When a Dog is Tied to a Yard Stake –
When a Dog is Tied to a Yard Stake, the dog first tries to yank on the rope, as it should. And eventually it finds these efforts futile, but doesn’t give up exploring. Every dog will wear a circular path around the stake, making the most of its situation. Similarly we should as well, like when our foot is captured by the bottom player’s half guard leg squeeze. We should look to orbit our entrapment. Instead of seeing our captured foot as a hindrance, we can see it as a reliable connection.
Oftentimes pulling from another direction will loosen the grip allowing direct freeing of our foot. This might mean turning our foot to pull from the other direction, using our other leg to push or wedge into the space between our bodies.
Other times we can use their grip commitment to turn their body to expose their back. We can see their commitment to connection as a tool to move their entire body in the example of a rolling back take.
We should acknowledge the foot capture, then change the angle or orbit the connection. Turn their commitment into our tool.