Cross legs (armbar)

[Uchi Mata]

Either way is valid, but if you cross your legs (ankles) make sure you squeeze your knees together. The pro to crossing is that you have a more secure lock but by crossing ankles you tend to release pressure between the knees making the armbar looser.

Important to note: it's only important to pinch with your knees when you already have the defensive grips broken and you're going to finish. When you're working on grip breaking and controlling the guy, your legs can be butterflied and your ankles crossed as long as you're pulling strongly on uke's shoulder girdle with your heels and using your top side knee to pressure down on his face (it's a great way to keep him flat, actually). This method gives you more room to work to break the grips as well, and can actually make your legs harder for uke to get a hold of and start clearing them over his head.

 

[JagRoss]

Important to note: it's only important to pinch with your knees when you already have the defensive grips broken and you're going to finish. When you're working on grip breaking and controlling the guy, your legs can be butterflied and your ankles crossed as long as you're pulling strongly on uke's shoulder girdle with your heels and using your top side knee to pressure down on his face (it's a great way to keep him flat, actually). This method gives you more room to work to break the grips as well, and can actually make your legs harder for uke to get a hold of and start clearing them over his head.

You just blew my mind.

That makes so much sense.

If you were to armbar someone and broke the grip with crossed ankles - would you bother uncrossing?

 

[Uchi Mata]

You just blew my mind.

That makes so much sense.

If you were to armbar someone and broke the grip with crossed ankles - would you bother uncrossing?

I don't worry one way or another if my legs are crossed. I don't even think about it. When I break the grip I'm just trying to maintain control through any last ditch rolling escape attempts while finding the correct angle to apply pressure.