A practical defense-first blueprint to escape cross ashi and 50/50 without panicking.
The Bottom Line
You will learn knee line recovery, heel hiding, and structured heel slips. The course shows how to turn late defenses into counters or top transitions. You will not get a leg lock highlight reel; it is survival-first and competition-relevant.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Leg lock victims
Skip if: You only play gi
Tech focus: Cross Ashi Escapes, 50/50 Escapes, Heel Slip, Knee Line Recovery, Counter Leg Locks, Ashi Bolo, Z Lock Defense
Biggest takeaway: Defense turns into offense
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What You'll Learn
A four-volume, no-gi defense system that teaches early and late-stage survival in cross ashi and 50/50 with counters. The focus is knee line recovery, heel hiding, and structured escapes.
If leg lockers at your gym own you, this builds confidence and gives you ways to turn defense into passing or back exposure.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Cross Ashi Escapes
- 50/50 Escapes
- Knee Line Recovery
- Heel Slip
- Counter Leg Locks
- Ashi Bolo
- Z Lock Defense
- Leg Lace Defense
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: No-Gi
- Runtime: 2 hours and 1 minute
- Volumes: 4
- Released: 2025
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I like how the knee-line-first rule and timed heel slips create calm decision points in chaotic entanglements.
Why Dan Manasoiu?
A New Wave representative, Manasoiu is known for both finishing and understanding defenses in leg entanglements. He has multiple ADCC Open wins and a 2024 ADCC bronze. His defensive material matches the control-first ethos seen in his room.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Community prefers control-first leg lock pacing before cranking; this aligns well.
- Users note he communicates technique clearly in short-form teaching clips.
- Many stress tapping early to heel hooks, reinforcing why structured defense matters.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Some doubt his consistency against top-10 and prefer other coaches for defense.
- Skeptics say New Wave releases rebrand concepts rather than innovate.
- A few point to matches where he looked flat against elite opposition.
Smart Alternatives
- Leg Lock Defense: Survive And Escape by Giancarlo Bodoni – Extensive early and late-stage protocols from an ADCC champion. (Price: $197.00, 8 vols)
- Leglocks: Enter The System by John Danaher – Canonical offense that clarifies what your opponents are trying to do. (Price: $249.00)
- Dynamic No Gi 50/50 by Jason Rau – Dedicated 50/50 answers for offense and defense. (Price: $127.00)
Sources & References
Official listing: View Milk the System: Defending Leg Locks from Cross Ashi and 50/50 on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
