Take your BJJ standup game to the next level with these (3) fundamental takedowns.
BJJ takedowns are a crucial aspect of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and mastering them can be challenging, especially for beginners. Proper technique, balance, and strategy are key to executing successful takedowns and avoiding injuries.
Takedown #1 : Outside Single Leg
Take a small penetration step with your leg and lift the opponent’s arm with your opposite arm to open up a path to your opponent’s leg.
Lower your stance (level change) but keep your head and spine upright as you shoot in (swing step), stepping your leading foot behind their leg (knee goes behind their leg) grabbing high up on their upper leg with your leading and trialing arm with a wirst on wrist grip, pinching your elbows.
Your head will usually land on the side of their hip as you progress to their chest once on feet.
With both your arms controlling their leg, maintain good posture, as you procced to walk your hips way from opponent with bringing his leg off his sideways hip alignment to the front, dump the pressure of your chest and shoulder into their hip as you use your head to push into their chest bringing their posture back over their hips. (Running the pipe)
Maintain a good base with hips as you proceed into a dominate position.
This is usually one of the safest takedowns if done correctly (get your hips in, back straight, and head looking forward). If done incorrectly (back hunched with the head looking down), you may open yourself up to a guillotine.
Here, you can watch Coach Wyatt perform the Outside Single Leg
Takedown #2 : Double Leg Takedown
From this initial position, use your grips to get underneath their elbows to make sure that the opponent doesn’t block your path to his leg.
Take a small step forward with your right leg and lower your hip level to set up your shot.
Drive forward as you shoot in (breaking the glass), making sure that your head is up and head on their hip (reading the tag) and your spine is upright, chest on their thigh.
Grab behind your opponent's legs as you take your trailing leg from behind to the front of your base (lunge position)
Drive in as if you are cutting a corner (windshield wipe) to finish the takedown.
Finish in a dominate position.
The further you are from your opponent, the less safe the move is.
If done from too far away, or with poor timing, there is a danger of getting sprawled on by your opponent. Once you are able to execute the takedown, try not to end up inside your opponent’s closed guard by jumping off to the side – you will usually end up in side control. If you do end up in half-guard, you can pinch their knees together with your arms and sprawl out to do a leg hug pass.
Here, you can watch Coach Wyatt perform the Double Leg Takedown
“Training is about skill development, not about winning or losing. You don’t need to win every battle, you only need to win the battles that count.” – John Danaher
Takedown #3 - Arm Drag
Break your opponent’s collar tie grip.
Control their wrist with your hand.
Grab their tricep with your trialing hand and drag it to your far side hip to expose part of their back.
As you drag the tricep, grab the far side of their waist and step forward with your leg so that your foot lands behind your opponent. This is all done at the same time.
You are now on your opponent’s back. Heavy chest pressure on the back of their spine. If acceptable, take full control of your opponent’s waist with both arms.
From this position, bump your knee on the side of your opponent’s knee. When you feel their knee buckle, simply bring them to the ground using your control around their waist to shift their weight down.
Another option to finish is to slightly lift your opponent and use your knee to sweep their knee or jump to a double shin hook behind their knee (crab ride).
Settle them into back mount with seatbelt and hooks. (If landing on underhook side, have head underneath your opponent's head and the mat to prevent their head to getting to the mat and escaping.)
The exact same move can be done in gi. You can also go into a single leg, double leg and inside trip, after the arm drag.
Here, you can watch Coach Wyatt perform the Arm Drag
https://youtu.be/sIcY_1hbbgY
Using Wrestling in your Jiu-Jitsu
Competition: If you can successfully take down your opponent, you will be rewarded with two points. While that is far less than the three you get for a guard pass, or the four you get for mount or back take, takedowns often lead to highly advantageous offensive situations.
Knowing wrestling is not just for offensive reasons. If someone charges you with the intention of bringing you down, the defensive skills in wrestling can help you keep on your feet or at least know what to do if taken down.
As experienced jiu-jitsu people will tell you that being taken down does not always transition into a jiu-jitsu scenario. Oftentimes, being taken down leads to wild scrambles that wrestlers thrive with.
Comments