Attacking the Second Leg for Sweeps and Leg Locks | Nelson Puentes Teaches Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals
Understanding the Right vs Left Dynamic in Judo
In my latest visit to Inverted Gear Academy, I had the chance to train with and learn from my friend Nelson Puentes – founder of Inverted Gear and an incredibly knowledgeable grappler with a strong wrestling background. We filmed a breakdown on one of his favorite concepts that bridges wrestling and jiu-jitsu: attacking the secondary leg to complete sweeps and setups for leg locks.
If you’ve ever struggled to off-balance someone while playing open guard, this concept is going to open up a whole new layer to your game.
Watch the full video here ↓
Why the Second Leg Matters
When you’re working from a guard like modified X-guard, shin-on-shin, or any open guard variant, you might notice that some opponents have exceptional balance. No matter how much you push and pull, they just don’t go down. This is where the second leg becomes critical.
Nelson put it this way:
“If I’m attached to one leg and having trouble breaking someone’s balance, the next step is to start attacking the secondary leg.”
This idea is deeply rooted in wrestling – if you can’t finish a single leg, you transition to a double. It’s simple, but in jiu-jitsu, a lot of people forget that open guard is still a form of wrestling from the bottom.
The Concept in Action
Nelson walked me through how he applies this concept in both standing and seated positions.
Starting from modified X-guard, if the opponent has strong posture and you can’t off-balance them, you start working on pulling that second leg closer.
Get your second hand involved, grab the secondary leg, and now you’ve got control over both legs.
From there, you have options:
Off-balance for a sweep
Transition to leg locks
Take the back
Or chain into other guard transitions like crab ride.
He emphasized the control element:
“Now it’s much easier for me to get my sweep, off-balance, and make a choice from there.”
Another Example – From Heels to Choices
We also covered a scenario from reverse de la Riva (RDLR) or similar outside control positions.
Nelson showed how, if your opponent isn’t giving up the grips you want, you can still work their balance by initiating a reaction.
By stepping and switching grips, you can access both legs, again setting up for a strong off-balance or attack.
“It’s all about making them step. Once I have both legs, I can make a choice. That’s the key.”
Making Wrestling Work in Jiu-Jitsu
One of the most valuable things I took away from this was how Nelson blends his wrestling background with BJJ. Many grapplers think of wrestling and jiu-jitsu as completely different animals, but there’s a lot of crossover – especially in the mechanics of balance, leverage, and control.
If you’re trying to improve your sweeps or find better ways to enter into leg attacks, think about how you’re using your grips. Are you stuck trying to move a stable opponent with just one point of contact? Maybe it’s time to bring in the second leg and give them no choice but to fall.
About Nelson Puentes & Inverted Gear
Nelson isn’t just an instructor – he’s also the founder of Inverted Gear, a jiu-jitsu brand known for its panda logo and high-quality gis. Training at his academy in Lehigh Valley, PA, was a great experience, and if you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend dropping in.
You can follow Nelson on Instagram invertedgearnelson and check out his products at invertedgear.com.
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