How to develop your takedown technique

The takedown is the foundation of everything

In MMA, wrestling, and even luta livre, whoever controls the ground controls the fight. The takedown is the tool that takes you from standing to the floor — or keeps you on top when your opponent tries to bring you down. It is not just a technique; it is a language. When you master it, you start reading the fight differently: you spot openings, you feel your opponent's weight shift, you anticipate reactions before they happen.

But the reality is that most practitioners overlook this area. Hours go into striking, the heavy bag gets punished, and then sparring comes around and the wrestling specialist puts you on the ground in two seconds. The problem is not your punch — it is your base and your ability to transition between ranges.

This article goes deep: the fundamentals you cannot ignore, the mistakes everyone makes at the beginning, and the drills you will want to add to your training starting today. If you train MMA or wrestling at BadAzz Station, this guide is for you.

The fundamentals that hold every takedown together

Before you talk about double legs or single legs, you need to have your house in order. Fundamentals are the structure on which everything else is built. Without them, even the most beautiful techniques collapse the moment they meet real resistance.

Stance and level change

Your base position determines everything. A stance that is too wide leaves you static; too narrow and you lose stability. The goal is a balance that lets you move explosively in any direction. Knees slightly bent, weight distributed evenly across both feet, spine neutral.

The level change — the ability to drop your centre of gravity quickly and under control — is probably the single most important individual skill for takedowns. It is not a slow squat. It is an explosive drop that takes you from your opponent's chest line to their hip line before they register what is happening. Work this movement in isolation, hundreds of times, before integrating it into a full technique.

Penetration step and posture

The penetration step is the entry step that drives your knee to the mat and places your body beneath your opponent's centre of gravity. Most beginners dive in with their head down, which is both dangerous and ineffective. The rule is straightforward: keep your head above your hip line. If your head drops, your opponent gains leverage and your attack becomes a stumble.

Drill the penetration step with markers on the floor. One step at a time. Speed comes later — correct position first.

Finish: complete what you started

A half-finished takedown does not exist. Either you finish, or you hand your opponent a huge advantage. The finish is the final phase where you convert the entry into a clean takedown. This is where concepts like the lift, the drive, and the trip come in. Each takedown variation has its preferred finish, but all of them demand total commitment in the moment of execution.

The essential takedowns to start with

You do not need twenty different takedowns to be effective. You need two or three at a very high level. Specialisation always beats volume when training time is limited.

Double leg takedown

The most iconic, and one of the most effective. You enter under your opponent's defences, grab both legs above the knees, and drive forward while lifting. The key is alignment: your attacking shoulder sits against your opponent's abdomen, your head on the outside of their hip. Any variation that strays from this base structure will cause problems.

Single leg takedown

More technical, more versatile, and often underestimated. The single leg lets you attack from varying distances and adapt the finish to your opponent's reaction: you can go for the high crotch, the knee tap, or force a trip on the support leg. It is also one of the best transitions when a double leg gets stuffed halfway through.

Ankle pick

An opportunistic takedown that works especially well when your opponent steps forward with weight. It does not require a full level change, just timing and good reading of movement. Very useful in MMA, where opponents are rarely standing still.

Common mistakes that sabotage your takedown

Years of watching athletes develop on the mat reveal the same error patterns every time. Recognising them is the first step to eliminating them.

• Telegraphing the entry: looking down at the legs before attacking is the equivalent of warning your opponent. The takedown starts with a neutral gaze and the action is decided in the next fraction of a second.
• Entering from too far away: if you have to stretch to reach your opponent's legs, you have already lost. The entry distance must be short and controlled — which is why footwork before the attack matters so much.
• Stopping the drive halfway: most failed takedowns fail in the finish phase, not the entry. When you feel resistance, that is exactly when you need to increase pressure, not reduce it.
• Ignoring head position: in MMA, entering with an unprotected head is an invitation for a guillotine or a neck clinch. Head position is not optional — it is part of the technique itself.
• Never training with real resistance: solo drills have value, but they do not replace sparring. The technique has to be tested against someone who genuinely wants to resist.

Drills to add to your weekly training

Consistency beats talent when talent does not train with intention. The drills below are simple, effective, and adaptable to any level.

Solo level change

Three sets of 20 reps, focusing on the speed of the drop and posture at the lowest point. Do this at the start of your warm-up, before any other technical work.

Penetration step with a target

With a static partner or a dummy, drill the full entry: level change, penetration step, shoulder to the hip, tall posture. Go slow on the first reps and build speed as the movement becomes clean.

Chain wrestling

With a cooperative partner, drill sequences: double leg gets stuffed, transition to single leg; single leg gets stuffed, transition to ankle pick. The goal is not to use force — it is to learn to chain attempts and never stall.

Conditioned takedown sparring

Five minutes of sparring where you can only score with takedowns. No ground and pound, no submissions. This forces you to commit to the attack and develop your reading of the opponent in real time.

The connection between takedowns and a complete game

A good takedown does not live in isolation. It is part of a broader system that includes your standup guard, your clinch work, and what you do once you hit the ground. In MMA, a fighter who can only take the fight down but does not know what to do after loses the advantage quickly. Equally, a striker with no takedown defence will always be exploited by grapplers.

At BadAzz Station, wrestling work is integrated across all preparation, from Muay Thai to luta livre. The idea is simple: the more complete your game, the fewer vulnerabilities you carry. And fewer vulnerabilities mean more freedom to attack.

If you do not yet have a consistent wrestling base, there is no better time to start than now. Check our schedule and come try a class.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I train takedowns to see progress?

Two to three sessions per week dedicated specifically to wrestling or takedown work is enough for solid progression. The key is consistency and quality of execution, not raw volume. One focused hour beats three hours of mechanical repetition without correction.

Do I need wrestling experience to learn takedowns?

No. Takedowns are taught from scratch in our classes, regardless of your experience level. What you need is patience to build the fundamentals before trying to apply them in sparring. Go slower at the start and the progression afterwards is much faster.

Are takedowns relevant if I only want to compete in kickboxing?

In pure kickboxing, takedowns are not allowed. But the base work, the level change, and the distance awareness you develop through this training directly improve your footwork and your ability to create angles. The benefits transfer across disciplines.

How do I protect my knees during penetration step drills?

Wear wrestling knee pads or train on quality mats. In the beginning, reduce speed and impact force. Over time, the body adapts. If you feel persistent pain, speak to your coach before continuing — training through pain creates compensations that damage your technique in the long run.

Should I focus on one takedown or learn several at the same time?

Focus on one until you feel comfortable using it in sparring. The double leg is generally the starting point because it is the most direct and because it teaches the fundamentals that carry over to all other takedowns. Once you have it at a functional level, add the single leg. Depth in a small number of techniques gives you far more options than surface-level knowledge of many.