Deny the Thigh Pin
guard
Grapplers Collective, Deny the Thigh Pin. 3-5 min rounds.
Problem
Keeping the forearms inside the knees so a passer can't grip the knees or plant a knee on the thigh to open and pin the legs.
Tell the room
Passer hunts grips on the knees and thighs to open the legs and pin one down. Bottom keeps both forearms inside the knee line. The knee on the thigh must hold for 3 seconds.
Setup
Start in the side shell. Bottom on their side, knees stacked, forearms inside the knees, near elbow down. Passer kneels alongside, hands on the top knee.
Score
Thigh pinned for 3 seconds.
- Passer — knee planted on the thigh, that leg pinned to the mat
- Passer — clears both forearms outside and flattens the bottom
- Bottom — denies every settled grip or knee on the legs
- Bottom — frames a knee or foot in front, or sits up to base
Rules
- Score on the legs. Passer wins through the knees and thighs, not head or shoulder pressure.
- Forearms stay inside. The bottom cannot reach outside to push on the passer.
- No backing off. The passer keeps continuous contact and cannot reset the grip.
Adjust
Easier
Passer uses one hand only, at half speed, so the bottom feels the inside frame win.
Harder
Passer adds an underhook threat and a knee-slice, so the bottom defends grips and shin together.
If it stalls
If the thigh keeps getting pinned, the top elbow is drifting off the knee — rebuild that connection and lower the passer's pressure.
TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Bottom on their side, knees stacked, forearms inside the knees, near elbow down. Passer kneels alongside, hands on the top knee.
OBJECTIVE
Passer hunts grips on the knees and thighs to open the legs and pin one down. Bottom keeps both forearms inside the knee line. The knee on the thigh must hold for 3 seconds.
CONSTRAINTS
Score on the legs. Passer wins through the knees and thighs, not head or shoulder pressure. Forearms stay inside. The bottom cannot reach outside to push on the passer. No backing off. The passer keeps continuous contact and cannot reset the grip.
WIN CONDITION
Thigh pinned for 3 seconds: Passer — knee planted on the thigh, that leg pinned to the mat; Passer — clears both forearms outside and flattens the bottom
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
Bottom on their side, knees stacked, forearms inside the knees, near elbow down. Passer kneels alongside, hands on the top knee.
OBJECTIVE
Passer hunts grips on the knees and thighs to open the legs and pin one down. Bottom keeps both forearms inside the knee line. The knee on the thigh must hold for 3 seconds.
CONSTRAINTS
Score on the legs. Passer wins through the knees and thighs, not head or shoulder pressure. Forearms stay inside. The bottom cannot reach outside to push on the passer. No backing off. The passer keeps continuous contact and cannot reset the grip.
WIN CONDITION
denies every settled grip or knee on the legs; frames a knee or foot in front, or sits up to base