Takedown

Takedown

A takedown is a martial arts and combat sports technique that involves off-balancing an opponent and bringing them to the ground, typically with the attacker landing on top. Takedowns are a fundamental aspect of wrestling, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, sambo, and mixed martial arts (MMA).

Types of Takedowns

There are various types of takedowns, each with its own techniques and strategies. Some of the most common types include:

• Single-leg takedown: This involves grabbing one of the opponent's legs and driving them to the ground.
• Double-leg takedown: This involves grabbing both of the opponent's legs and lifting them off the ground to bring them down.
• Hip throw: A technique where the attacker uses their hip as a pivot point to throw the opponent over.
• Trips: Techniques that involve tripping the opponent's legs to off-balance and bring them down.
• Sweeps: Techniques that involve sweeping the opponent's legs out from under them.

Applications in Sports

Takedowns are crucial in various combat sports:

• In wrestling, takedowns score points and can lead to advantageous positions.
• In judo, takedowns (known as nage-waza) are used to throw the opponent to the ground.
• In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, takedowns are used to bring the fight to the ground where practitioners can apply submissions.
• In mixed martial arts, takedowns are used to control the opponent and set up ground-and-pound or submissions.

Defense Against Takedowns

Defending against takedowns is equally important. Common defensive techniques include:

• Sprawling: Spreading the legs and hips back to avoid being taken down.
• Underhooks and Overhooks: Controlling the opponent's arms to prevent them from completing the takedown.
• Balance and footwork: Maintaining a strong base and good footwork to avoid being off-balanced.

Related Pages

• Wrestling
• Judo
• Brazilian jiu-jitsu
• Mixed martial arts
• Submission (combat sports)
• Sprawl (grappling)
• Underhook
• Overhook