The Technical Stand Up to Single Leg is a fundamental defensive recovery sequence that transforms a vulnerable bottom position into an offensive wrestling attack. This technique combines the safety and base management of the technical standup with the explosive entry mechanics of single leg takedowns, creating a seamless transition from defense to offense. The sequence is particularly valuable in no-gi grappling, MMA, and self-defense contexts where maintaining distance and controlling engagement timing is critical. By establishing proper base during the standup phase, you create the structural foundation necessary to generate explosive power for the single leg entry. The technique exemplifies the principle of position-over-submission thinking, as you prioritize safe recovery before attacking. Against opponents who pressure forward during your standup, this sequence allows you to redirect their momentum into a takedown opportunity, turning their aggression into your advantage.
Starting Position: Turtle Ending Position: Single Leg X-Guard Success Rates: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
Key Principles
- Maintain strong base and posture throughout the standup sequence
- Create distance and frames to prevent opponent from collapsing your structure
- Time the single leg entry when opponent steps forward into range
- Keep hips low and back straight during the level change
- Drive through opponent’s hips, not their knee, for maximum control
- Chain to alternative attacks if single leg is defended
- Use hand posting strategically to maintain balance and prevent being driven down
Prerequisites
- Starting from turtle, seated guard, or bottom position under pressure
- At least one hand posted on the mat for base
- Opponent applying forward pressure or standing at distance
- Clear space to extend lead leg without immediate threat
- Hip mobility to transition from seated to standing position
- Awareness of opponent’s weight distribution and stance
Execution Steps
- Establish posting hand: From turtle or seated position, post your near-side hand firmly on the mat with fingers spread wide, elbow locked, and shoulder packed. This creates the primary structural support for your standup. Your posting arm should be positioned slightly behind your hip line to prevent being driven forward. (Timing: Initial setup - maintain until fully standing)
- Extend lead leg: Extend your far-side leg forward into a posting position with your foot flat on the mat, knee bent at approximately 90 degrees. This leg becomes your primary base for standing. Keep your shin vertical and weight centered over the ball of your foot. Your extended leg should point toward your opponent or slightly away to create angle. (Timing: Immediately after hand post is secure)
- Drive to standing position: Explosively drive through your posted foot while maintaining pressure through your posted hand. Keep your hips low and back straight as you rise. Your non-posted hand should be active, creating frames against opponent’s torso or hips to maintain distance. As you rise, your weight shifts from hand to feet, but maintain hand contact until fully balanced. (Timing: Explosive movement, 0.5-1 second)
- Square up and assess distance: Once standing, immediately square your hips to your opponent while maintaining defensive hand position. Keep your stance slightly wider than shoulder width with knees bent and weight on the balls of your feet. Your hands should be positioned to frame, pummel, or defend against immediate attacks. Read opponent’s reaction - forward pressure creates single leg opportunity. (Timing: Brief pause, 0.5 seconds maximum)
- Level change and penetration step: As opponent steps forward or reaches to engage, execute a deep level change by dropping your hips while keeping your back straight and head up. Simultaneously take a deep penetration step with your lead foot, placing it between or outside opponent’s feet. Your trailing knee should drop toward the mat. Keep your chest pressed against their thigh and your head positioned to the outside of their body. (Timing: Explosive timing as opponent enters range)
- Secure the single leg: Wrap both arms around opponent’s near leg, clasping your hands behind their knee or lower thigh. Your shoulder should be driving into their upper thigh or hip while your head maintains outside position. Keep your hips low and extended toward them. Your grip should be tight with elbows pinched together, creating maximum control over their leg structure. (Timing: Immediate upon penetration step)
- Complete the takedown: Drive forward through your legs while lifting their captured leg and angling their body. Run your feet in small, powerful steps rather than reaching. Pull their leg across your body while turning your torso to break their balance. As they fall, maintain control and establish top position (usually side control, knee on belly, or back control depending on their reaction). (Timing: Continuous driving pressure, 2-3 seconds)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent sprawls hard, hips back and weight down (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately switch to ankle pick by releasing upper grip, grabbing their ankle, and pulling while driving shoulder into their knee. Alternatively, transition to double leg by securing second leg or switch to guard pull if takedown becomes low percentage.
- Opponent crossfaces and drives you down during standup (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Abandon standup temporarily and return to turtle or guard. Use their forward pressure to pull guard or roll under for sweep. Never force the standup against heavy crossface pressure as it exposes your back.
- Opponent circles away and disengages (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Maintain standing position and re-engage with grip fighting. Use footwork to cut angles and prevent them from circling. If they refuse to engage, establish your guard pull or force them into your preferred range before attempting another attack.
- Opponent guillotines during level change (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Keep your head up and posture strong during entry. If caught, immediately stack their weight backward, secure their hips, and work to pass guard rather than completing takedown. Remove their choking arm by peeling or driving through their guard.
- Opponent whizzers your penetrating arm (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Switch to outside trip by releasing inside grip, securing outside control of their leg, and using their whizzer against them. Alternatively, convert to back take by circling behind as they overcommit to the whizzer defense.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: Why must your head position be on the outside of opponent’s body during the single leg entry? A: Outside head position prevents guillotine, darce, and front headlock submissions. When your head is inside, your neck is exposed and opponent can use their near arm to wrap your head, creating immediate submission threats. Outside position also allows you to drive through their hips more effectively and makes it difficult for them to apply crossface pressure or turn into you. The outside position is a fundamental safety principle in all single leg attacks.
Q2: What is the correct timing for transitioning from technical standup to single leg entry? A: The optimal timing is when opponent steps forward to close distance or engage after you’ve established standing position. This forward step loads their weight onto the lead leg, making them less mobile and easier to off-balance. If you attack too early (while still rising), you lack the base and explosiveness needed. If you wait too long, opponent establishes their own grips and stance, making penetration more difficult. Reading their weight transfer and committing at the moment they step forward creates the highest success rate.
Q3: How should you respond if opponent sprawls hard and you cannot complete the single leg takedown? A: Immediately chain to alternative attacks rather than forcing a low-percentage finish. Primary options include: switching to ankle pick by releasing upper grip and securing the ankle while driving shoulder into knee; converting to double leg if second leg is accessible; transitioning to guard pull if standing attacks are shut down; or circling to back take if opponent overcommits to sprawl. The key principle is maintaining offensive initiative while recognizing when the initial attack is defended. Never stay static in a sprawled position as this allows opponent to consolidate superior position.
Q4: What structural elements make the technical standup safe against an opponent who is driving forward pressure? A: The posted hand creates a structural brace that redirects opponent’s forward pressure into the ground rather than collapsing your posture. The extended lead leg provides a stable base with vertical shin alignment, allowing you to drive upward through skeletal structure rather than muscular effort. Keeping your back straight and head up maintains spinal integrity and prevents being broken down. The non-posted hand actively frames against opponent’s torso, creating distance and preventing them from getting chest-to-chest control. These combined elements create a stable base that can support your weight plus absorb opponent’s pressure without collapsing.
Q5: Why is grip position behind the knee or lower thigh more effective than gripping above the knee in single leg attacks? A: Lower grip position provides superior mechanical control over the leg for several reasons. First, it reduces the opponent’s ability to hop or post on the captured leg, as you’re controlling the joint and lower lever arm. Second, it makes it harder for them to kick their leg free, as the knee joint has limited range of motion when compressed. Third, lower grips allow you to lift and manipulate the leg more easily, as you’re working with a shorter lever. Fourth, pinching your elbows together with a low grip creates a tighter control structure that’s harder to break. Higher grips above the knee allow more mobility and give opponent better leverage to defend the position.
Q6: In what situations should you abandon the technical standup attempt and choose alternative defensive strategies? A: Abandon the standup when: opponent establishes strong crossface pressure that breaks your posting structure; they have achieved mount or back control where standup exposes you to finishing positions; your base is compromised and you risk being driven to worse position; they’re attacking submissions that require immediate defensive response; or in gi when they have dominant collar grips that can be used to choke or break you down. In these scenarios, focus on escapes specific to the position (elbow escape from mount, shrimp from side control, guard recovery from turtle) rather than forcing a standup that increases danger. The technical standup is a tool for specific contexts, not a universal solution.
Safety Considerations
When practicing technical standup to single leg, always maintain awareness of head position to prevent neck injuries from guillotine or front headlock pressure. During drilling, partners should release guillotine attempts immediately when training partner taps or shows distress. When completing takedowns, control the descent to prevent opponent landing awkwardly or impacting hard surfaces. In live training, tap early to neck cranks or chokes rather than fighting through them. Beginners should practice the standup phase extensively before adding explosive takedown entries to develop proper structural awareness. Always warm up hips, knees, and ankles before practicing this sequence as the level change and driving mechanics create significant joint stress. In competition or self-defense contexts, be aware that failed single leg attempts may expose your back or neck to counterattacks.
Position Integration
The Technical Stand Up to Single Leg serves as a critical bridge between defensive and offensive phases of grappling. From defensive positions like turtle, bottom side control, or mount bottom, it provides a pathway to disengage and reset rather than remaining in inferior positions. Once standing, it immediately transitions defensive recovery into offensive takedown attack, preventing opponent from re-establishing their pressure game. This sequence integrates with broader guard recovery systems, as failing to complete the single leg allows you to pull guard rather than being taken down. In no-gi and MMA contexts, it’s a fundamental skill for controlling engagement distance and preventing opponent from controlling where the fight takes place. The technique also connects to leg entanglement systems, as securing single leg control can be transitioned into Single Leg X-Guard, Ashi Garami entries, or outside trips if the takedown finish is defended.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The technical standup to single leg sequence represents a perfect example of systematic position management and offensive opportunity recognition. The technical standup itself is not merely an escape - it’s a methodical construction of base and posture that creates the structural foundation for explosive attack. Notice that we don’t simply stand up randomly; we establish specific posting points that create a stable platform capable of generating power. The transition to single leg entry must be timed precisely with opponent’s forward weight transfer - attacking when they’re stationary or retreating yields low success rates. The biomechanics demand that your level change originates from hip flexion while maintaining spinal extension, allowing you to generate maximum forward drive through skeletal structure rather than pure muscular effort. Most practitioners fail this sequence because they rise too high before attacking, telegraphing their intentions and eliminating the depth advantage necessary for effective penetration. The grip position behind the knee is critical - it’s the control point that prevents opponent’s leg from functioning as a post, eliminating their primary defensive mechanism. This technique exemplifies how defensive recovery and offensive attack exist on a continuum rather than as separate phases.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the technical standup to single leg is one of the highest-percentage sequences for reversing inferior position, particularly in no-gi where grips can’t be used to prevent your standup. I use this constantly when opponents try to pass my guard and I turtle or when I’m defending mount and need to create space. The key is not thinking of it as two separate moves - it’s one continuous motion from bottom position to top position. When I feel I can’t prevent the pass or I’m getting flattened in turtle, I immediately start building my base for the standup. Most guys wait too long and let the position fully consolidate, then the standup becomes much harder. The timing window for the single leg attack is tiny - maybe one second after you stand where opponent is deciding whether to pressure in or step back. That’s when you explode into the level change. If you wait longer, they set their grips and stance and the takedown success rate drops significantly. Against high-level opponents, I’m often happy just to complete the standup and establish standing position even if the single leg fails, because it resets the match and prevents them from grinding out positional dominance. The technique also works as a counter to aggressive guard passers who chase when you create space - their forward momentum walks them right into your single leg setup.
- Eddie Bravo: The technical standup to single leg is fundamental in our system, especially for no-gi and MMA application where you can’t rely on gi grips to maintain guard. What makes this sequence deadly is the psychological element - when you’re underneath getting pressured, opponent expects you to stay defensive and try to recover guard or escape. The standup changes the entire dynamic of the exchange because suddenly you’re engaging their wrestling, which a lot of jiu-jitsu guys aren’t prepared for. In 10th Planet, we drill this from every bottom position because in MMA you cannot afford to stay on bottom eating ground and pound. The single leg entry has to be explosive and low - I see too many guys kind of casually shooting and getting guillotined or sprawled on. You’ve got to drop that level like you’re trying to go under a low table, then drive through their hips like you’re trying to run through them, not to them. The beauty of this technique is the chain wrestling options - if the single leg gets defended, you can immediately go to ankle pick, you can pull into lockdown or rubber guard, you can convert to outside trip, or you can even hit the switch if they try to take your back. We also use the cage wall variation heavily in MMA where you walk your back up the cage which makes it way harder for them to keep you down. The standup component is also critical for creating space to land strikes from bottom, even if you don’t complete the full sequence.