Inside Trip Take Down…From The Arm Drag!

By Corey Kuropas, February 27, 2017

Time and time again, I’ve said it…the arm drag is single handedly the most important tool in all of grappling. Whether it be Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling or Judo, the arm drag opens up a lot of opportunities for those that use it. Why it works in the stand up phase of grappling, is because it allows for its user to create effective angles. Those angles that open up allow for take downs to be done easier. The take downs are easier off of the arm drag due to the fact that your opponent cannot defend as easy, since they are being attacked from an angle. So, let’s see how you can use the arm drag to hit a take down…

When you are still in the standing grappling phase, you need to stay smart. Keep your arms bent with your elbows in. You should keep your base somewhat low, while keeping a bend in both of your legs. When you start to engage, your opponent will put an arm out to try and gauge what is going on. As your opponent sticks out that arm (say it is the left), your left hand will need to grab his left wrist. Your right arm will come underneath and grab his left tricep. Pull him into you, so that his back leg comes forward. Make sure the arm drag is tight, you should be shoulder to shoulder.

(Related: The Arm Drag Trap By Bernardo Faria)

When your opponent’s back leg comes forward, you need to bring your right leg in between his legs and hook his left leg. From there, you must let go off his tricep, so that your right arm goes to his right hip. The finish is relatively easy. You drop to your right knee, as you push off your left foot, and keep your head tucked close to his body to avoid any chance of a guillotine choke. Boom, he will be down and you can start to work.

The take down is something that is sadly neglected in many Jiu Jitsu schools. While Jiu Jitsu easily has the best ground work of any style, the take downs are arguably forgotten about. Don’t forget about these techniques. You will need them to become a complete grappler. For take downs, check out…

The Takedown Blueprint. A nice, detailed DVD set on take downs. Click here!