MILITARY CQC/ LEG LOCKS

 PART-1  “Heel Hooks”

 Author: Odhinn Kohout

I am focusing on some training specific to Military personnel in these next blogs due to the fact that it involves damaging/breaking the foot or knee of the Attacker.

 I am not going to get into the basics of what a heel-hook is or how to apply one (as you can find this information anywhere on line) but there are many different types and positions.

 You can see in this picture that the Soldier is applying the heel hook from a "traditional" position that most people are aware of if you have seen a televised MMA event on TV.

While this is effective, I prefer to teach a "standing or kneeling" position in our courses due to the mobility problems of wearing heavy gear/kit. Using any type of leg lock from standing also gives the Soldier an easy way to break off the attack and transition to a shooting platform if necessary.

I have taken some pictures of a few of the heel hook variations that I teach in our Military classes and will provide an explanation of each one.

HEEL HOOK 1 “Modified Gable”

 

With the position of my hands in the photo you will be attacking the “right leg” of the bad guy. His right foot should be under your right arm pit with only his heel sticking out below you. Your elbows need to be tight against your side and not move. The only thing that you will move once this heel hook is applied is your hips which will rotate to the right or clock wise if 12 o’clock is represented by his heel.

Your left thumb should cut upward on a 90 deg under the bone of the heel prior to using the gable grip. It also helps to pull your left should back (rear deltoid) as hard as possible and then rotate your hips as this will ensure that the foot is tightly trapped against your side and will make the break easier when you rotate.

NOTE OF CAUTION: Never twist your hips faster than your training partner can follow the rotational axis of the lock when practicing. Instructors must realize that the bones will break usually before there is a great deal of pain so you cannot judge when to release it on your training partner by how much discomfort they are in. Perform the lock slowly with attention to detail and you will FEEL when the bones have locked (including the knee) and ensure that you do not go beyond this point of flexion when practicing.

HEEL HOOK 2 “Compression Lock”

  

 

This heel hook will require you to switch your hand positions so that your right hand at the thumb is under his heel bone and locks to your right bicep into a figure-4 configuration. To complete the lock all you need to do is flex your left bicep as hard as you can.

NOTE OF CAUTION: This lock surprises Soldiers when I demonstrate it because of the intense pain and pressure that accompanies it when it is applied correctly. It works the same way as a triangle choke does through compression. The foot is in the middle of the triangle so when you flex your bicep the triangle shrinks causing the vector of force to be placed directly under the heel bone.

 You must practice this lock slowly as it will break the knee, ankle or bones of the foot (metatarsals) very quickly.

HEEL HOOK 3 “Bow Tie”

In this last lock the heel bone of your opponent becomes a fulcrum point to break the bones. The left forearm runs flat against the side of the Attacker’s right foot and presses down towards the ground. Alternately you will use your right hand to pull up on the bone of the heel at the same time. This push/pull will cause severe damage to the many parts of the foot and leg and uses only hip (core) strength to facilitate the lock. You do not use any arm strength whatsoever to perform any of these locks.

FULLKIT: All of these techniques can be done wearing gear in which upward mobility has been restricted do to plates or other ballistic gear, ammo pouches etc.

Train hard guys but don’t hurt your partner.