The Single Leg Takedown is one of the most fundamental and high-percentage takedowns in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling arts, borrowed from wrestling. This technique involves attacking one of the opponent’s legs while maintaining control of their upper body, creating an imbalance that forces them to the mat. The single leg is particularly effective in no-gi competition and MMA contexts, where traditional judo-style throws may be more difficult to execute. Unlike double leg takedowns that require deeper penetration and expose the practitioner to guillotine chokes, the single leg offers a more upright finishing position with multiple mechanical advantages. The technique’s versatility lies in its numerous finishing variations - from the classic run-the-pipe to trips, dumps, and elevation finishes - allowing practitioners to adapt based on opponent reactions and defensive responses. Mastery of the single leg takedown provides a reliable method for taking the fight to the ground while maintaining dominant positioning, making it an essential skill for competitors at all levels who seek to control where and how the match is contested.
Starting Position: Standing Position Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 70%
Key Principles
- Achieve deep penetration on the initial shot with level change and forward drive
- Maintain constant upward pressure on the captured leg to break opponent’s balance
- Control opponent’s hip or upper body to prevent them from squaring up and defending
- Keep head tight to opponent’s body (typically outside position) to control their posture
- Use multiple finishing sequences based on opponent’s defensive reactions
- Maintain proper base and posture throughout execution to avoid counters
- Chain together multiple finish attempts rather than committing to a single sequence
Prerequisites
- Establish grip fighting advantage or create opening through feints and movement
- Achieve proper distance management - close enough to penetrate but not so close as to be tied up
- Lower level through proper stance and knee bend before initiating shot
- Clear opponent’s hands or create opening in their defensive frames
- Establish inside control or angle that allows for unobstructed leg attack
- Maintain balanced stance that allows explosive forward movement without telegraphing
Execution Steps
- Set up and create opening: Use grip fighting, head movement, or feints to create a reaction from your opponent. Common setups include collar ties, Russian ties, or hand fighting that draws their attention upward. Create an angle by circling or use a snap-down motion to get their weight shifting forward or their hands occupied. (Timing: Initial engagement phase)
- Change levels explosively: Drop your hips and bend your knees to lower your level while maintaining upright posture in your back. This level change should be sudden and explosive, not telegraphed. Keep your head up and eyes on your target - the opponent’s near leg. Your back leg should be coiled and ready to drive forward. (Timing: 0.5-1 second explosive motion)
- Penetration step and leg capture: Step deep with your lead leg (same side as the leg you’re attacking) between opponent’s legs or just outside their far leg. Simultaneously reach with both arms to secure the attacked leg - one hand behind the knee (in the popliteal fossa) and one hand grabbing the ankle or lower calf. Your head should make contact with opponent’s body on the outside of the captured leg. (Timing: Immediate following level change)
- Secure the leg and establish control: Pull the captured leg tight to your chest while driving your head into opponent’s hip or ribcage. Your hands should work together - top hand pulls the leg up and toward you while bottom hand controls the ankle. Stand up slightly to create upward pressure on the leg, forcing opponent onto one foot and disrupting their balance. (Timing: Continuous pressure throughout)
- Off-balance and corner opponent: Drive forward and laterally, forcing your opponent to hop on one leg. Use your head pressure against their body and upward pull on the leg to prevent them from squaring their hips to you. Move in a circular pattern, cornering them and preventing them from establishing a stable base or turning into you. (Timing: 2-4 seconds of continuous pressure)
- Execute finish: Choose finishing sequence based on opponent’s reaction: (1) Run-the-pipe: Continue driving forward while lifting the leg and dumping opponent backward. (2) Trip: Use your inside leg to trip opponent’s standing leg while maintaining leg control. (3) Elevation: Lift the leg high while driving forward to force backward fall. (4) Outside dump: Turn corner sharply and pull opponent’s leg across your body to dump them. Follow opponent to the mat and establish top position. (Timing: Immediate commitment to finish)
Opponent Counters
- Sprawl and whizzer defense (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If opponent sprawls, immediately switch to duck-under or go behind, or transition to double leg. If they establish whizzer, use it as leverage to come up on top or switch to inside trip finish.
- Guillotine choke attempt (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Keep your head positioned on the outside of the captured leg (away from choking arm). If caught, release the leg and defend the choke by creating space and hand fighting, or complete the takedown quickly before choke is secured.
- Limp leg defense (pulling leg out) (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Immediately switch to alternative finish - if they pull leg back, follow with forward pressure and switch to double leg or transition to upper body control for different takedown. Never allow them to fully extract the leg without following their movement.
- Hip switch and re-guard (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Maintain constant forward pressure and head control to prevent hip switching. If they begin to turn in, either accelerate finish before they complete the turn, or follow their rotation and take the back.
- Kimura grip on attacking arm (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Keep elbows tight to body and leg to prevent opponent from isolating arm. If kimura is secured, use the trapped arm as a post while switching to alternative finish with free hand, or abandon takedown to defend submission.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the primary mechanical advantage of the single leg takedown compared to the double leg? A: The single leg maintains a more upright posture which reduces exposure to guillotine chokes and allows for better control of opponent’s hip and upper body. It also provides multiple finishing options that can be chained together based on opponent’s defensive reactions, whereas double leg typically commits to one direction of force.
Q2: Why should your head be positioned on the outside of the captured leg rather than between the opponent’s legs? A: Outside head position protects your neck from guillotine chokes, provides better mechanical leverage for driving and controlling opponent’s hip, and makes it more difficult for them to square their hips to you for defensive purposes. Inside head position exposes the neck and gives opponent better defensive options.
Q3: What are three different finishing sequences for the single leg, and when would you use each? A: Run-the-pipe (driving forward while lifting leg) works when opponent’s weight is centered and they’re trying to maintain balance. Inside trip works when they’re posting heavily on the standing leg. Elevation finish works when they’re leaning back or trying to sprawl. The key is reading opponent’s weight distribution and defensive posture to select appropriate finish.
Q4: How do you defend against a guillotine choke attempt when executing a single leg takedown? A: Primary defense is prevention through proper head position on the outside. If caught, immediately create space by posturing up and hand fighting the choking grip. Either complete the takedown quickly before choke is secured, or release the leg and fully commit to defending the submission. Never stay static with choke partially locked.
Q5: What is the purpose of the circular movement pattern when controlling the single leg? A: Circular movement corners the opponent and prevents them from establishing a stable base on their standing leg. It also makes it difficult for them to square their hips to you, which would allow them to defend more effectively or counter. The cornering action forces continuous hopping and balance adjustments that eventually lead to them falling.
Q6: How should you modify your single leg approach against an opponent who consistently sprawls effectively? A: Against effective sprawlers, use better setups to create reactions before shooting, ensure deeper penetration on the initial entry, and be ready to immediately chain to alternative techniques like duck-under or go-behind when sprawl is initiated. You can also use low single variations that avoid the sprawl zone, or fake the single leg to set up upper body attacks.
Safety Considerations
When practicing single leg takedowns, practitioners must be mindful of several safety considerations. Primary among these is knee safety during the penetration step - always control your drop to the mat rather than crashing down, which can cause patellar injuries. Partners should communicate clearly about resistance levels, especially during initial learning phases. Ensure adequate mat space exists for the takedown and follow-through, as practitioners will be moving dynamically across the training area. When defending single legs in training, avoid posting with stiff arms which can lead to wrist, elbow, or shoulder injuries when the takedown is completed. Instead, focus on technical defensive responses like sprawling and repositioning. Be particularly cautious when partner attempts guillotine counters - the person shooting should be prepared to abandon the takedown if the choke becomes dangerous, and both parties should understand safe submission protocols. When falling, tuck your chin to protect against mat contact, and use proper breakfall techniques if available. As with all takedown training, both partners must maintain situational awareness and respect each other’s skill level and injury history. Stop immediately if either person feels unstable or at risk during the execution.
Position Integration
The single leg takedown occupies a crucial position within the broader BJJ technical system, serving as a primary method for transitioning from standing engagement to ground-based grappling. It represents the intersection between wrestling and jiu-jitsu, providing a reliable mechanism for achieving top position without exposing oneself to the submission vulnerabilities inherent in some other takedown methods. Within the positional hierarchy, a successful single leg immediately establishes dominant top position - typically side control, knee on belly, or direct path to mount depending on the finishing variation used. This makes it invaluable for practitioners who prefer top-based games or need to secure takedown points in competition. The technique chains effectively with other standing techniques: it combines with double leg attacks (switching between them based on opponent reactions), integrates with snap-down and front headlock series, and provides backup options when guard pulling is prevented or undesirable. Defensively, understanding single leg mechanics helps practitioners defend against wrestling-based opponents and provides knowledge for countering with guillotines, kimuras, or guard pulls. For no-gi competitors especially, the single leg becomes a fundamental technique that must be mastered alongside guard passing and submission systems, as it determines who controls where the match takes place and under what conditions.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The single leg takedown represents a perfect example of mechanical efficiency through systematic application of leverage and base disruption. The fundamental principle underlying all single leg variations is the creation of a two-on-one advantage - both your hands and your head are controlling one of the opponent’s legs while simultaneously preventing their upper body from establishing effective counterpressure. The key mechanical insight is that by elevating the captured leg, you force the opponent into a fundamentally unstable position balancing on one foot, which creates a compound problem: they must simultaneously defend the takedown while maintaining balance, and any energy devoted to one task necessarily weakens the other. The various finishing methods - running the pipe, inside trips, elevation dumps - are not random options but rather systematic responses to specific defensive reactions. A skilled practitioner reads the opponent’s weight distribution and defensive structure, then selects the finish that exploits the vulnerability created by that particular defense. This is why we drill not individual finishes in isolation, but rather sequences of connected finishes that flow from one to the next based on opponent reactions. The single leg becomes not a single technique, but a branching decision tree where each defensive action determines your offensive response.
- Gordon Ryan: In high-level no-gi competition, the single leg is absolutely essential because it’s one of the few takedowns that doesn’t give your opponent easy access to guillotine chokes when executed properly. I’ve won matches at ADCC specifically because I could secure takedowns with single legs while my opponents who relied on double legs got caught in guillotines. The critical detail that separates competition-level single legs from training room technique is the head position - it must be glued to the outside of their body, never between the legs. When I shoot single legs, I’m already thinking three moves ahead: if they sprawl, I’m going to the duck-under or go-behind; if they try to square up, I’m switching to the double leg; if they reach for a guillotine, I’m adjusting my head position and accelerating the finish before they can lock it. The setup is equally important as the finish - I like to use collar ties and Russian ties to create reactions, then time my shot for when their weight shifts or their hands are occupied defending my upper body attacks. Against high-level opponents, you can’t just shoot raw single legs; you need setups that create legitimate openings. And the finish has to be decisive - once you have the leg, you commit fully to completing the takedown rather than holding onto it and hoping they fall. Indecision in the finishing phase is how you get caught in submissions or reversed.
- Eddie Bravo: What I love about the single leg for our 10th Planet system is how it integrates with our leg lock game and rubber guard entries. A lot of people think of single legs as pure wrestling, but we’ve adapted them to create opportunities for our specific game. When someone defends the single leg really well and you can’t finish the traditional way, instead of just releasing and resetting, we transition to single leg X guard and start attacking with calf slicers and ankle locks. It’s a seamless transition from standing wrestling to ground leg attacks. The other thing we emphasize is using single legs to counter guard pulls - when someone tries to pull guard, if you time it right, you can catch their leg on the way down and establish top position instead of letting them control where the match goes. We also use modified grips sometimes, like controlling the leg with an overhook grip instead of the traditional hands clasped, which gives different angles for finishing and makes it harder for them to predict your finish. The key innovation is not seeing the single leg as just a way to get someone down, but as an entry point to multiple different systems depending on how they defend. If they defend well, great - now we’re in leg lock territory. If they defend poorly, we take top position. Either way, we’re attacking and creating problems they have to solve. That’s the beauty of systematic integration rather than isolated techniques.