The White Belt Takedown You Need To Know

Learn This Simple White Belt Takedown

Should you avoid learning take downs if you do not compete in BJJ? No. You should learn take downs no matter what, because all self defense starts from standing. Learning to control distance or a person who is attacking you is crucial from a self defense perspective. So why do BJJ classes focus very little on standing game and take downs? There are a variety of reasons for this. Take down training can be intense. It takes a big toll on the body, and requires proper safety equipment and padded mats. Another reason is lack of BJJ competition. If learning from a person who does not compete they are less prone to training take downs.

Learn some of the best judo throws for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from 2 Judo / BJJ Athletes in the world, Jimmy Pedro and Travis Stevens

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Ultimately, there will come the time where you need to learn to start on your feet. Having a few basic take down concepts in your arsenal will give you a better chance at entering into a ground position with a more dominant starting point. In the video below we will learn a very simple white belt take down from  Chewjitsu. Here is what he has to say regarding take downs, “I got a question on my blog recently asking about a solid takedown for a white belt with no prior wrestling or judo experience. In the video I share an effective takedown that I show to many of my new students. I've seen this technique work numerous times for my students and even myself in competition. It's simple, effective and even if you haven't wrestled a ton, is pretty easy to implement into the game.”

Check out the video below and then we will break down the technique!

You will notice in BJJ that most players tend to pull guard from standing position, and that is because they have no Judo or wrestling experience, which is okay. But a simple technique like this one can be very effective at starting on ground from a more dominant position. Notice Chewy likes to start with a collar grip with his opposite arm. He explains why this better than a cross collar grip. By going straight at the collar with your opposite arm (in this case his left arm) to open up the lapel you make it difficult for your opponent to block the grip control. From here Chewy opens the lapel and then immediately switches to a deep cross collar grip. Now his left hand is open to get some kind of grip established on his opponent’s arm – mostly commonly at the sleeve with four fingers in, thumb out.

Now that you have your grips established, Chewy shows us a basic knee pick – similar to an ankle pick in wrestling, the different being that do you do not drop all the way down to the ankle. Use a couple of quick snaps with your grips to break down your opponent’s posture. What you are looking for here is for him to step forward with his leg, setting you up for the knee pick. Notice where Chewy keeps his opponent’s wrist: it’s right in front of his legs at knee level so when he goes for the pick it’s right there. From here grab the knee and drive, pulling the knee in and pushing the collar out. The idea is that as soon as you take the guy down you set yourself up for a guard pass, instead of taking him down and entering his guard.

Simple, but awesome stuff from @Chewjitsu! Keep in mind when you are grip fighting from standing position that it is very important to use that opposite hand to open the lapel before you go for the deep collar grip. Establish those grips so you can break down your opponent’s posture. Start using your own body weight and momentum to get him moving around. When his leg comes forward you have the perfect opportunity to pick the knee. Drive into him while pushing on the collar and he will go to the ground, landing on his side, setting you up for side control or possibly even a quick arm bar.  

Judo Champion Jimmy Pedro and Travis Stevens give you an insight into their world of taking people down. With these 3 DVD / On Demand set you can improve your take down game from 2 of the best in that area!

These two greats will be your guides as you learn to master the skills necessary to beat even the toughest opponent. All the techniques and tips you’ll ever need are found in The Takedown Blueprint.

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