Heel Hook Variations

Last updated: June 17, 2026

What are heel hook variations?

A heel hook is a leg lock that traps the foot and twists it through the heel. The twist looks like it attacks the ankle, but the real damage lands on the knee, because the trapped leg sends that rotational force straight up into the ligaments. When people talk about heel hook variations, they are pointing at the two ways that twist can go and the leg-entanglement positions each one comes from.

The first split is direction. Turning the foot outward gives the outside heel hook. Turning it inward gives the inside heel hook. The second layer is position, since each direction tends to show up from specific leg entanglements, such as ashi garami, the saddle, or 50/50 guard.

Knowing the difference matters more here than with most submissions. A heel hook can wreck a knee before the person being caught feels real pain, because ligaments carry few pain signals. That is also why fans hear so much about the inside version in particular. Anyone following modern no-gi grappling runs into the term constantly, and the variations are the part that confuses newcomers most.

The two main heel hook variations

Almost every heel hook a fan will see fits into one of two buckets. They share the same idea, trapping the leg and twisting the heel, but the direction of that twist changes where it comes from and how much danger it carries.

Outside heel hook

The outside heel hook turns the opponent’s foot away from their body, creating outward rotation at the knee. It usually appears from outside or straight ashi garami and single leg X, where the leg sits along the outside of the attacker’s body. According to BJJ Graph, the stress lands on the lateral collateral ligament of the outer knee and the ankle ligaments. Most coaches rank it as the slightly less catastrophic of the two. It often buys a sliver more time to feel the danger and tap. Scrambles are where it turns up most, since a fast entanglement can expose the outside heel before the defender settles.

Inside heel hook

Reverse the twist, and the position flips with it. The inside heel hook, also called the reverse or inverted heel hook, turns the foot inward across the body. It comes from positions like the saddle (also known as the 4-11 or honey hole), inside ashi garami, and 50/50 guard. Evolve MMA notes that it attacks the knee’s internal rotation, which most people are far less able to resist, so control tightens fast, and escape windows shrink. Sources, including Digitsu and BJJ Sportswear, rank it as the more dangerous variation because the torque concentrates on the knee and threatens ligaments such as the ACL and MCL. This is the version that built the reputation of the whole technique.

Inside vs outside heel hook

Most heel hook searches start from confusion between these two, so here is the side-by-side view.

	Outside heel hook	Inside heel hook
Also called	Standard, normal heel hook	Reverse, inverted heel hook
Twist direction	Foot rotates outward (away from body)	Foot rotates inward (across body)
Common positions	Outside/straight ashi garami, single leg X	Saddle (4-11), inside ashi, 50/50 guard
Main structures stressed	LCL and ankle ligaments	ACL and MCL
Relative danger	Severe, slightly slower onset	Generally considered more dangerous

The practical takeaway for a viewer is simple. When a commentator says the foot is being turned to the inside, the knee is in serious trouble, and a tap should already be coming.

Why the names get confusing

The naming is the single biggest source of mix-ups, and it trips up plenty of experienced fans too. Inside heel hook, reverse heel hook, and inverted heel hook all describe the same thing. The “reverse” and “inverted” labels stuck because the inside version reverses the foot direction of the older, more familiar outside heel hook.

The outside heel hook, meanwhile, sometimes goes by “standard” or “normal” heel hook, since it was the version most grapplers learned first. So a clip labelled “inverted heel hook” and a clip labelled “inside heel hook” are showing the identical attack, just with different vocabulary. One quick test cuts through it: the word for the direction the foot turns is the word that actually matters.

Common misconceptions

A few ideas about heel hook variations get repeated so often that they are worth clearing up.

Start with the idea that the submission attacks the ankle. The heel is only the handle. In most cases, the knee takes the real punishment as the rotation travels up the shin. Then there is the assumption that pain will arrive in time to tap, which, with these locks, it frequently does not. That delayed warning is why both variations carry such a fearsome reputation and why coaches drill early tapping so hard. One more mix-up worth killing off: “inside” and “reverse” are not separate moves. They are the same variation under two names.

Are heel hook variations legal?

Legality depends entirely on the ruleset, and this is one of the most common questions fans have. Under IBJJF rules, every heel hook is banned in the gi at all belt levels. The federation changed its no-gi rules effective January 1, 2021, allowing heel hooks and knee reaping for adult brown and black belts, a shift the IBJJF confirmed in its official rules update. Below brown belt in IBJJF no-gi, they remain off limits.

Other organisations are far more permissive. According to BJJInfo.org, ADCC and the Eddie Bravo Invitational allow heel hooks across their divisions, and circuits like NAGA permit them at intermediate levels. That patchwork is why the same athlete might throw inside heel hooks freely at one event and avoid them entirely at another.

How common are heel hooks at the top level?

The variations now define a large slice of elite no-gi. Looking at Digitsu’s competition database, Oliver Taza holds the most recorded heel hook finishes at 33, ahead of Garry Tonon with 26 and Craig Jones with 19. The specialist numbers are even more striking: Digitsu lists Robert Degle as finishing roughly 79 percent of his submission wins by heel hook, with Eddie Cummings around 68 percent. Names like these turned the inside heel hook from a banned curiosity into a headline weapon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the inside heel hook the same as a reverse heel hook?

Yes. Inside, reverse, and inverted heel hook are three names for the same variation, where the foot rotates inward across the body.

Which heel hook variation is more dangerous?

Most coaches and sources point to the inside heel hook because it loads the knee’s internal rotation and stresses ligaments like the ACL with little warning before damage.

What positions do heel hooks come from?

Outside heel hooks usually come from outside or straight ashi garami and single leg X. Inside heel hooks come from the saddle, inside ashi garami, and 50/50 guard.

Why are heel hooks banned for lower belts in IBJJF no-gi?

The torque can tear knee ligaments fast, often before the defender feels enough pain to tap, so the IBJJF restricts them to brown and black belts who can recognise and defend the danger.

Does a heel hook attack the ankle or the knee?

The grip is on the heel, and the ankle takes some stress, but the rotation mostly threatens the knee ligaments.

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Sources

1. International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. “New Rules Updates.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://ibjjf.com/news/new-rules-updates
2. Digitsu. “Heel Hook Breakdown (BJJ)” and “Outside Heel Hook Breakdown.” Accessed June 2026. https://digitsu.com/t/heel-hook
   https://digitsu.com/t/outside-heel-hook
3. BJJ Graph. “Heel Hook.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://bjjgraph.org/Submissions/Heel-Hook
4. Evolve MMA. “Inside vs Outside Heel Hook.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://evolve-mma.com/blog/inside-vs-outside-heel-hook-differences-effectiveness-and-when-to-use-each/
5. BJJ Sportswear. “Heel Hook: Complete Safety & Technique Guide.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://bjjsportswear.com/technique/heel-hook-safety-technique/
6. BJJInfo.org. “Heel Hook Rules by Organization.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://bjjinfo.org/wiki/Heel_Hook_Rules_by_Organization

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