In martial arts, especially those incorporating grappling techniques like wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and mixed martial arts, mastering the defense against a double-leg takedown is crucial. The double-leg takedown is a powerful move where an opponent attempts to bring you down to the mat by grabbing behind both of your knees. It is preferred by many grapplers for its effectiveness, as well as the control it offers once on the ground. Successfully defending against this technique not only prevents your opponent from scoring but also sets you up for potential counter-attacks. Today, we’ll talk about a couple of tactics for defending against the double-leg takedown.
Understanding The Double-Leg Takedown
Before diving into the defenses, it’s important to understand what you’re defending against. With the double-leg takedown, your opponent lowers their level to match yours, typically aiming for your legs with their arms while maintaining a strong posture to push forward and drive you backward. The double-leg can be valuable with or without a barrier (aka cage fence), but performing it near the fence makes it incredibly effective.
The Importance Of Learning How To Defend Takedowns
Defending against takedowns is essential for practically any martial art that allows it. For strikers, this skill is important to keep the fight standing and utilize their striking abilities. For grapplers, effective takedown defense can prevent opponents from getting into dominant positions, which can lead to superior grappling exchanges. Learning to defend takedowns also ensures you have the power to decide where the fight goes.
Fundamental Defenses Against The Double-Leg Takedown
1) Maintain A Strong Stance
A well-balanced and ready stance is the foundation of good takedown defense. Your stance should allow you to move quickly and fluidly to respond to attacks. Keep your legs shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your weight distributed evenly. This position helps you lower your center of gravity when needed quickly and provides the stability required to resist being pushed or pulled.
2) Sprawl
The sprawl is the most common and effective defense against the double-leg takedown. As soon as you sense your opponent shooting in for your legs, thrust your legs back and out, drop your hips down, and lay your chest over the back of your opponent’s head and shoulders. This not only blocks them from completing the takedown but also places you in a dominant position on top of them. The key to a good sprawl is timing; reacting too early or too late can result in a failed defense.
3) Use Your Hands Wisely
As your opponent shoots in, use your hands to create obstacles and control their movement. Place your palms on their shoulders or back of the head to push them down and away as you sprawl. This additional barrier increases the effectiveness of your sprawl and can help you maintain control over the encounter.
4) Underhooks And Whizzers
Underhooks (inserting your arm under your opponent’s arm and securing it at their back) and whizzers (an overhook used to counter an opponent’s underhook by wrapping your arm over their arm and applying downward pressure) are vital in neutralizing a double-leg attempt. These techniques allow you to control your opponent’s upper body, limit their mobility, and set up potential throws or other defensive maneuvers.
5) Lateral Movement And Footwork
Instead of just moving backward, practice lateral movement. By moving sideways in response to a takedown attempt, you can off-balance your opponent and make it harder for them to secure your legs. Effective footwork is important in maintaining your stance and positioning to avoid being an easy target.
6) Knee And Hip Defense
This involves placing a knee or the side of your hip against the shoulder of the opponent as they shoot in, which can stop them in their tracks. This move requires good balance and timing to ensure that it’s executed safely and effectively.
Safety Considerations
While learning and practicing takedown defenses, it’s essential to prioritize safety to prevent injuries both to yourself and your training partners. Always practice under the guidance of a qualified instructor who can provide immediate feedback and corrections. Ensure the training area is well-matted to absorb impacts, and both you and your partners wear appropriate gear. Pay attention to the technique and stop immediately if you feel any discomfort or pain, particularly in your joints or back.
Training For Defense
Training to defend against the double-leg takedown should be as practical as possible. Drills should include live sparring sessions where partners can practice shooting for takedowns in controlled environments. Techniques should be drilled repetitively until they become second nature.
If you are new to takedown defense, it is a must to drill these defenses with little to no resistance at the start. This is to maximize your attention to the movements. Once you become familiar with these techniques, you can now slowly integrate them into your sparring sessions. Talk to your instructor and training partners so that they are aware of your intentions; this will make your training sessions productive and, at the same time, minimize potential injuries.
Conclusion
Defending against the double-leg takedown requires a strong understanding of timing, technique, and coordination. By understanding the mechanics of the techniques in this article, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of being taken down and maintain an advantageous position in your chosen combat sport. Continuous practice and refinement of these techniques will not only improve your defense but also enhance your overall fighting capability. Through this basic but practical approach, anyone can achieve a high level of understanding of how to defend against the double-leg takedown.
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