot out from under them. This circular pivot motion he uses will also make your hand assist in off balancing your opponent.
An added bonus is that you don’t land in your opponent’s closed guard. While it is nice to get a takedown regardless, it’s definitely beneficial to not land all the way in someone’s closed guard when you can avoid it. Another tip is to let go of your high lapel grip when you successfully put your opponent to the floor. This will help in keeping out of their closed guard or worse and armbar! By staying on the feet you are able to remain mobile and can immediately get to passing the guard.
Old School Judo by Garry St. Leger is dedicated to highly effective and efficient techniques that focus on results instead of ruleset. If you are looking for flat out effective techniques Garry has you covered. Perfect for the Judo guy getting into BJJ where leg grabs are legal. Kick it Old School with Garry St. Leger!