Ashi Garami
足緘
Literally: leg entanglement
Also known as: Leg entanglement
Judo leg lock, literally leg entanglement, banned in competitive judo and commonly used in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
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Ashi garami (足緘) literally means leg entanglement; the English term leg entanglement is used for it even outside judo. It is a judo joint lock that targets the opponent's leg. In Kodokan judo it belongs to the joint techniques (kansetsu waza) and is one of nine locks in the official list of 29 ground-fighting techniques (katame waza). In competitive judo, ashi garami is today one of four kinshi waza techniques, banned for safety reasons. In modern Brazilian jiu-jitsu, by contrast, it is actively used in both gi and no-gi. IBJJF rules ban knee reaping, the position corresponding to ashi garami, up to and including purple belt. Since 2021 they have permitted adult brown and black belts in no-gi to attack by twisting the defender's knee, as well as the inside sankaku position and most variants of kani basami; flying kani basami remains banned for everyone. White, blue, and purple belts and all masters categories still have these techniques banned.