Help with takedown speed...

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Hey all. I was just wondering what exercises I could do to increase the speed of my takedowns. Whenever I try to shoot it seems that people could see it a mile away. I've checked with my coach and he says I got the technique down it just seems to be the speed... So to restate the question: What exercises could I do to increase the speed of my takedowns?

[Tom Yum]

How about more takedowns...

I know, I know. A real unpopular answer.

Let's see, practice doing a takedown for 1 week, you might not notice any speed improvements.

Practice doing it for 1 year, then you will definitely notice speed improvements.

Can you get one of your buddies to practice with you outside of class? That'd be very helpfull. Also practice takedowns with a heavy bag or a heavy sand bag.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Also practice takedowns with a heavy bag or a heavy sand bag.
__________________

What do you mean by practicing with a heavy bag or heavy sand bag? More details please.

How about more takedowns...

Bastard jk

[warriors13]

Dean Lister

I didn't get a chance to see his latest fight against Suleov in Pride Bushido, but I heard his takedown skill were horrible and we are talking about a world class MMA fighter who has been studying BJJ since 1996.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

...........

[jubaji]

Hey all. I was just wondering what exercises I could do to increase the speed of my takedowns. Whenever I try to shoot it seems that people could see it a mile away. I've checked with my coach and he says I got the technique down it just seems to be the speed... So to restate the question: What exercises could I do to increase the speed of my takedowns?

You can do a number of exercises to increase your speed, but that's not really your problem. It's your set ups. You set him up right, he'll just be standing there looking at you get penetration. If your set up sucks, it won't matter how fast you are.

Listen to the pig.

[darrianation]

You can do a number of exercises to increase your speed, but that's not really your problem. It's your set ups.
Listen to the pig.

jubaji hit the nail on the head. Speed will come but for most grapplers who have a hard time with takedowns it's not the speed or the mechanics of the technique, it's usually the set up. You cannot just shoot, you have feint, head slap, clinch, or try to off balance him in some way then go for the takedown. For throws the set up and grip is everry bit as important too.

[Uber_Tap]

Jubaji and Tom Yum are both on the money. The more takedowns you try the better your technique gets, and when the technique is solid combined with solid set ups, you can handle business.

Here's something I do that you can try at home that can increase your speed into the shoot. Buy one of those rubber exercise bands, you can get them from any where. Close one end in the door, and tie a knot in the other end. Place it around your waist and walk forward until you feel like it is pulling you backwards. Once you have sufficient resistance in the band, start practicing your take downs. Since the band is already stretched out from your walk from the door, the forward movements of the takedowns are pretty difficult. I usually liked to do 2 sets of 30 after a good work out.

If you do this while your muscles are a little fatigued you have to make sure you keep good technique because with all things you tend to get sloppy when you are tired. With that said, think how fast you feel like you can shoot in on someone when you are fresh and don't have something pulling you backwards.

[darrianation]

Drills to increase foot speed are very important. Drills I use to increase these physical attributes of foot speed are Jump or speed roping, shadow drilling, box jumps, high knees. To increase power for shooting I use jackrabbit and the analope as well as standing long jumps. Most of these are types of pyometrics.

I am not going to describe each and every one of theses drills (and there are others I use too, as well as hundreds of other good drills) but I’ll give you a few details.

Shadow drilling- Do this at the end of a work out when your tired. Basically it is the grappler’s version of shadow boxing. Drill this for about 3 minutes at a time. You must move constantly through out the drill while executing all your techniques and concentrating on proper mechanics and execution while visualizing an opponent. This builds proper movements and develops good habits while giving you a good cardio workout.

Box jumps- You can use any platform for this I use wooden boxes. These should stand about 1-3 feet high. There are two types of box jumps that use routinely one is just using on box, stand in front of this and jump up onto it and immediate jump off the other side, turn and repeat. This can be done rapidly or with short intervals in-between. You can also jump sideways doing this. The other drill is to have 3 or more boxes lined up of various sizes and jump up then down again and then up to the next one in immediate succession.

A shoot drill I teach is called shooting the tube-
One grappler starts with his legs slightly apart, the other shoots though his legs, immediately turns, and shoots a single leg from the outside. While holding the leg the grappler move to the front again, and the drill repeats.

Don’t forget to perform live drilling or fighting/wrestling nothing can replace that. I’ll leave you with some more words of advice: Rather you’re a wrestler or learning self-defense (or a BJJ guy) The three principles of success in fighting are:

1) Distract
2) Disorientate
3) Unbalance

If you can successfully employ these three principles you can dominate your opponent. One other bit of advice never perform single moves always use chain moves, in boxing (and most striking arts) this is called combinations.

[IPON]

You can do a number of exercises to increase your speed, but that's not really your problem. It's your set ups.

BJJ - I assume this question is more a pure wrestling question than BJJ (though it applies to both). I think Jubaji is 100% correct speed is important but the setup is even more important and a proper set-up can compensate for lack of speed. From the wrestling conversations I think, while you have the mechanics of shooting, you are still telgraphing see your quote:

Whenever I try to shoot it seems that people could see it a mile away. I've checked with my coach and he says I got the technique down it just seems to be the speed

Now regarding speed I will tell your that, in general wrestlers are great with upper body work but disregard the lower body (generally speaking). I think it is very important to have strong legs, so work the quads and hams and the calf mucles especially. One of the best ways to improve speed that I did were wind sprints and pushing cars. Find a (small) car and keep it in neutral (with somone steering of course) and make sure it is a truely flat surface and literally push the car as fast as you can this will definately help develop the quads, endurance and speed for shooting. But again, the key is to really learn good set-up for any grappling style.

Using the heavybags are good for practicing shooting and finishing techniques. Shoot in on the bag lock up throw

BTW - don't be hard on yourself you are making good progress for only one season of wrestling keep up the good work.

[Tom Yum]

in general wrestlers are great with upper body work but disregard the lower body (generally speaking). I think it is very important to have strong legs so work the quads and hams and the calf mucles especially. One of the best ways to improve speed that did wind sprints and pushing cars. Find a cars and keep it in neutral (with somone steering of course) and make sure it is a truely flat surface and literally push the car as fast as you can this will definatelt help develop the quads, endurance and speed for shooting. But again, the key is to really learn good set-up for any grappling style.

Boy you hit the nail on the head speaking about lower body strength. I would say the same thing for kickboxers and boxers as well. Allthough it seems more applicable to work a heavy bag, your footwork and ability to explode off your feet is SO fundamentally important.

I have to remind myself about this on a regular basis.

[Hermosa]

Distance

Everyone has really given alot of good advice here. I just wanted to add..that you may be plenty fast and its just your distance.

YOU SHOULD NEVER SHOOT UNLESS YOU'RE CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH YOUR OPPONENT!

If he's out of arms reach that's too far. This was my problem for years. I would shoot from out in BFE-(this is a local term I think, if you don't know what it means..just sub in, really far away )

For drills I would just practice a touch and go..which is a palm to the forehead and then a shot. But you may just be shooting from too far out..go and adjust your distance and see if that helps.

Hope you get the results you're looking for soon!

[Bjjexpertise@be]

You can do a number of exercises to increase your speed, but that's not really your problem. It's your set ups. You set him up right, he'll just be standing there looking at you get penetration. If your set up sucks, it won't matter how fast you are.

Listen to the pig.

What kind of setups are we talking about here? Examples please.

Thankyou all for reponding. It means alot.

[Hermosa]

What kind of setups are we talking about here? Examples please.

Thankyou all for reponding. It means alot.

Here's two VERY simple examples...

1--Tie up with your guy..pull his head down by the back of his neck, If he just lets you pull his head down, then fine..keep pulling it down and put him in a standing guillotine...but of course, he is not going to do that..so when he fights against your pull down..let his head go suddenly and shoot.

2--grab a wrist or a gi sleeve and shove it down between the guys' legs..when he pulls back on that wrist to free it..let it go suddenly and shoot.

[IPON]

What kind of setups are we talking about here? Examples please.

BJJ - please be specific, do you want info for wrstling BJJ or both