Knee Reap

A knee reap occurs when a competitor places their leg across the opponent's body in a way that forces the opponent's knee to twist inward. Specifically, it involves placing the outside leg across the opponent's thigh line while controlling the far leg, creating a twisting force on the trapped knee. The knee reap is not a submission itself but rather a leg entanglement position that leads to heel hooks, calf slicers, and other dangerous attacks. The position has been one of the most debated topics in BJJ competition rulesets for over a decade.

In IBJJF competition, knee reaping is illegal for all gi divisions and most no-gi divisions. It is only legal in no-gi for brown and black belt adults — the same division where heel hooks are permitted. This is because the knee reap and the heel hook are functionally linked: the reap creates the control necessary for heel hook attacks. NAGA and AGF have more permissive stances, allowing knee reaping in their advanced adult no-gi divisions. Grappling Industries similarly restricts it to advanced adult competitors.

The knee reap is banned in all youth divisions across all major organizations. The restriction exists because even without an active submission attempt, the entanglement itself can torque the knee if a competitor tries to spin out incorrectly. For youth and beginner competitors, organizations enforce this rule strictly — simply entering a knee reap position (even accidentally) can result in immediate disqualification in IBJJF. Coaches preparing athletes for IBJJF competition must specifically train their students to avoid accidentally entering reap positions during leg lock exchanges.