The chain of leg entanglement gameplan from the bottom position starts with the single-leg X position. From there, you can practice sweeping your partner by switching to a tripod sweep, X guard, or Ashi position. Being comfortable switching between these positions can help you with controlling as well as sweeping.

The next milestone to aim for while in one of these three positions is to turn their near-side knee inward (a sort of knee-reaping situation, so be careful not to do it so violently that it hurts your partner). Make their near-side knee touch the mat, which will lighten their heel, allowing you to go for submissions like a heel hook, toe hold, or trap the leg with a figure 4 for more control. You can also wrestle up into a calf slicer or take their back.

There’s also the cross-side Ashi position, where you can roll and execute a fancy heel hook without having to actually control their heel.

The priority for the top player while encountering the single-leg X or these types of leg entanglements is to remove the near-side leg from the hip. Use your hip to switch and push their foot placement the other way, starting to disconnect their connections to your body.