Saddle Banana Split
The banana split from the saddle in no-gi — the inside-line version, taken when the heel is denied. One free arm has to capture the outside leg without giving up the entanglement.
Adapted from InGrappling, Saddle Banana Split. System Games did not invent this curriculum.
Manage injuries →Position map Connects to 4 positions across 3 relationshipsOpen in the map →1234←Attacked from
The banana split taken from cross ashi. The saddle already owns one of the opponent’s legs; the attacker uses a free arm to capture the other and separates the hips in two directions.
This is the harder of the two versions to build, and the reason is arithmetic. In the truck both hands are free because the legs own the trapped leg outright. In the saddle the entanglement holds one leg and a single free arm has to reach, capture and hold the other — while the saddle itself is not released.
What it buys is the position it comes from. A failed split from the saddle returns you to the strongest control in the leg game, which is why it works as a conversion when the inside heel has been hidden and the leg is not long enough to bar.
Elevated RiskSaddle Banana Split is an elevated risk technique. Forced abduction of the hips beyond their range, loading the adductor group and the hip joint capsule. No single ligament fails first, which is why defenders ride it — the pain is broad rather than sharp, and adductor tears take months to heal. Serious injury can occur Slower than the heel hook that shares this position, which is exactly the trap. A slow submission is not a safe one..
If you are new to this technique: read this section before anything else. Understanding the danger is part of understanding the technique.
The person applying the technique is responsible for releasing immediately.
Communicate before drilling. Know your partner's experience level with this position.