Takedowns are incredibly important in BJJ, this is where you can take control over the opponent. Because BJJ is a grappling focused ground based martial art technique so the standing aspects and techniques are not given much importance. There are a few academies that devote enough time and importance to the takedowns and other standing techniques. The importance of takedowns has been over thought for many years but not anymore. Just because this is a ground based martial art, it does not mean that you should forget, ignore, or not train the standing techniques more. As you all know all the fights and even the matches start in standing positions. So, if you would know your takedowns you can take advantage of the situation.
Next time you are wearing your BJJ Gi going into a match, take note of how your takedown game is. Note if the takedowns you perform are weak, disproportionately, and where do they need improvement. If you cannot decide, of course, ask your coach to keep an eye and train you to cover the mistakes you made. Don’t worry you are not the only one. Today you will know the solution to this problem. Here are the methods you should follow in training to better your takedown game.
Practice Without Partner
Yes, BJJ is the martial art that is not practiced without a partner, it just feels incomplete. But to master your takedown techniques you have to see what you are doing first. Takedowns can be efficiently practiced without a partner. In fact, training this way you will learn the basics and nit-bits of a takedown. Then when you were to train it with a partner or perform it in a match you would know better what to do.
Takedowns Warm Ups
Make takedowns a part of your warm up so you can practice more and be better at it. The only reason why BJJ practitioners are bad at takedown is that they don’t practice it as much as they should. Because BJJ is ground grappling, focused practitioners spend more time on that. So, making them a part of warm up will help you learn and practice them more. If you feel like it you can give takedowns some more time after the warm up.
Grab a partner who is looking to be better at takedowns too. Start off slow at pace and get to a higher but controlled pace and continue for at least 5 minutes. Don’t forget safety, yours and your partners. The goal is to make sure your technique is perfect and you are understanding the basics instead of going all out. However, don’t go so slow that it does not warm you up. One of the mistakes people make while doing this is they keep on laying down once the takedown is executed. Get back up as soon as you can and let your partner try it. After all, you both are there to practice and better your technique.
Doing so you would get to practice takedowns every time you practice BJJ. Thus, you would get better at it without giving it too much time from your training or practice time. But don’t forget to practice other techniques you did before in the warm up.
Positional Training
One of the reasons why it is recommended to train and practice the takedowns alone and in the warm up is that you can get good at it. Now once you have done that plenty of times you are ready to practice it against some opponent. This does not mean you have perfected it. Practicing takedowns in a match or even training against an opponent, you won’t get many chances to perform it. Because most of the time would be spent on the ground and once you try to perform a takedown, the opponent might pull the guard. Thus, it is important to integrate takedown specific training or just focus the training on take wodowns once a week.
Concentrate On Main Takedowns First
It is better if you can proficiently perform a few takedowns instead of you each one of them but cannot perform any perfectly. Being able to use a technique is better than just knowing what the technique is. In the beginning focus your time and energy on 2 or 3 max takedowns before shifting it to other takedowns. Following are basic takedowns, start from the top, get better at it and move down the list.
- Double leg
- Single leg
- Clinch takedown
- Osotogari
- Hip throw
Start match in rolling position
Higher chances of injury, less mat space, or not knowing the importance of takedowns are the few reasons why many academies don’t make you practice them often. But at least once a week the match should start from the feet. This way you would be saved from fatigue from practicing grappling from a standing position.
Conclusion
Remember that standing aspects of BJJ are as important as ground aspects and you should practice them too. Make sure your technique is proper and perfect, of course there are coaches that are to guide so you can ask them for guidance and help. To be good at BJJ you should be good at every aspect of it.
