Low Single
Takedown · Standing
Takes you from open distance to side control by diving under their hands to the lead ankle. Use it when their hands are high, so nothing in front of their legs can frame on your head. Step in, then drop fast with the knees and a straight back and shoot down toward the heel on the outside of the lead leg; your temple pins the inside of their knee, the inside hand posts between their feet and the other cups the heel. Drive the knee outward with your head while the posted hand knocks them over the attacked leg, or lift the heel toward you if they stay planted. Finish fast: on the mat you are under their weight. If they post on your back and lift the knee, come up to a single leg.
How to do it
- Close the distance with a step first, then change levels fast: bend the knees and drop the hips, not the head, so your back stays straight and your eyes stay on their chest. Go while their hands are high, so you dive under them.
- Shoot down toward their heel, to the outside of their lead leg, not straight across at their body. Your head goes against the inside of their knee, and you sit back on your feet with the laces down.
- Post your inside hand on the mat between their feet and cup their heel with the other hand, palm behind the heel. Your temple sits just above their knee and pins it from the inside, so they cannot step the leg back.
- Drive their knee outward with your head while the posted hand knocks them over the attacked leg; with the heel held, they have no foot to step with and fall toward that side. If they stay planted, lift the heel off the mat toward you instead.
- Finish fast: as soon as they fall, step over the leg and pass to side control. If they sprawl the leg back, do not stay on your knees: drive forward at once or come up to a high single.
Key details
- Go when their hands are high: the low single ducks under them, so there is nothing in front of their legs to frame on your head or shoulders.
- The head pins the knee from the inside, so they cannot step back; with the knee pinned and the heel in your hand, that leg can neither move nor hold their weight.
- Finish fast: on the mat you are lower than their hands, but also under their weight, and every second there gives them time to sprawl onto your head.
- Shoot down towards the heel, not straight across; sit back on your feet with the laces down, so you can still drive forward or stand up from there.
- Time the shot to their step: as they come forward, drop when the lead foot comes down, so the foot lands right in your palm and cannot step away.
Common mistakes
- Head on the outside of the leg. — Your head and neck end up in front of their body: they sprawl, drop their weight on your head and put a guillotine on the neck. — Keep the head inside, ear against the inner side of their knee, and use it to push the knee outward.
- Diving from far away. — You land on your stomach short of the leg, and they simply step it back. — Close the distance with a step before the shot, so the level change puts your hand right at their heel.
- Staying on the knees after the grab. — On your knees you have no drive: they sprawl the leg back and front headlock you. — Drive forward at once, or put a foot up and come up to a high single.
If they defend
- They sprawl the leg back. → Come off your knees: follow the leg, turn the corner or come up to a high single.
How to drill it
Level changes and shots on a dummy or partner, 3 x 10. Then the partner raises the hands as the signal and you shoot on it.
Safety
Keep your head up and eyes forward on the shot so the neck is not bent under their weight.
What comes next
Where it comes from