Jiu Jitsu - The Inside Sankaku Recovery System with Ed Ingamells
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Inside Sankaku·Stuart Tomlinson
| Jiu Jitsu - The Inside Sankaku Recovery System | The inside Sankaku is a way to entangle the legs of your opponent. …
Inside Sankaku
SubFamily内三角
TransliterationTranslation
Not yet documented
Overview
Inside Sankaku (also called the Saddle, Honey Hole, or Game Over position) is the most dominant leg entanglement position in modern grappling — a configuration where the attacker's legs form a triangle around the opponent's thigh from the inside, with the outside knee controlling the hip line, creating the optimal angle for the inside heel hook, the most devastating submission in grappling. [1] Inside sankaku is to the leg lock game what mount is to the positional game: the apex of the hierarchy, the position from which the highest-percentage finishes occur, and the position every leg lock player aspires to achieve. [1],[2] The position was systematised by John Danaher and demonstrated by his students (Eddie Cummings, Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon) who proved that inside sankaku with proper heel control produces finishes at the highest levels of no-gi competition. [2],[3] Once inside sankaku is established with the heel secured, escape is extremely difficult because the triangled legs prevent the opponent from extracting their leg, and the inside heel hook attacks the knee ligaments (ACL, MCL) with minimal pain warning before catastrophic failure. [3]
Inside TriangleHoneyhole411Saddle
History & Origin
Inside sankaku as a named, systematised position was developed by John Danaher in the 2010s, though the underlying leg entanglement has existed in catch wrestling and sambo. [1] Eddie Cummings was the first Danaher student to demonstrate inside sankaku mastery in competition (EBI, 2014-2016), followed by Garry Tonon and Gordon Ryan. [1],[2] The position has multiple names — 'saddle' (Craig Jones), 'honey hole' (Eddie Cummings), 'Game Over' (Gordon Ryan) — reflecting its importance to multiple competitive grapplers. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Inside sankaku is the highest-percentage leg lock finishing position in modern grappling — the inside heel hook from this position is the most commonly finished submission at ADCC and EBI. [1] Gordon Ryan's ADCC dominance (2019, 2022 absolute champion) was built significantly on inside sankaku heel hooks. [2],[3]
Lineage
Competition Record
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Triangling the legs around the opponent's thigh from the inside, controlling the hip line with the outside knee, and securing the heel for an inside heel hook
Joints Involved — Attacker's legs (triangled around the opponent's thigh — one leg hooks behind the knee, the other locks on top forming a triangle), attacker's hips (positioned to control the opponent's hip line — the imaginary line across their hips that must be controlled), opponent's knee (the target — the inside heel hook rotates the tibia relative to the femur, stressing the ACL and MCL)
Force Vector — The triangle creates inward compression around the thigh (preventing extraction), while the heel control enables outward rotation of the foot (attacking the knee ligaments)
Control Mechanic — Inside sankaku is the strongest leg entanglement because the triangled legs create a locked configuration that the opponent cannot easily disentangle from, AND the inside angle provides the optimal rotational direction for the inside heel hook (the most dangerous leg lock)
Position & Entry
From single-leg X guard — From single-leg X (ashi garami), swim the outside leg over the opponent's thigh and triangle it with the inside leg — transitioning from the weaker outside ashi to the dominant inside sankaku [1]
From Imanari Roll — The Imanari Roll landing position is ideally inside sankaku — the legs thread around the target leg during the rolling entry
From De La Riva guard — From DLR guard, invert underneath the opponent and thread into inside sankaku — a common competition entry [2]
From 50/50 — From the symmetrical 50/50, fight to transition to inside sankaku by clearing the opponent's entangling leg and triangling around their thigh
Videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
10
Extreme10/10
Maximum — inside sankaku with the inside heel hook is the most dangerous legal submission configuration in grappling; the inside heel hook attacks the knee ligaments (ACL, MCL, meniscus) which can be destroyed without proportional pain warning; careers have been ended by heel hooks from this position; always apply slowly and tap immediately when caught
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
— IJF — Guard pulling penalized as non-combativity — ground...
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal — guard is fundamental to BJJ, sweeps from ...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal, guard pull penalized -1 point in points por...
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal — no penalty for playing guard
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Inside sankaku is the MOUNT of the leg lock game — achieving it should be the primary objective of every leg lock sequence (Danaher, Leg Lock Anthology) [1]
✓The outside knee MUST control the hip line — without hip line control, the opponent can extract the leg
✓The heel must be secured BEFORE applying rotation — reaching for the heel while in a loose entanglement results in the opponent escaping
✓Heel hooks from inside sankaku must be applied SLOWLY in training — the inside heel hook can destroy the knee before pain is felt; there is NO safe way to apply fast inside heel hooks
✓Learn the positional hierarchy: inside sankaku > cross ashi > outside ashi > 50/50 — always try to advance to inside sankaku [2]
✓The transition from outside ashi to inside sankaku is one of the most important leg lock skills — develop this transition specifically
✓Study Eddie Cummings' EBI footage — his inside sankaku entries and finishes set the standard for the position
Common Mistakes
!Reaching for the heel without establishing the triangle — the legs must be triangled FIRST, then secure the heel
!Not controlling the hip line — loose knees allow the opponent to extract the leg
!Applying fast heel hooks — the most dangerous mistake in grappling; always apply slowly
!Crossing the legs incorrectly — the inside leg (closer to the opponent's hip) should be on top in the triangle
!Not addressing the opponent's boot defence — when the opponent 'boots' (points their toes to slip the heel), re-grip or transition to a different attack
!Staying in outside ashi when inside sankaku is available — always advance to the more dominant position
Related Techniques
Inside Heel Hook — the primary submission from inside sankakuLeg Entanglement (Ashi Garami) — the parent positional systemOutside Ashi — the weaker entanglement that transitions to inside sankaku50/50 — the symmetrical entanglementImanari Roll — the most common standing entry to inside sankakuKneebar — an alternative submission when the heel hook is defended
Counter Techniques
Boot (heel slip) — pointing toes to prevent heel hook gripHip Escape — clearing the hips past the knee line to extract the legLeg Pummel — fighting to disentangle the triangled legsRoll — rolling in the direction of the heel hook rotation to relieve pressureStanding — driving to standing to break the entanglementAddress the Triangle First — fighting to break the leg triangle before it is locked
Setup Chain
1Enter Ashi Garami — from guard, rolling entry, or scramble
2Advance to Inside Sankaku — transition from outside ashi or 50/50 to inside sankaku
3Triangle the Legs — lock the triangle around the opponent's thigh with outside knee on top
4Control the Hip Line — squeeze knees to prevent extraction
5Secure the Heel — trap the heel in the elbow crease
6Apply Inside Heel Hook — slowly rotate the heel outward to attack the knee ligaments
7Finish — maintain controlled rotation until the opponent taps
Sources & References
Primary Source
Leg Lock Anthology (John Danaher, BJJ Fanatics)
1BookEBI/ADCC competition analysis
2BookLeg Lock Anthology (Danaher, BJJ Fanatics)
Description sources — [1] Danaher's Leg Lock Anthology [2] Eddie Cummings, Gordon Ryan competition records [3] Multiple naming conventions
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationLeg Lock Anthology (Danaher, BJJ Fanatics)
Description sources — [1] Danaher's Leg Lock Anthology [2] Eddie Cummings, Gordon Ryan competition records [3] Multiple naming conventions
5CitationEBI/ADCC competition analysis
Community
Athletics
Requires
leg dexterity (forming the triangle), hip control (maintaining the position), grip strength (securing the heel)
Favours
long legs (easier to triangle), strong adductors (squeezing), flexible hips
Key muscles
adductors (squeezing the triangle), hip flexors (positioning), forearms (heel grip), core (body angle for the finish)
Sub-techniques
Notes
Inside sankaku (also called the honeyhole, saddle, or 411) is the primary leg entanglement for the inside heel hook. Systematized by John Danaher's squad — Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, and Eddie Cummings dominated EBI and ADCC from this position. (Danaher, Enter the System; EBI/ADCC competition records)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Inside Sankaku work?
Inside Sankaku (also called the Saddle, Honey Hole, or Game Over position) is the most dominant leg entanglement position in modern grappling — a configuration where the attacker's legs form a triangle around the opponent's thigh from the inside, with the outside knee controlling the hip line, creating the optimal angle for the inside heel hook, the most devastating submission in grappling. Inside sankaku is to the leg lock game what mount is to the positional game: the apex of the hierarchy, the position from which the highest-percentage finishes occur, and the position every leg lock player aspires to achieve.
Where does the Inside Sankaku come from?
Inside sankaku as a named, systematised position was developed by John Danaher in the 2010s, though the underlying leg entanglement has existed in catch wrestling and sambo. Eddie Cummings was the first Danaher student to demonstrate inside sankaku mastery in competition (EBI, 2014-2016), followed by Garry Tonon and Gordon Ryan.
Is the Inside Sankaku legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal — guard is fundamental to BJJ, sweeps from guard score 2 points; IJF: restricted — Guard pulling penalized as non-combativity — groundwork from guard permitted …; ADCC: legal — Legal, guard pull penalized -1 point in points portion; Unified MMA: legal — Legal — no penalty for playing guard; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Inside Sankaku?
Danger rating 10/10. Maximum — inside sankaku with the inside heel hook is the most dangerous legal submission configuration in grappling; the inside heel hook attacks the knee ligaments (ACL, MCL, meniscus) which can be destroyed without proportional pain warning; careers have been ended by heel hooks from this position; always apply slowly and tap immediately when caught
How do I set up the Inside Sankaku?
The standard setup chain: Enter Ashi Garami → Advance to Inside Sankaku → Triangle the Legs → Control the Hip Line → Secure the Heel → Apply Inside Heel Hook → Finish.
How do I defend against the Inside Sankaku?
Standard counters include: Boot (heel slip) — pointing toes to prevent heel hook grip / Hip Escape — clearing the hips past the knee line to extract the leg / Leg Pummel — fighting to disentangle the triangled legs / Roll — rolling in the direction of the heel hook rotation to relieve pressure.
What are the variants of the Inside Sankaku?
Common variants: Standard inside sankaku (triangled legs with outside knee controlling the hip line…); Game Over position (Gordon Ryan's term) (inside sankaku with additional arm control, preventing th…); Honey hole (Eddie Cummings' term) (alternative name for inside sankaku); Reverse inside sankaku (controlling the opposite direction); Inside sankaku to kneebar (transitioning from heel hook to kneebar when the heel is …).
How effective is the Inside Sankaku in competition?
Inside sankaku heel hooks are the most common submission finish at ADCC and EBI. Gordon Ryan won 2 ADCC absolute titles using this position.
What are common mistakes when doing the Inside Sankaku?
Top errors to watch for: Reaching for the heel without establishing the triangle — the legs must be triangled FIRST, then secure the heel / Not controlling the hip line — loose knees allow the opponent to extract the leg / Applying fast heel hooks — the most dangerous mistake in grappling; always apply slowly / Crossing the legs incorrectly — the inside leg (closer to the opponent's hip) should be on top in the triangle.
What are other names for the Inside Sankaku?
The Inside Sankaku is also known as Inside Triangle, Honeyhole, 411, Saddle.