Easy Takedowns

Let's cover some easy takedowns. Since most opponents on the street aren't judo experts, they won't be expecting a basic outside sweep. These moves are fast and make use of surprise. This is nothing fancy. No intricate off balancing techniques.

All of these techniques become much more effective when applied directly after a set up technique. For example a double leg takedown would be much easier if you were to first blast him in the face with a head butt.

For added effect, make sure he lands on his head. We will show you how to do this in a later issue.

Easy takedown #1 (Basic outside sweep)

This is a really simple move with one HUGE important detail. This is the sweep you might see kids do while wrestling on the playground. It is the basic trip. This sweep takes your opponent backward.
1. Secure a grip on your opponent's upper body with your arms. Many grips will work including just grabbing his jacket at the collar or sleeves. One way is to grab his lead (left) wrist with your right hand and put your left hand on his right (rear) shoulder or collar.

2. We are always going to sweep his lead leg. In this case his lead leg is his left. So drive your weight forward and to the right. As you do this, slightly bend forward at the waist. Your head is going to go outside your opponent's head and his shoulder (A human head weighs a lot when doing a move like this. Be sure to drive your head forward and down. It makes the difference.)

3. Now sweep his left leg with your left leg. Kick it out from under him with the back of your leg. Since his weight is on his other leg you can really pop this leg out from under him.

IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU MUST DRIVE FORWARD! Commit fully. Lean past him even. The main problem with how some schools teach the move is that they never tell the student to lean or drive forward. The student is never able to get the move. As soon as he lifts his leg for the sweep he leans back and his opponent sweeps him first.

There are more technical ways to do an outside sweep and more intricate off balancing techniques. This will get you started in your side sweep training. This one is great for sparring. Great when your opponent leans back. You can also try this one any time you face an opponent with a side stance. Shuffle in before he can throw his sidekick and throw your sweep.

Easy takedown #2 (basic kick sweep/shin blast sweep)

The basic position starts with you facing your opponent. Your right hand crosses over to grab his right shoulder or behind his neck. Almost any grip on his upper body with your right hand is fine. Drive forward and penetrate to the outside of his right side with your left leg. Drive past him. Then blast his right shin with your right shin. You are stepping forward and blasting through. What really contacts is the very bottom part of your shin to his shin/foot. You are going to kick his foot out from under him while at the same time jerking forward and down with your right hand. This will off balance him and sometimes put him flat on his face. Great when you have him leaning forward from another move.
Since his arms will shoot out to catch his balance he is now wide open for an arm wrench.

Easy takedown #3 (finger twist)

Grab his fingers and bend them in the wrong direction. Jerk them downward so that he hits the pavement. This move is great because it’s so simple.

Note: Finger twisting is limited because it uses pain compliance to force an opponent to move. Pain compliance is useful against certain opponents and worthless against others. Also this move will only be useful to you when he exposes his fingers so they can be grabbed.

Always be careful when training finger takedowns with a partner.

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Ryan Wolfenbarger
www.EndTheFightNow.com