Lockdown Half Guard Guide
☰Contents
The lockdown in BJJ: how to lock the position, sweep options, electric chair connection, and Eddie Bravo half guard system.
The lockdown is a half guard position that immobilizes the opponent's lower leg, creating a powerful base for sweeps and leg attacks in the 10th Planet system.
What Is the Lockdown?
The lockdown is a half guard variation popularized by Eddie Bravo where your bottom leg wraps around the opponent's trapped leg in a figure-four configuration. By extending your legs, you stretch the opponent's base, prevent them from posting, and set up sweeps.
How to Lock the Lockdown
From half guard bottom: as you have the opponent's right leg trapped, reach your top (left) leg under their calf and wrap it over your bottom (right) ankle in a figure-four. Squeeze your knees together and extend your hips to stretch their leg and disrupt their base.
Sweep Attacks from Lockdown
The primary sweeps from lockdown are: old school sweep (underhook + sweep to top), electric chair sweep (inner leg leveraging their groin), and the plan B (walk over sweep). The old school requires an underhook; electric chair requires threading to the truck position.
Lockdown Defensive Role
Even when not actively sweeping, the lockdown serves as a defensive tool — it prevents the opponent from completing guard passes, maintains connection, and buys time to improve position or catch breath during scrambles.
Lockdown in Modern No-Gi
In modern no-gi competition, the lockdown connects directly to leg lock entries via the truck position. From lockdown, entering the electric chair and crab ride creates dangerous leg lock threats that have been used effectively at ADCC and in submission wrestling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the lockdown is a durable position because the mechanical advantage is significant. It is particularly useful for smaller grapplers against larger opponents who try to smash-pass.
Yes — experienced opponents will recognize lockdown and use lockdown counters: hip escape to free the leg, technical standing, or stacking. The key is to initiate sweeps before they have time to react.
Both are part of Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet half guard and closed guard systems. The lockdown is the half guard entry point, and many practitioners use both as a complementary system.