Single Leg Takedown

What It Is

The single leg takedown is a wrestling-based entry where you change levels, secure one of your opponent's legs, and drive through to put them on the mat. It's one of the most common takedowns in no-gi and MMA-influenced grappling, and it shows up constantly in BJJ because it asks for less commitment than a double leg, you're only tying up one limb, which means fewer ways for the shot to go wrong.

Why It Works

Taking away one leg cuts an opponent's base from two points of contact down to one, and a body balanced on a single leg is far easier to off-balance than one with a wide double-leg stance. Because you're not driving straight through their center of mass the way a double leg does, a single leg also gives you more angles to finish from, straight ahead, to the side, or spinning behind, depending on how they react. That flexibility is exactly why it survives at every level of grappling, from white belt scrambles to elite no-gi competition.

Key Details

• Change Levels Before You Reach: Dropping your hips and bending your knees, not just leaning forward, is what gets you under an opponent's hips safely. Reaching without a real level change just exposes your neck.
• Head Position Matters: Keep your head to the outside of the leg you're attacking, or tight to their hip if you're going inside. A head caught in the middle is a guillotine waiting to happen.
• Secure the Leg, Don't Just Touch It: Wrap the leg tightly, knee pinched to your chest or the leg trapped between your arm and shoulder, before you commit to finishing. A loose grip on the ankle or shin gets kicked free.
• Finish With Your Legs, Not Just Your Arms: Whether you're running the pipe, dumping them to the side, or tripping the standing leg, the drive should come from your legs and hips, your arms are there to control, not to do the lifting.
• Stay Mobile After the Shot: A stalled single leg with no follow-up gives your opponent time to hop, sprawl, or counter. Keep moving toward a finish the moment the leg is secured.

Common Mistakes

• Staying Too Upright: Shooting from a standing posture instead of changing levels turns the entry into a slow reach, easy to sprawl or counter.
• Poor Head Position: Letting your head drift to the wrong side or float in the middle exposes you to a guillotine or a strong counter-sprawl.
• Loose Leg Control: Grabbing the ankle or shin without real leg control lets an experienced opponent simply pull the leg free and reset.
• No Finish Plan: Getting the leg but freezing there wastes the opportunity, know your finish before you commit to the shot.
• Telegraphing the Shot: Dropping levels the same way every time makes the entry easy to read and sprawl against.

When To Use It

• Against Opponents Who Overcommit: A single leg is a strong counter when an opponent reaches, strikes, or leans in without a stable base.
• Off a Failed Double Leg: If a double leg attempt gets stuffed but you're already holding one leg, transitioning to a single leg finish is often right there.
• Against a Narrow Stance: Opponents standing with their feet close together are easier to off-balance off one leg than a wide, well-based opponent.
• In Scrambles: When grips are loose and both athletes are moving, a clean shot on an exposed leg can end the exchange immediately.

Training Tips

• Drill the Level Change in Isolation: Shadow-shoot without a partner first, focusing purely on hip drop and knee bend before adding contact.
• Work Head Position Specifically: Have a partner feed you shots from both sides so correct head placement becomes automatic under pressure.
• Live Entries From Grip Fighting: Start rounds from a neutral tie-up and work only the entry, not the full finish, until the setup is reliable.
• Drill Finishes Separately: Running the pipe, the dump, and the outside trip are different skills, practice each from a secured leg rather than assuming they'll come naturally.

Final Takeaway

The single leg rewards precision over power, a well-timed shot on a narrow base will drop much bigger opponents, while a mistimed one just gives up position. Get the level change and head placement right before worrying about the finish, those two details are what separate a live single leg from an easy sprawl. Once the entry is reliable, the finishing options open up fast.