BJJ Friendly-Takedowns

Brazilian jiu-jitsu isn’t just about all that fancy stuff on the ground… You have to get there in the first place. And while many of you might prefer to go the easy route and pull guard – but, why?? – a better bet is to start the match off in a more dominant position.

Yes. I have strong opinions about this topic. No, I don’t have a wrestling background, but I do recognize that unless I have a wicked guard game, I want to be on top most of the time, where gravity is working with me, and not against me. I can always choose to sit down (especially after I’ve scored some points), but then it’s on my terms, and not because I was afraid to stand up with someone who is likely also a good passer.

But not all takedowns are created equal. And if you don’t have a strong wrestling and judo background – where you’ve honed your takedown and throw games over years of incessant, mind-numbing drills – you don’t have a collection of options to choose from for different scenarios and reactions from your opponent. For those of us who are amateurs – at best – on our feet, I highly encourage you focus on just 3-4 simple, high percentage takedowns.

So, where do you start? There are many, many takedowns out there… some are great for jiu-jitsu, and some might put you in a more compromising position. Never fear, here are a few “BJJ friendly” takedowns to add to your arsenal. 

Single-Leg Takedown

The single-leg takedown is one of the most common and effective takedowns in wrestling, and it translates perfectly into BJJ. Its appeal lies in its simplicity. Unlike double-leg takedowns, the head positioning of the single-leg takedown doesn’t expose you as much to counter-attacks (ahem… guillotine chokes). It also works from both standing and kneeling positions (a common “wrestling up” maneuver), making it useful in a variety of situations.

Execution Tips:

• Set-Up: From a standing position, use a collar tie, arm drag, or feints to close the distance.
• Penetrate: Level change (in your stance, lower enough to bring your upper body closer to the leg), take your penetration step, and grab behind your opponent’s knee, securing their leg with both hands and your pinched knees.
• Finish: There are several different finishes from the single leg. An easy one is to take a quarter turn toward the outside and chop your body down over their knee, driving their hips to the mat.
• Transitioning: I like to stay on my feet, controlling their ability to standup, before passing. If your opponent’s leg remains between yours throughout the takedown, you’ll end up in a perfect position to knee slice pass. 

Double-Leg Takedown

While some practitioners avoid the double-leg takedown due to the risk of guillotine chokes, it's still a highly effective move when done properly. The double-leg takedown offers a powerful and aggressive option for bringing the fight to the mat, where you’ll have  immediate control of your opponent’s hips or even be able to swipe them directly into side control. Head position and timing are the most critical elements to a great double-leg.

Execution Tips:

• Set-Up: You’ll want to close the distance. Collar ties and arm drags work well in getting you close, but you can also duck under their own attempts at such. Just remember that you want to be close enough to touch them… the farther away you are when you begin your double-leg, the easier it will be for your opponent to see it coming.
• Penetrate: Just as with the single leg, you’ll want to level change. Step deep between their legs with your lead foot, so that your head is at their hip and your shoulder is in their gut.
• Finish: To finish, you’ll step your back leg up flush with theirs and drive at a 90-ish angle away from that leg, using your head to drive their body to the side, blocking their backward step with your hands behind the knees. As you drive, you’ll want to lift your opponent up slightly – if you can – so that you can sweep their legs in the opposite direction.
• Transition to Jiu-Jitsu: You’ll typically end up landing in half-guard or side control, both of which are great top positions to be in. Just remember, if you’re in a points-based tournament, that you need to “establish” before you can get your points. So focus on holding them down for a few seconds before advancing.

Inside Trip (Uchi Mata)

The inside trip is a beautiful blend of control and finesse, borrowing elements from both judo and wrestling. It is particularly useful in BJJ because of its ability to off-balance your opponent and land in a dominant position with very minimal effort. It's also an excellent option for practitioners who are hesitant about shooting in for leg attacks (maybe you’ve gotten your head sprawled on a time too many… we’ve all been there).

Execution Tips:

• Set-Up: From a clinch, overhook, or underhook, you’ll want to step in close to your opponent, slightly at an angle (so, more of a side hug, than a full-on chest-to-chest hug… unless you want to, but between the inefficient angle and all the feels, it might inhibit your trip).
• Off-Balance: It’s incredibly hard to throw or trip someone who’s planted firmly on both feet, so you’ll want to off-balance your opponent by lifting them up on their toes or pushing them back on their heels.
• Trip: Using your inside leg, you’ll sweep it behind the heel of your opponent (either leg), blocking their back step, while you push their upper body backward.
• Transition to Jiu-Jitsu: The inside trip often lands you directly into half guard, sometimes full guard if they have quick reflexes. Both are great for securing your position, and your points, then working on passing from there. 

Seoi Nage (Shoulder Throw)

The seoi nage, or shoulder throw, is a judo technique that works well in both gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu… AND it looks really f’ing sweet when you pull it off. This explosive move is particularly effective when your opponent is aggressively pushing toward you, making it a great counter to forward pressure from big bullies. 

Execution Tips:

• Set-Up: In the gi, you’ll grab your opponent’s collar with one hand, and their sleeve with the other. In no-gi, you’ll just modify to more of an ippon seoi nage, in which you grab their arm with both of yours.
• Entry: Stepping in with your lead leg and keeping your collar or arm grip, you’ll turn your back to your opponent, pulling their arm over your shoulder and their chest flush against your back.
• Throw: As you enter, you’ll want to drop your hips lower than theirs, keeping a short distance between your feet, then pop your hips up and drop your upper body, pulling on their arm. This will elevate them off their feet, and generate enough momentum that they basically forward roll over your shoulder.
• Transition to Jiu-Jitsu: Seoi nage is specifically designed to end with you on top, often in side control. Not only do you land in a dominant position, but it often stuns or disorients your opponent, giving you an immediate advantage for securing a quick submission (like an armbar).

Ankle Pick

The ankle pick is an incredibly effective – sneaky even – and low-risk takedown that works well both gi and no-gi. Similar to the inside trip, it works by manipulating your opponent’s base, blocking their back step, and making it difficult for them to stay upright and balanced.

Execution Tips:

• Set-Up: Control your opponent’s upper body with a collar tie or collar grip while keeping a low posture.
• Attack: Drop your level, and scoop the back of your opponent’s ankle with your other hand. You should keep heavy pressure on the collar tie or collar grip; they’ll want to posture back up, away from the downward pressure.
• Finish: Pull their ankle toward you, while pushing their upper body backward with your collar tie/collar grip hand (using their upward momentum to your advantage), making them fall backward.
• Transition to Jiu-Jitsu: A well-executed ankle pick will allow you to stay on your feet, which sets you up nicely for quick passing while they’re still trying to recover from landing on their back. If they’re quick to recover, I like to hold on to the ankle, keeping it in the air, which limits their ability to establish a good guard.

Takedowns in Jiu-Jitsu are more than just a way to bring the fight to the ground – they are the quickest and most dominant way to ensure that control and position are in your favor, and even allow start a step or two ahead of your opponent from the outset. With the right takedown strategy, combined with solid technique, you’ll be able to dictate the pace of the match.

Whether you prefer wrestling-based takedowns, judo-style throws, or a hybrid approach, mastering just a few core takedowns (drill, baby, drill) can make you a more well-rounded practitioner.