How do you know if a leg locks instructional is worth exploring? Well, first of all, you need to look at how is the person demonstrating the techniques. If it is a proven competitive leg locker, or a renowned coach, preferably one who has coached high-level leg lockers, you are great.
The difference though, is in the delivery. What you want from a leg lock instructional, given how much material is available out there, is simplicity. At this point, paralysis by analysis is a real problem in Jiu-Jitsu, and any resource that reduces clutter is very welcome.
Our attention in this quest was to explore the Leg Lock Destruction DVD put together by one of the most formidable leg lockers of our time, Kyle Boehm. Let’s dive deep and see what Kyle has to offer in it.
Key Takeaways
- No-Gi DVD containing two volumes with nearly two hours of leg locks.
- A system that keeps you switching Ashi Garami positions constantly.
- Entries, attack combos, escapes, and proven effective counter-leg locks.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.
LEG LOCK DESTRUCTION DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!
Are Leg Locks Still the Great Equalizer in BJJ?
Do you know how leg locks got their bad name in BJJ? During a 10 vs. 10 BJJ gym challenge in Brazil, Helio Gracie’s students lost to Oswaldo Fadda’s students as a result of footlocks. Helio dubbed them a “suburban technique” (Técnica de Suburbano) afterward resulting in people throwing shoes at those who attempted them in BJJ tournaments.
This just proves how effective they have been since the early days of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After the leg lock revolution that the Danaher Death Squad introduced, leg locks were the most popular thing to do for a while. Now, everyone sees them as something that is a vital part of BJJ, and not everyone is drawn to practice them as much.
This raises the question of whether or not they lost their power and potential, now that they are no longer an obscure “suburban” move but rather a staple of the sport. As one of those who were completely drawn to the rabbit hole that is leg locks, I can attest to them being just as useful now, if not more, as they were about a decade ago.
What you have at your disposal these days are options. Before, there was only the Danaher system. Now, you can diversify your leg locks in a bunch of different ways, as people have taken to them and turned them into signature moves.
An example that comes to mind is one of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu’s most active and recognizable competitors, Kyle Boehm, a modern-day leg locker who knows a thing or two about Leg Lock Destruction.
Kyle Boehm: One of the Best 10th Planet Grapplers
Kyle Boehm is a BJJ black belt in the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, under John Botello. He has been an avid competitor since his colored belt days and has carried over that momentum into his pro career after getting his black belt in 2019.
While still a young black belt, at least time-wise, Bohem already has some impressive performances on the biggest stages, such as ADCC and EBi, as well as some big titles to his name, such as the BJJ Fanatics Grand Prix Champion and King of the Mats Invitational Champion.
Spending a lot of his time between his coach, Botello, and the two most distinct competitors from 10th Planet – Geo and Richie Martinez, Boehm emerged as the perfect blend of competitive drive and deep grappling knowledge.
His style is all about efficiency, slightly different from everyone else at 10P, with a heavy emphasis on leg locks, particularly outside heel hooks. So far, he has 19 submission victories at a pro level, 12 of which are by way of heel hooks.
Given that he’s gone against grapplers such as Kaynan Duarte, Tex Johnson, Nick Rodriguez, and Craig Jones, he is exactly the person you want to be learning leg locks from.
Kyle Boehm: Leg Lock Destruction DVD Review
What you get with the Leg Lock Destruction BJJ DVD By Kyle Boehm is a 2-hour long resource on how to constantly stay in a leg-locking position and always present a threat to the opponent. Most of the focus in this No-Gi instructional is on heel hook finishes, Boehm’s favorite, with tens of different top and bottom setups and transitions examined in detail:
Part 1 – Ashi Garami Transitions
As the Leg Lock Destruction DVD kicks off, Boehm starts off with entries that Kyle compares to wrestling mat returns – he forces the opponent’s hips to the ground from top and bottom, opening up different leg lock attacks.
he starts in the Straight Ashi, which he calls the standard Ashi Garami, covering how to get the position against a bunch of different positions from the Headquarters to following up on takedowns and arm drags from the butterfly guard.
The Outside Ashi, reverse Ashi, and Cross-Ashi positions follow suit, with Kyle showing how to transition in between them once you get to the standard Ashi Garami. A bit of 50/50 works appears at the end, providing even more versatility to the system. Throughout, Kyle Boehm covers both top and bottom entries.
Part 2 – Mechanics of Counter Leg Locks
The second and final portion of the Kyle Boehm DVD explores finishing, focusing on the breaking mechanics of heel hooks. That said, Boehm also shares his tips and tricks on finishing toe holds, kneebars, Achilles locks, and even calf slicers.
At all times, he uses the transitions between the different Ashi Garamis to ensure he never loses the opponent’s hips, and they never leave the mats. A big part of this portion is the Game Over position, the most underrated leg-locking position in all grappling martial arts.
A particularly enticing part of this instructional is the chapters on counter leg locks, which Boehm covers in detail, tying them to the Ashi positions covered earlier. He also shares some highly effective escape strategies, as well as a positional hierarchy and the theoretical framework that makes the system tick.
The Best Time to do Leg Locks
In my opinion, now is the best time to do leg locks in BJJ. There are more than enough resources out there, both instructional and matches to analyze to find out exactly what suits you.
Moreover, people are no longer afraid of leg locks, which actually works in favor of leg lockers. It means that now you can set yourself deeper into an Ashi Garami and switch between different styles of leg locks, from Dnahaer-style control to looser digital finishes like Lachlan Giles, or a more scramble style like the one Kyle Boehm shows in his Leg Lock Destruction BJJ DVD.
At the end of the day, you now have the knowledge not just to attack leg locks, but also set traps using them. The only thing more devastating than a BJJ leg lock is a counter-leg lock, the mark of high-level grapples and inescapable once set up correctly.
All it takes is keeping an open mind not falling for the latest fad in grappling that is not yet polished, and sticking with moves that are proven to work and provide heaps of versatility when it comes to making them your own.
DOWNLOAD KYLE BOEHM DVD LEG LOCK DESTRUCTION
Grab A Leg!
The Leg Lock Destruction BJJ DVD By Kyle Boehm is an invaluable resource for those who already have leg-locking experience and want to tie everything together without too much fluff and complexity. It is straight to the point, containing hours of super useful material that is actually a great fit for anyone, including those with no previous leg lock knowledge.
Leg Locks 101: A Guide to Positions, Submissions, Dangers, And Rules
