The Double-Leg Take Down

The Double-Leg Take Down
by Andrew Green

This is meant as an introduction to the double leg takedown, and the basics of defending against it. The content is set up in such a way as to make it possible to practice based on this article as best as possible. Some things will change as you and your opponents become more advanced. There are many other ways of finishing this takedown, the three listed are fairly common and demonstrate three different reactions of your opponent. The method of sprawling will change slightly too, in that angles and your lead leg will become more of a priority as the method shown is weak if someone switches to a single-leg after you sprawl. However until you can drive your hips to the floor properly it is not a priority, and chances are your opponents won’t be making that switch yet either.

Some important points to remember that are often forgotten:

• Change levels first, keeping your back straight. This is very important one both attack and defense.

• Keep your hands up and elbows in, the airplane landing style of attack will get you stopped easily.

• When you have changed levels move straight forward, or drive your hips straight down. DO NOT have any upward motion, especially on the defense, doing so will cause you to jump onto their shoulder and be lifted easily rather then defend.

• Have fun, and do it live. Once you got the basic idea fight for it, one attacks, one defends. Add some punches if you like, one punches and defends, the other defends and shoots.

• Then try to figure out how to set it up so as not to get defended.

1. Stance. Once takedowns become a possibility some stance changes may be necessary
   1. You want to have a fairly low posture (which will also improve punching power)
   2. You want your hips square to your opponent
   3. And you need to be fairly light on your feet.

2. Level change. The first step in performing a double leg (after a set up) is changing your level.
   1. Keep your head up, elbows in, and hands up. The tighter you are the harder it will be for him to block you, and by keeping an upright posture you are harder to hit on the way in.
   2. Bend from the knees, not the waist to the height you want to shoot at, here we are going for the knees and are coming fairly low.

3. Penetration. Next we have to get in and under our opponent in order to get a position that we can take him down from.
   1. Drive forward off your back leg. The action is a hard push off the back leg, not a step up with the lead.
   2. Keep your elbows in, this will make it harder for him to underhook you. Your elbows stay at your sides the whole way, at no point do you want to extend.
   3. Keep your head up, and drive forward with your hips, do not reach out with your hands.
   4. When you make contact your head should be pressed against the outside of their leg, and your should shrugged and against your ear, this will help prevent guillotines and crossfaces.
   5. When stepping the order your lead leg touches down with the heal, then the toes, then the knee. You want to draw a line between their feet and get deep passed that line.
   6. Your hands will cup the back of your opponents knees, they should not attempt to grab around and link up. (There are other variations which place your hands in different places)

4. Takedown. How you proceed from here depends on what position you end up in and what your opponent does. We will give 3 of the common takedowns suitable for beginners, as well as being fairly high percentage ones.

Outside heel trip

1. Bring your back foot up and hook behind the outside of their ankle.

2. Using your forward momentum to drive into them use your hook to lift up on there foot. As you are doing this turn into it. When you hit the floor try to maintain control, keeping your head in and bringing their foot up with your hook. If you loose this hook on the way down you will then have to work to pass half guard.

3. If you maintain it you should be able to pass easily straight into a side mount, this can be integrated as a "hop" as soon as they hit the ground

Chop the knee

1. This is a good option when your opponent manages to partially sprawl getting their legs away, but you retain control of the knees.

2. Step out at about a 90 degree angle with your back leg.

3. Pull in and down on there far knee, while flaring there near knee up. As you do this turn into them using your legs and head to bring them to the ground. Keep control of their knees so that you may immediately end up side mounted, not allowing them to pull guard.

Standing inside trip, slam to guard

1. A number of variations on a double leg takedown require you to stand up, then take your opponent down. To do this step through with your back foot, lifting their leg at the knee and sliding your other hand to their hip. Keep your head in tight the whole time.

2. Use your lead leg to kick their supporting leg out and drop them on their back.

3. Come down with them landing in their guard.

Defense

1. Stance. Once takedowns become a possibility some stance changes may be necessary (same as before)
   1. You want to have a fairly low posture (which will also improve punching power)
   2. You want your hips square to your opponent
   3. And you need to be fairly light on your feet.

2. Level change. The first step in performing a double leg (after a set up) is changing your level. (same as before)
   1. Keep your head up, elbows in, and hands up. The tighter you are the harder it will be for him to block you, and by keeping an upright posture you are harder to hit on the way in.
   2. Bend from the knees, not the waist to the height you want to shoot at, here we are going for the knees and are coming fairly low.

3. The sprawl. Different things can happen on a sprawl, we'll start with the preferred and work towards what happens if it misses.
   1. Drop your hands between you and your opponent, ideally you want to get a double underhook, but in reality this isn't likely against a skilled person with good form. While doing this kick your legs back and drive your hips to the ground. You want to have your feet out wide and your hips below your head. If your hips are up he will be able to re-shoot and take you down. The underhooks should have broken his hands away from your legs and you should have him pinned with your weight.

2. If you only get one underhook it will likely be on the opposite side of his head. A simple option from here is to simply dig for the underhook at this point.

3. Another option that works if you get only the one is called a cross-face. What you do is turn slightly away from his head and dig your forearm in across his face. Using your forearm push his face away from you so that he is looking away and circle in the opposite direction. This will give you the opportunity to try and get at his back.

4. If you do not gain either underhook your first priority should be freeing the leg on the opposite side of his head, simplest way to do this is to simply dig for an underhook on that side and break away that way. From there move to b or c.

5. Don't worry about them being able to grab your other leg as you crossface and circle away, it is actually a mistake on their part to do so as it will leave them open to arm bars, triangles, giving their back, being rolled to a crucifix and other unpleasant things. As long as your hips are low legs wide and their head turned away they will not be able to take you down from there.
6. Last but not least, if you have a good sprawl, with a good level change you may not get any underhooks and still get both legs free. In this case the above is not needed. But you have to get your hips right to the floor (This requires a good level change and a good kick back) Unfortunately things rarely go perfectly, especially when you are new

That is Double Leg Takedowns 101. There are many other variations, and other elements to defense not covered here, but these are the basics. Once you have a grasp of these you need to start learning to set it up which wasn't covered here. How you set it up differs from MMA and Submission grappling. However the basic rule is distract him up high, then shoot low. This can be done either at a distance, or in a clinch.

About the Authors
Andrew Green - Has been involved in martial arts for approximately 15 years and currently runs East Winnipeg Martial Arts.