Best Upper Body Takedowns To Take BJJ To The Next Level

The takedowns are the most important aspect of all grappling martial arts, particularly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Not only in grappling-based martial arts, but it also plays a very important role in many other martial arts like MMA, wrestling, and Muay Thai. But the takedowns that are mostly focused upon by many practitioners are the lower body takedowns, and the ones that are often overlooked are the upper body takedowns because they think that the grappling game is mostly played on the ground so they don't focus on the upper body take downs asd they are done while standing. But every fight, whether it is a martial arts match or a street fight, starts with the standing position in which you need to do the upper body takedowns. So you should learn the upper body takedown for taking your BJJ or any other martial art to the next level. Let's explore the top best upper body takedowns for you to start learning.

An upper body takedown is any technique in which you try to bring your opponent to the ground while both of you are in a standing position. You gain a dominant and advantageous position through the upper body takedown. You find the opportunities to submit your opponent through many follow-up techniques if you manage to keep control over your opponent.

There are many techniques with which you can attempt the upper body takedown, but the following are the best takedowns for upper body to start learning and taking your game to the next level:

The first upper body takedown technique is the back bend takedown, also known as the body lock arch method. In this, you are gripping the back of your opponent while bending down, followed by throwing them to the ground. Let's break down its steps:

• Move both of your hands towards your opponent and get them through beneath their armpits, and then cross across their body.

• Grip them tightly, and now slowly move your locked hands down closer to their hips.

• Bend yourself down a little bit and bring them closer to yourself by pulling them towards you.

• Now start falling towards the ground while taking your opponent as your support and the base. You will fall on the ground while dominating their body.

The cowcatcher is the second best takedown you can use for countering the takedown attempt of your opponent. Follow the steps given below to do the front headlock:

• When your opponent tries to do a takedown attempt on you while both of you are standing on your feet, immediately do the front headlock.

• Use your outside arm to get underneath your opponent’s armpit. Try to get under the opponent’s arm that is near you.

• After getting underneath their arm, lock your hands around them and do the front headlock.

• Now move your leg and wrap it around your opponent’s lower body.

• Try to rotate your body towards your opponent’s body and in the direction of the ground.

• Continue twisting yourself slowly and make your opponent fall on the ground.

• This is the cowcatcher upper body takedown technique, and you are dominant over your opponent after completing the attempt.

Hip throw is the classic upper body takedown technique, which found its roots in the Japanese martial art of Judo. It is known as O Goshi in Japan. It can also be applied in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In this technique, you are using your hips to throw the opponent to the ground. Before and while throwing them, you are also controlling them with their collar and belt. Let's explore it in steps:

• If you are in Gi Jiu Jitsu, grip their collar with one hand and with the other hand, grab their belt. On the other hand, if you are in a No Gi BJJ, you can gain control over them with a grab across their body.

• After gaining control over their body, slightly move your body with your back in front of them. Make sure you are controlling their body while moving your back towards them.

• Move your back closer such that your back touches their front. Keep both your hands on their collar and the belt.

• Now, with your hands and with the force of your hips, try moving them upwards and throwing them on the ground.

• This is the hip throw in which you become dominant over your opponent after throwing on the ground.

The fourth best upper body takedown you need to learn is the uchi mata. Unlike other takedowns, it is very easy, simple, and very quick to perform. It is also known as the whizzer kick. Its roots are also found in the Japanese Judo. The technique becomes easy if you have an overhook over your opponent. Follow the steps given below to perform the whizzer kick:

• Keep some space between you and your opponent. Don't move too close or too far away from them.

• Move your outside arm, the arm that is not between you and your opponent, beneath your opponent’s armpit. This will usually be your left arm. Keep them under their arm and force upwards with their shoulders.

• The other arm, usually your right arm, which is between you and your opponent, use it to grab your opponent’s other arm.

• Now, after both your arms and hands are in a position, jump slightly and simultaneously move between your opponent’s legs. Your both legs must be between their legs.

• After this, with both your arms and with one leg, move your opponent upwards and throw them on the ground while using your one foot as the base on the ground.

• This is how you do the uchi mata or whizzer kick with the overhook technique, and you get dominance over them after reaching the ground.

The mat return is the most complex upper body takedown technique on the list because it includes multiple steps and controls. Let’s make it easy for you to understand and practice by breaking it down into steps:

• Start the takedown by moving closer to your opponent and grabbing their wrist or their collar. You have to grab one. The choice is yours. But make sure the grip is very tight.

• After grabbing the wrist, pull your opponent closer to yourself a little bit.

• Then step forward and around your opponent’s body.

• Position yourself at exactly their back while wrapping your arms across their belly or another part of their upper body.

• Now, with both your arms, start lifting your opponent’s body upwards.

• Throw them on the ground. You can throw at the front or the back. It is also your choice. Both options will give you the same result, and that is your dominance over your opponent.

The best of the upper body takedowns are discussed above, but it does not mean that these are the only effective body takedowns. The following are some of the most effective takedowns other than the above for your consideration:

• Fireman’s carry: It is a takedown in which an attacker overthrows the opponent by lifting and rotating them. You might be thinking that you need a lot of strength for this. But fortunately, this is not true. This is a very explosive takedown that you can do only by using the proper strategy.

• Snap Down: It is another form of a quick takedown. It can be done in seconds. In this, you need to have your hand on the collar of your opponent and then suddenly and with full force pull them down to the ground.

• Tai Otoshi: It is a technique with origins from Judo. But it can be seamlessly translated into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It is also known as the body drop. In this technique, the attacker first tries to disrupt the balance of their opponent and then throw them. They use leg placement and body movement to overthrow them effectively.

• Two On One: It is a type of upper body takedown in which an attacker controls their opponent first and then throws them to the ground. The control is done by grabbing their arm with two hands, in which one hand is placed on the wrist and the other is placed on the forearm, and then the throw is executed.

Takedowns are of two types: upper body and lower body. Both have their own pros and cons. The upper body takedowns produce different benefits and leverage as compared to the lower body takedowns. The former are more famous and common in Judo and wrestling, while the latter ones are more common in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and other grappling martial arts. The following is a summary of their pros and cons.

The following are the benefits of the execution of the upper body takedowns, which highlight their importance:

The upper body takedowns provide a very good way to submit your opponent in many ways. If you have executed the takedown on your opponent perfectly, then you can also submit them. You just need to focus on the follow-up techniques. Always follow the takedown with other techniques, particularly submission techniques, to make your position more dominant and theirs more submissive. This will help you get closer to the submission. Imagine just starting the match with the upper body takedown, which you execute perfectly, and then you are able to submit them because you have various opportunities for submission.

If you observe closely the upper body takedowns, you will notice that many of the techniques are applicable in both Gi and No Gi situations. They are versatile techniques. You don't find any restriction with Gi or No Gi. Moreover, the more you learn these techniques, the more you are exposed to the different defense tactics, which you can utilize if your opponent tries the same upper body takedown attempt on you. So the versatility equips you with the ability to deal with various situations and threats, and also the power to take down your opponent while standing.

The upper body takedowns help improve your transition game to a major extent. In such takedowns, you are continuously trying to follow them with the various sweeps, scrambles, submissions, or other techniques. So you are transitioning your position into another position to make yourself dominant over your opponent. When you practice this, you also do transitions, which are not limited to one or two. So this improves your transitions to a great extent and gives them a major boost, which is very helpful for you in your Jiu Jitsu throughout the match.

You try very hard to obtain control over your opponent’s body, and the same thing your opponent is trying to do throughout the game. Because we all know the one which have control over the other has dominance and can lead their opponent to submission, getting the victory. But how do you get such a type of control? That is by the upper body takedown. Such a type of takedown helps you to control your opponent’s body. You can start the match with the takedown, and if you have executed it perfectly, then you have control over your opponent right from the start of the match. To maintain that, you need to follow that with other techniques.

One of the most important benefits of the upper body takedowns is that you don't need to be physically stronger like the Hulk and have a good height of over 6 feet. You just need to right strategy. It will be enough for you to execute the upper body takedown at the right time and at the right position.

The technique and executing the takedown with the correct and proper strategy are very important, but there are other things that are important too. The following are the key considerations while attempting an upper body takedown:

• Effective Gripping: Upper body takedowns depend on the grips. If the grips are strong, then the execution will be perfect, and in contrast, if the grips are not good, then the execution will fail, and your opponent might have the opportunity to submit you. So grab strongly and effectively. For this, you should know about overhooks, collar ties, and underhooks. You also need to practice them until you master them for execution.

• Accurate Timing: Timing is a key to every execution of the technique in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and so it is for the upper body takedown. You should know when you need to step closer to your opponent, when you need to rotate them, and also when the perfect time to throw them on the ground is. So make sure your timing is perfect.

• Footwork: Another important thing is the footwork. People dont focus a lot on the footwork. They just try to build the strength or mastering the techniques. Obviously there are also essential but underestimating the footwork is not a good choice. Because your footwork determines how powerful and forceful your technique execution will be for your opponent. So try to improve your footwork.

• Consider Takedowns As Part of the Game: Don't think of the takedowns as an extra option. You need to add them as part of your daily routine. Execute them during your game. Don't use them as the starting option, whether you execute it correctly or not. So besides learning and mastering other techniques of BJJ and executing in your daily drilling, also add upper body takedowns in the same way to your strategy.

For training the upper body takedown, you should focus on the exercises that build and increase your body strength, improve your gripping ability, explosiveness, and body control. There are a lot of ways for training the upper body takedowns, but the following are some of the best out there:

• You should learn clinching techniques such as overhooks and underhooks. It will help you to learn effective gripping and utilizng the takedowns for your advantage effectively.

• Add pummeling drills into your daily Brazilian Jiu Jitsu drilling routine. It will help you to master the close combat fighting such as in grappling. You will become able to dominate your opponent by taking the upper position.

• There is yet another exercise which is not very common, but it is very helpful for you in learning the upper body takedowns. This exercise is known as the Turkish get-ups. These get help you to learn and master the overall body control, shoulder strength and core stability.

• Another useful exercise is the drill using the sandbags and kettlebell swings. You grip them effectively and then throw them with full force. This initial gripping and then throwing with full force increases your power and ability to grip effectively and efficiently, as well as the throw you need for executing the upper body takedowns.

• You should add strength training into your daily drills. You dont need a lot of strength for executing the upper body takedowns, but if you are weak then you should add these exercises daily. Moreover if you are enough stronger, the more strength you develop the better it will be for you. So doing these exercises daily will help you equip yourself with a lot of strength and hence making it easier for you to execute the upper body takedowns against your opponent and then taking the dominance.

• For learning and practicing the upper body takedowns, you should use the sandbags, kettlebells, wall, grappling dummy, and other forms of training accessories. You can drill using all these things from the comfort of your home. Add solo drills to your daily routine. You can do it in your home or at the gym. If you go to the gym, then you will have a trainer or other senior BJJ practitioners who can guide you in doing better solo drills, or if you make any mistakes.

• If you are at it, then you have to do everything yourself. Ideally, you should spend a few weeks at the gym doing both solo drills and drills with your partners. After you know how to do the solo drills, you can shift it to your home. In this way, you will not make any mistakes, and then you will be able to learn to execute the upper body takedowns without any partner.

The takedowns in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, particularly the upper body takedowns, are the most effective and quick techniques that you can execute on your opponent. The action is quick, and the reaction is also the quick. The time for executing such techniques is very little compared to other traditional techniques. Moreover, you get instant results, and the result is that you become dominant over your opponent. So the upper body takedowns are the perfect way to start the game with dominating your opponent and getting the proper body control. So you should definitely learn the takedowns and implement them in your game. You should start with the best five given in the blog, and after that, advancing yourself, you should move ahead and learn other upper body takedowns as well.

An upper body takedown is any technique in which you try to bring your opponent to the ground while both of you are in a standing position. You gain a dominant and advantageous position through the upper body takedown.

The following are the best takedowns for upper body to start learning and taking your game to the next level:

• Back Bend Takedown or Body Lock Arch

• Cowcatcher From Front Headlock

• Hip Throw

• Uchi Mata

• Mat Return 

The following are the benefits of the execution of the upper body takedowns, which highlight their importance:

• Opportunity For Submissions

• Versatility

• Improvement in Transitions

• Better Control

• No Need For Good Strength And Height 

The following are the key considerations while attempting an upper body takedown:

• Effective gripping. Grab strongly and effectively.

• Accurate timing. You should know when you need to step closer to your opponent, when you need to rotate them, and also when the perfect time to throw them on the ground is.

• Footwork. Your footwork determines how powerful and forceful your technique execution will be for your opponent.

• Consider takedowns as part of the game.

There are a lot of ways for training the upper body takedowns, but the following are some of the best out there:

• Learn clinching techniques such as overhooks and underhooks.

• Add pummeling drills into your daily Brazilian Jiu Jitsu drilling routine.

• Another useful exercise is the drill using the sandbags and kettlebell swings.

• Add strength training to your daily drills. 

• For learning and practicing the upper body takedowns, you should use the sandbags, kettlebells, wall, grappling dummy, and other forms of training accessories.

• Add solo drills to your daily routine.