First of all... Let me just say that I'm one of the newbs that has been enlightened by forum goers to join Brazilian Jiu Jitsu... Thanks!

The problem? It's a great grappling style, but it focuses mostly on ground combat, as opposed to a balance between takedowns and ground combat. The ground combat is amazing, but from what I've seen, a takedown can make you or break you. I cannot afford to take Judo lessons on the side (and even if I could, the closest Judo school is more than 10 miles from where I live). Do any of you have suggestions for improving my takedowns?

I was only able to take BJJ classes between semesters this year, during semesters i'm too busy with school work, away at school with no means of transportation, and ultimately just a broke college student.
But when i was training i noticed my instructor would always ask if there was anything specific the students wanted to go over. Ask your instructor to go over some more takedowns if need be. He won't bite, just armbar you.

Grapple from standing. Repeat as necessary.

or go crosstrain at a judo gym... or ask a wrestler at your school how to work takedowns. there /has/ to be at least one wrestler at your school.

I used to wrestle in high school so most of my takedown come from that back ground, but to be honest you can live off of having a good single and double. That's all you really need. Some variations of the basic single and double help...but everything past that is pretty much flourish imo

even with gi though?

no gi, yeah, a good single or double will take you far. especially since high crotches blow monkey turds.

but with a gi on, i feel like you should learn at least some judo throws, or if not that, some greco/clinch freestyle stuff.

Why bother if high crotches blow monkey turds? Ask Quinton Jackson and Matt Hughes how much they suck. I mean, all upper body takedowns are useless, right? If we're throwing out the baby, the bath water may as well go with it.

i actually like upper body takedowns and really, really liked high crotches in high school, but at the level of grappling i'm doing now, which isn't at d1, a high crotch blows monkey balls for me, especially since i can't slam in a grappling tournament. it just doesn't give me the positional advantage i like, while allowing my opponent to have some position on me.

HAHAHA

yeah.

i got warned at NAGA for a body lock slam. and it was legal, but they warned because he hit hard, mainly because kid didn't know how to fall.

yeah.

i got warned at NAGA for a body lock slam. and it was legal, but they warned because he hit hard, mainly because kid didn't know how to fall.


Most BJJ guys don't.



To the original poster. When doing BJJ (from what I've seen) you really can get away with just having a good single and double leg. There are some other moves in Judo that could be useful like trips and sweeps, but for the most part Judo is focused on the takedown itself, not what comes afterward. In judo tourneys we want to put you on your back with control and force. If we do that's it, fights over. Whether or not you're in a prefect position to choke us out (Which you probably will be) is irrelevant.

Judo takes a long time to perfect. If your focus is on BJJ then your time would be better spent learning wrestling style takedowns.

Most BJJ guys don't.
Every BJJ school I've seen does day-one breakfall lessons.

yeah, to OP, find a wrestling guy in your school, or see if there are any clubs in your area.

a freestyle wrestler will teach you how to shoot and shoot well, a greco guy will teach you the upward clinch. you can modify those together and have a pretty decent stand up no gi takedown game.

even so though, that **** gets really problematic when you add grips.

i didn't understand grips really when i first started gi BJJ and got thrown around like a first day freshman. it was ridiculous.

Every BJJ school I've seen does day-one breakfall lessons.

Every BJJ comp I've watched was filled with people who had no idea how to properly fall. I'm glad there are schools out there who are teaching it though.

Every BJJ comp I've watched was filled with people who had no idea how to properly fall. I'm glad there are schools out there who are teaching it though.

I agree with this post. Breakfalling is not about doing 2 minutes of back falls from a crouched position as warmup once every other week, which is what happens in most places.

The one saving grace of this situation is that when people start standing, they usually go for timid singles and doubles. So people just tumble and fall on their asses with little to no risk of injury or somebody decides to pull guard, and that's the end of their standup training.

ProudClod, if your school doesn't train takedowns and throws, don't sweat it.

There is plenty on BJJ that will keep you busy. Or you can just ask a question or make a suggestion to spar standing on a regular basis (with an emphasis on not pulling guard). This is actually something done at my school once a week where the instructors have a solid background in Judo and Wrestling (go for the takedown/throw until one or both go down, wash, rinse and repeat.)

I'm sure your instructors will be more than willing and capable of including more standup.

And if that's still not an option - most likely due to time constrains and possible unwilligness/timidity of other students in playing a more aggressive standup (being thrown hurts), then don't worry about it. Address it in the future, when you get a chance at a different location or under different circumstances.

Every BJJ school I've seen does day-one breakfall lessons.

They do it...but not in the same extent as a greco, freestyle or judo school. And what happens is that you go to the tournament, cross paths with a well rounded guy and get tossed around like a ragdoll. I busted my knee in a tournament from being thrown by a judo guy...choked his ass, won the fight, fought a couple more times and won 1st place, but still...

In my school(and most schools I've seen) 90% ground work, 10% takedowns. Just my 2 cents.:read2: