Do you want to learn one of the most effective and versatile takedowns in grappling? Whether you are a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, mixed martial arts, or wrestling athlete, mastering the single leg takedown will improve your game and confidence on the mat. In this article, you will learn the benefits of the single leg takedown, the different variations and setups, the common mistakes and counters, and some drills and tips to improve your single leg takedown game.
The Power Of Single Leg Takedowns
One of the most effective and commonly used takedowns in any grappling sport (that allows it) is the single leg takedown. This is mainly because there are many different variations and technical nuances of the single leg takedown. If you’re trying to learn the single leg takedown but you’re not sure where to start, let me break it down for you and show you how you might approach learning the single leg.
The single leg takedown is a technique that involves grabbing one of your opponent’s legs, usually with both hands and using your position to force them to the ground. It is useful against tall and heavy opponents, as well as opponents who have a strong sprawl or guard. For over a decade, it has been the first choice for grapplers and combat athletes who like to compete.
Here are some of the advantages of using the single leg takedown over other takedowns:
- It is easier to execute than a double leg takedown, since you only need to isolate one leg.
- It offers more finishing options and transitions, such as switching to a double leg, a high crotch, a trip, or a sweep.
- It works well in both Gi and No-Gi grappling, as well as in an MMA fight with strikes.
- It can be applied from various distances and angles, depending on your opponent’s stance and reaction.
Variations and Setups of the Single Leg Takedown
There are different types of single leg takedowns that you can use depending on your preference and situation. The main single leg variation categories are high single, low single, and mid-level single. For each type, we will explain how to perform single leg takedown effective variations step by step.
For future reference, virtually nobody in wrestling says “mid-level singles”. They’ll typically just refer to the three main types as high singles, single legs, and low singles.
High Single
The high single is the most common and basic form of single leg takedown . It is very easy to teach to beginners and involves grabbing your opponent around their knee.
High singles are easiest to learn since you don’t need to get into the complexities of the penetration step (which is where most beginners make their mistakes).
This variation is great if your opponent stands up in a very high stance or if you don’t want to drop to your knees with a single leg (due to a knee injury, for example).
To perform a high single leg takedown, you need to do the following steps:
- Step towards your opponent’s leg.
- Put your forehead to their chest, and grab the back of their knee with your arms.
- Lift your opponent’s leg and squeeze it between your thighs.
- Push your body down to force your opponent to bend their knee.
Mid-Level Single
The mid-level single is a hybrid between a high single and a low single. It involves grabbing your opponent’s shin or calf instead of their knees or ankles. It has more power than a low single but more speed than a high single. It is the best single leg takedown variation for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in particular..
To perform a mid-level single leg takedown, you need to do the following steps:
- Go for a collar tie on your opponent’s neck with your dominant hand.
- Use your collar tie to snap the opponent’s head down and create an opening for your attack.
- Step inside with your foot that’s on the same side as your collar tie.
- Shoot for their shin or calf with your other arm.
Low Single
The low single is another variation of single leg takedown that involves grabbing your opponent’s ankle or foot. It is more difficult to perform than a high single but it has more precision and less risk of getting sprawled on.
Low singles are generally the favorite for fast and technical wrestlers since the attack focuses on precision and leverage (though there are exceptions to every rule). Setups are somewhat limited because you’ll tend to shoot a low single from a slightly farther distance.
Done wrong, a failed low single also puts you in a bad position where you’re extended and your opponent can put their weight on top of you like a sprawl, so there is more room for error than the other two variations. The plus side is that with the additional technical mastery, it’s also potentially the least energy-consuming of the single legs, which is why it tends to be the energy-efficient attack of choice for quick and technical wrestlers that can pull it off.
To perform a low single leg takedown, you need to do the following steps:
- Establish an underhook on your opponent’s arm that’s opposite to the leg you want to attack.
- Use your underhook to pull your opponent towards you and lower their level.
- Step outside with your foot that’s on the same side as your underhook.
- Shoot for their ankle or foot with your other arm.
Common Mistakes and Counters of the Single Leg Takedown
As with all takedown techniques, there are some common mistakes that people make when attempting or defending the single leg takedown. Here are some along with ways how to correct them:
Mistakes When Attacking
- Looking down at your opponent’s leg instead of keeping your head up and facing their chest. This makes you vulnerable to guillotine chokes, headlocks, or sprawls.
- Shooting too far away from your opponent or too close to them. This makes you lose balance or power in your attack.
- Not changing levels before shooting for their leg. This makes you telegraph your attack and gives them time to react.
- Not driving forward after grabbing their leg. This makes you lose momentum and control in your position.
Mistakes When Defending
- Not sprawling when your opponent shoots for your leg. This makes you lose leverage and stability in your defense.
- Not using a whizzer when your opponent grabs your leg. A whizzer is an overhook on your opponent’s arm that’s holding your leg. It helps you push their head down and away from you while freeing yourself from their grip.
- Not using underhooks when your opponent lifts your leg. Underhooks are hooks under your opponent’s arms that help you control their upper body while preventing them from finishing their takedown.
- Not using hooks when your opponent tries to trip or sweep you. Hooks are hooks behind or inside your opponent’s legs that help you balance yourself while disrupting their movement.
There are also some effective ways to counter or escape the single leg takedown if you find yourself in trouble. Some of them are:
- Using a guillotine choke when they shoot for your lead leg
- Using a kimura lock when they grab your rear leg
- Using a knee strike when they lift your leg
- Using a hip toss when they push you down
- Using a sprawl when they try to switch sides
- Using a sit out when they try to spin behind you
For each counter or escape, you need to act quickly and decisively before they secure their position.
Drills and Tips to Improve Your Single Leg Takedown Game
Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to grappling techniques like the single leg takedown. Here are some training exercises or drills that can help you practice and improve your skills:
Double-Leg Drill
The double-leg drill is a simple drill that involves shooting for a double-leg takedown on your partner but instead of finishing it, you switch to a single-leg takedown on either side. This drill will help you develop speed, timing, accuracy, and transitions for your single-leg takedowns.
To perform this drill, you need to do the following steps:
- Start in front of your partner in a standing position with enough distance between you.
- Shoot for a double-leg takedown by changing levels and driving forward with both arms around their legs.
- As soon as you reach their legs but before they sprawl or defend themselves switch one arm from one leg to another while keeping hold of one leg with another arm.
- Finish the single-leg takedown by lifting their leg up or tripping them down depending on which variation you choose.
- Repeat this drill on both sides alternating between high singles low singles mid-level singles etc.
Shadow Wrestling Drill
The shadow wrestling drill is another simple drill that involves practicing different types of single leg takedowns without a partner. This drill will help you improve your footwork, balance, coordination, and muscle memory for your single-leg takedowns.
To perform this drill, you need to do the following steps:
- Start in a standing position with a good wrestling stance (feet apart).
- Imagine an imaginary opponent in front of you and visualize how you would set up and execute a single leg takedown on them.
- Perform the single leg takedown as if you were doing it on a real opponent but without touching the ground or losing your balance.
- Repeat this drill with different types of single leg takedowns and from different angles and distances.
Partner Resistance Drill (Scrimmage)
The partner resistance drill is a more advanced drill that involves practicing single leg takedowns with a partner who offers different levels of resistance. This drill will help you test your skills, adapt to different situations, and overcome challenges for your single-leg takedowns.
To perform this drill, you need to do the following steps:
- Start in front of your partner in a standing position with enough distance between you.
- Agree on a level of resistance that your partner will offer when you try to take them down. For example, they can offer no resistance, light resistance, moderate resistance, or full resistance.
- Shoot for a single leg takedown on your partner using any variation or setup that you want.
- Try to finish the single leg takedown by taking them down or transitioning to another position.
- Repeat this drill with different types of single leg throws and different levels of resistance.
Single Leg Takedown Mastery Tips:
In addition to these drills, here are some general tips or advice that can help you master the single leg takedown technique:
- Always keep your head up and facing your opponent’s chest when shooting for their leg. This will help you avoid getting choked or sprawled on.
- Use feints or fakes to make your opponent react and create openings for your attack. For example, you can fake a jab to their face or a double leg takedown before going for their leg.
- Mix up your levels and angles when shooting for their leg. For example, you can shoot high or low, inside or outside, straight or diagonal depending on your opponent’s stance and reaction.
- Don’t be afraid to switch sides or change directions if you encounter resistance or sprawls. For example, you can switch from a high single to a low single or from an inside single to an outside single if your opponent defends well.
- Practice with different partners who have different styles and sizes. This will help you learn how to deal with various opponents and scenarios.
How Do I Work on my Single Leg?
Choose your leg attack variation, learn the key finishing positions in that variation, and then master the setups. This sequence is unorthodox but there is a reason for the madness.
At the beginner levels, you can get a lot of mileage out of a mediocre setup but your inability to finish will put you in all kinds of trouble. You may also develop bad positional habits down the road if you’re used to getting extended as well.
Of course, I don’t mean have zero knowledge of how to set up an attack. Learn the basics there, but sharpen them after you feel confident in your finishes. Wrestlers tend to hesitate for their attacks due to their inability to finish their takedowns, so we want to mitigate this as much as possible by focusing on finishes first.
The single leg takedown is one of the most popular takedowns in wrestling. When you are controlling one of your opponent’s legs, your ability to score a takedown is far greater than your opponent’s ability to score a takedown. You can also personalize a single leg based on your body type, which makes it even more favorable. There seems to be endless variations and nuances of single leg takedowns.
Conclusion
The single-leg takedown is one of the most effective and versatile techniques in grappling that can give you an edge over your opponents. Whether you are a BJJ, MMA, or a wrestler, mastering this technique will improve your game and confidence on the mat. So what are you waiting for? Try out these tips and drills today and let us know how they work for you!
Written By:
Che Chengsupanimit is a former collegiate wrestler, member of Thailand’s national freestyle wrestling team, and current combat sports enthusiast. He writes about how to improve your takedowns and achieve higher performance both physically and mentally. You can learn more about Che and his work at his blog. (link: https://chayoot.blog/hello/)
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