K-Guard Roll to Saddle

Also known as: Backside Entry · K-Guard Inversion · Under-Leg Roll

The signature modern leg entry: elevate their leg with the K-guard lever, invert underneath, and triangle your legs around their knee — arriving in the saddle.

Transition · Gi & No-gi · Difficulty 4/5 · Usually learned at Purple belt

Starts from K-Guard as the k-guard player → lands in Saddle.

The details that make it work

  1. Lift their knee with the shin-and-arm lever as your body rolls under their base.
  2. Swing your outside leg over their trapped thigh mid-roll and lock the leg triangle as you arrive.
  3. Control the knee line FIRST — the heel exposure comes after the position, never before.

Where it goes wrong

How opponents counter it

Is the K-Guard Roll to Saddle legal in competition?

Legal in all major rulesets at all levels (IBJJF, ADCC, sub-only). Rules change — always confirm against the current official rulebook for your event.

History & naming

Made famous at ADCC 2019 by Lachlan Giles’ giant-killing run using exactly this entry.

Related techniques

All moves from K-Guard · Back to Grapplepedia