Outside Heel Hook

Also known as: Standard Heel Hook · Outside Ashi Heel Hook

The heel hook’s original form: from outside ashi, the heel turns outward (away from their center line), torquing the knee from the opposite direction of the inside version.

Submission · Heel Hook · No-gi · Difficulty 4/5 · Usually learned at Purple belt

Starts from Outside Ashi as the attacking player → ends the match (submission).

The details that make it work

1. Legs triangled or feet on the far hip control their leg from the OUTSIDE; their knee cannot follow the twist.
2. Catch the heel with the wrist blade or elbow crook; rotate away from their center line.
3. Their counter-rotation escape route is toward you — pinch the knees to close it.

Where it goes wrong

• Loose knees letting them "chase the twist" and unwind the torque.

How opponents counter it

• Rotate with the lock early and clear the foot
• Come up and drive weight over the entanglement

Is the Outside Heel Hook legal in competition?

Same as all heel hooks — IBJJF: no-gi brown/black only, gi never. Legal in ADCC and sub-only.

Same family: Heel Hooks

• Inside Heel Hook from the Saddle — from Saddle
• Inside Heel Hook from 50/50 — from 50/50

Related techniques

• Inside Heel Hook from the Saddle
• Inside Heel Hook from 50/50
• Straight Ankle Lock

All moves from Outside Ashi · Back to Grapplepedia