Knee Tap
Takedown · Standing
Takes you from collar and sleeve to a top position by blocking the leg they stand on. The moment is when their weight is on the lead leg. Pull the sleeve across their body and press the collar down and slightly forward to load that leg, step your lead foot outside theirs at about 45 degrees and drop to one knee, head above their hips and tight to their ribs. Your hand blocks the outside of their lead knee at the same moment as the sleeve pull, and the collar grip turns their shoulders over the blocked knee so they collapse sideways. A late block finds a leg that has already moved; pushing instead of turning lets them step back. If they back away, pull guard; if they widen the stance, shoot a double.
How to do it
- Grip the collar and the sleeve, standing close enough that a short step brings you to their lead leg.
- Pull the sleeve across their body and press the collar down and slightly forward, so their weight comes onto the lead leg.
- Step your lead foot outside theirs at about 45°, close to them, and drop to one knee. Your head stays above their hips and tight to their ribs.
- Block their lead knee from the outside with your hand at the same moment as the sleeve pull, so the loaded leg cannot step to catch the fall.
- Turn their shoulders with the collar grip over the blocked knee, so they collapse over it; follow them to the top.
Key details
- Load their lead leg with the sleeve pull: a leg with weight on it cannot step away from the block.
- The sleeve pull and the knee block happen together; a block after the pull finds a leg that has already moved.
- Turn their shoulders with the collar, do not push them: the turn takes them over the blocked knee, a push only moves them back.
- Step your lead foot outside theirs at about 45° to reach the knee, pressing the head or collar down and slightly forward so the weight lands on the front leg.
- Keep your head above their hips and tight to their ribs: a low head invites the guillotine.
Common mistakes
- Blocking a knee that has no weight on it. — They step the free leg back and the block hits nothing. — Pull the sleeve across so the weight comes onto that leg, and block in the same moment.
- Dropping to the knee far from them. — You end up kneeling in front of them with nothing to tip, your head low. — Step in close and outside their foot before you drop to the knee.
- Tapping the knee without turning the upper body. — The shoulders stay over the feet, so they just take a step and stay standing. — Turn their shoulders with the collar at the same moment as the block.
How to drill it
Grip, pull, knee tap: 10 each side walking; then 5 each side with a partner who moves unpredictably.
Safety
Block the knee from the side with your hand, never drive into the front of the joint.
What comes next
Where it comes from