The Most Powerful Toe Hold Ever from Jay Wadsworth

By Fanatics Authors, May 22, 2018

BJJ is an extremely creative martial art by nature. No two arm locks or leg locks are exactly the same, even by the same BJJ practitioner. Training jiu jitsu teaches you to be a problem solver because when you find yourself stuck in bottom half guard for instance, you've got to find a way to stay safe and not be submitted, work for a reversal or submission, or try to get yourself to a better position, all while your opponent is trying to do the exact opposite.

Jay Wadsworth is a BJJ black belt and active police officer. He spends all of his time working to be an effective problem solver on and off the mats. His role as a law enforcement officer informs his BJJ, while his jiu jitsu informs his role serving his community. It is very important for him to develop and present self-defense training for law enforcement professionals and civilians that will bring elements of BJJ to a much wider audience.

At Fight to Win 72 in Pittsburgh, PA, Jay Wadsworth had to put his creativity to the test against a tough local black belt in Jacob Miclot. During the match Wadsworth was able to secure a devastating toe hold victory. Watch the breakdown by Jay of the submission below and then we'll look at a few key points.

Steer Your Opponent to Weaken Their Base

To give the demonstration some context, the opponent had sat back to prevent the knee bar attempt or toe hold. As long as the opponent stays heavy, Jay cannot attack the leg. He needs to steer the opponent by either pulling the upper body close and steering it away with a lapel grip or reaching under the near side arm to push the body away, bringing his hips up and making his leg light allowing Jay to isolate and attack that leg.

Use The Hips to Prevent the Roll

Once the leg is isolated and controlled, because he is attached to only one leg, there is a chance that the opponent can roll out. To prevent this roll out, the hips must be lifted in the opposing direction that the opponent is trying to move. This puts pressure on the their knee and stops the roll, allowing Jay to secure the toe hold.

Use the Leg to Super Charge the Toe Hold

To finish the toe hold, Jay must work to push the toes towards the opponents buttocks. In the case of his opponent in Pittsburgh, his resilience and flexibility presented a problem. This is where Jay brought his own legs into play by maintaining hip control with his bottom leg and bringing his calf and shin across the opponent's toes. When he locked his ankles and extended his legs, he was able to secure a devastating toe hold and win the match in Pittsburgh.

To learn more about Jay's leg lock system, check out his Ashi Garami System here at BJJ Fanatics. While you're there, check out all of the self defense and tactical instructionals designed to give law enforcement professionals and civilians practical techniques that will make us all problem solvers when it matters most.