The Dropstep

[AndrewSimonsen]

I was talking to a BJJ practitioner recent;y, and I showed him a dropstep (shot) and he said that my head was to far foward infront of my chest. I was doing as I had been taught and had my upper chest resting on my knee while I took my shot. This is so that once your opponent sprawls you will not be flattened. Now is what he saying just a difference of instruction, or is there actually a reason why a BJJ practitioner would do a shot differently?
I would think that as wrestler practice the dropstep the most ours would be better, but that isn't always the case.

[Martin]

You might be asking for a choke by sticking your head out so far, which is something you don't have to worry about in sport wrestling (as far as I've been told, I'm not a wrestler).

[Luebbers]

I haven't seen you specifically, but many people have problems when shooting of not protecting your neck. One risk with a double-leg takedown is that it can leave you wide open to a guillotine choke. Fortunately, learning to defend in this exact scenario is a very basic skill that is pretty easy to pick up.

[Sgathak]

One risk with a double-leg takedown is that it can leave you wide open to a guillotine choke

Uh, just keep your head to the inside...... problem solved ;)

[rubberband]

you are also putting yourself in position for a knee to the face :eek: ...

take care, steve

[AndrewSimonsen]

When doing takedowns, one of the things that I have learned is that when going for one, don't use the double leg on an experienced grappler. An outside single is much, much better.

[Luebbers]

Uh, just keep your head to the inside...... problem solved ;)

The above post about the outside single is a more traditional alternative. With your head on the outside during a double-leg it is easier to clear your opponent into side control or half-guard. To keep you head to the inside, a single-leg would be better.

[John Lucas]

Im with rubberband, one thing about sport wrestling is that you dont have to worry about getting kneed or elbowed. If you take a dropstep into a knee then the fight is pretty much over for you, the same if you take a chopping elbow to the back of your head.

I have also found the guillotine to be a very good way to absorb a takedown, and I have always had an easy time using it during practice, but I havent really ever tried it on a grappler who was experienced enough to be able to protect their neck when they dropped in for the shot. Plus, even if you cant wrap it completely, as long as you can control their shoulders during the fall and hook your knees into the floating ribs, you are in a pretty good position to lock an arm or make a choke while your opponent is still gaining his breath from the fall.

To me a single leg takedown from the side would seem like a much better idea, as it seems to give you more control during the fall.

[AndrewSimonsen]

Im with rubberband, one thing about sport wrestling is that you dont have to worry about getting kneed or elbowed. If you take a dropstep into a knee then the fight is pretty much over for you, the same if you take a chopping elbow to the back of your head.

I have also found the guillotine to be a very good way to absorb a takedown, and I have always had an easy time using it during practice, but I havent really ever tried it on a grappler who was experienced enough to be able to protect their neck when they dropped in for the shot. Plus, even if you cant wrap it completely, as long as you can control their shoulders during the fall and hook your knees into the floating ribs, you are in a pretty good position to lock an arm or make a choke while your opponent is still gaining his breath from the fall.

To me a single leg takedown from the side would seem like a much better idea, as it seems to give you more control during the fall.
Knee to the face is bad but not the end of the story, I took one during a match and it broke my nose but I already had hold of him and still took him down. Knees to the ribs, the way a wrestler takes a shot that wouldn't be an option. His ribs are resting on his thighs and guarded by his elbows. One thing I have never understood is all of the complex solutions to takedowns people have instead of using the sprawl.

[John Lucas]

I find the sprawl to be very effective when I have enough warning for proper timing to plant my shoulders right. However, if I am fighting someone who is more experienced than me in grappling or is considerably stronger or heavier, than the chances of me getting charged out of my sprawl or losing my footing is greater than with the guillotine which uses the opponents natural force to rest them into the choke, in addition it allows you to get into guard position, and as I said before if your opponent is experienced enough to protect their neck, as long as you get your shoulders above theirs you are in a good position to work in an armlock.

As for the knee, you should consider that that was an accidental knee, if someone wraps you up and pulls your face into the knee then its lights out for you. I cant really understand how you are able to protect your face from that position, it would seem to me that sticking your head out past your elbow would be begging for the knee to the face as I envision your head resting right between my knee and hip at theigh level, which seems like perfect knee range to me. It would take a strong gaurd to be able to resist a clinch knee if your opponent knows how to brace his forearms on your collar bones and pull in the back of the head. Especially if you are rushing forward in a low position. Not to belittle your skills, I am sure a good wrestler could ruin my gaurd with a quick enough takedown, especially if desperation moves are ilegal and they are able to get me in their element. Just keep in mind that lucky shots decide alot of fights.