This week at Coast Martial Arts, we learned the double leg takedown from an aggressive opponent and positional control from side-mount.
An aggressive opponent – in the context of a class – is when your sparring partner is actively attacking you during the training drill. For comparison, a passive opponent would just stand there while you practise the move.
For the double leg takedown, the bad guy starts by advancing on you and throwing punches. Note: this was not practised at full intensity. Students were encouraged to begin slowly so they could get a feel for the movements, then escalate the speed as much as was comfortable.
The “victim” of this senseless street violence responds by avoiding the swinging fists and picking an opportune moment to enter the bad guy’s safe zone – only this time we weren’t going for a clinch.
You need to get low for the double leg takedown so you can get your shoulder into your opponent’s hip where they naturally bend. At the same time, grab both legs right behind the knees and collapse the bad guy by driving with your shoulder and pulling with your arms.
Once they’re on the ground you have to keep your shoulder pinning them down while you move around into side mount, otherwise they might get up again.
In side mount you aren’t fully on top of the bad guy – although your ambition is most likely to get there – instead, your upper body is on top of them while you clinch around the back of their head and behind one arm. Your legs stay out and active to counteract any struggling on their part.
Instructor Cosme Hlatky explained why you might want to go for a double leg takedown instead of a clinch, even though a clinch is a more secure position to be in.
One reason he gave was in the case of a much smaller person fighting a much larger person. A clinch in this case, he said, could be less effective. Another reason was that a clinch may not be available to you regardless of size difference.
In a real fight, Cosme said, things happen really fast. It always comes down to the situation and what you think is the most accessible move in any given second.
For more information, see www.coastmartialarts.com and stay tuned for more of the Green Grappler.
