My Problem Period with Wrestling Based BJJ Takedowns
 |
So I’ve told you about the upsides to having Wrestling to work in unison with my Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
Would you like me to tell you the downside of it, and tell you about a time when I struggled to score the takedown?
When I was. . . at times. . . forced to pull guard because I had no other battle ready technique at my disposal?
Well then, here goes.
My Wrestling Takedowns in BJJ Stopped Working
Starting at around about the time of my Purple Belt. I found that the arsenal of takedowns that I used from White to Blue began to flicker out when I had matches in the Gi (No gi wasn’t an issue).
By flicker out I mean, sometimes they’d work, and other times they wouldn’t.
What determined this in large part were the use of the grips of my opponent’s. As many of you know. I went on a sort of Grip Fighting adventure later on in my BJJ career.
But at this point I was struggling.
This KILLED my morale during a match.
I’m sure it would be kind of like a tank hitting another tank with a direct hit. There’s smoke and some cheers from the crew. And then through the smoke and fire emerges the same vehicle pressing forward.
I’ve read memoirs of men speaking of this sort of thing and the way their heart would just sink into their gut.
This is what it felt like during the middle of the battles I’d find myself in during a match.
I’d fire off with my old tried and tested takedowns. And after exhausting them all. My opponent was still standing ready to go.
And it would be at these points during a match where I KNEW it was going to be a long slog of a match.
There would be no easy victory and I was doom to play on my opponent’s movements. A reactive game. . . which is always a terrible thing.
Sure I could defend takedowns effectively but I wasn’t able to get them myself. This resulted in terribly boring matches where myself and the opponent would dance around back and forth with no real progress.
 |
[My 1st Purple Belt Competition]
To give you an idea. . .
During my 1st Purple Belt competition. I couldn’t take down my opponent in the finals who was 30lbs lighter than me. Which is a shot in the gut for someone who prided himself on having good takedowns.
I beat him only after he pulled Guard.
I tried several takedowns but his grips stopped everyone of them. One of his grips was so strong that it tore the collar of my gi.
I Felt Embarrassed to Win This Match
Another match in particular at Brown Belt, which was probably one of my low point in regards to takedowns played out like this.
It was a 7 minute match. Myself and my opponent locked up. . . and we spun around in a circle with half assed takedown attempts on both sides.
I eventually got an advantage for an ugly high level double leg attempt. Then I stalled out for a minute to win (I stalled because I was scared of losing. Another story for another time).
I won and ugly ugly match. . . by an advantage.
As the ref raised my hand I looked down at my feet in embarrassment. I even apologized to my opponent after we shook hands following the decision.
Not only was I afraid to go for the win. I couldn’t even use what was once my best asset for competitions.
TAKEDOWNS!
It was like I had lost part of my identity.
2 Friends Helped Me Recover My Takedowns in BJJ
Following this match and for the next 2 years I went deep into redeveloping my takedowns to involve the style of fighting that I was encountering.
During this period, as is the case in many cases. I was able to pull myself together and make things happen. But only with some serious help.
1 came in the form of a Japanese judoka and BJJ Purple Belt who opened me to proper grip fighting.
The 2nd came from my past. My old training partner (who outranked me in the beginning) and the person whom I owe my Chewy nickname. His name is Mike.
Mike was a talented wrestler. An All American Wrestler in High School and wrestled for a Division 1 college (for those of you outside the U.S that means he was good). He was also a Purple Belt in BJJ at the time of my funk.
Mike was also one of my original battle brothers on the mats.
He was one of my 1st training partners.
He was in my corner cheering me on during my 1st competition.
And in the beginning he was sort of the verbally abusive older brother that would rag on me
and at the drop of a hat would be there for me if I needed anything.
He was also the one that gave me the nickname Chewy (after I spazzed out on him). The nickname started off as “You big dumb wookie.”
Mike and I have been through a lot over the years. . .
 |
[My 1st competition]
 |
[Me Whispering Sweet Nothings Into Mike’s Ear before battle]
 |
[Mike and I double medaling together in 2010)
During this funk of mine. . .
Mike ran Wrestling classes at the gym which I started coming to wearing my Gi.
We worked together to adjust the wrestling he and I had learned to make use of the grips or at least get around them.
The result of this was fantastic.
I came back from this period with a newly developed style of takedowns that had been blended with my style of Wrestling and BJJ. It was a hybrid style of standup that had been pieced together for BJJ.
As I continued to compete. . .
My effectiveness with takedowns began to shoot up.
I found myself scoring takedowns left and right. And even using Guard Pulls in a more aggressive and takedown oriented manner.
At the same time I was teaching everything to my students and I watched them flourish as well. Everyone from White to Black.
And. . . I’ll tell you. It was nice.
It was nice being able to step on the mat and know that I COULD take the match where I WANTED it to go. If I wanted to get the takedown I would. If I wanted to play off my back against someone, I would.
I was able to dictate my destiny on the mat, rather than play reactionary to someone else’s attacks.
It was on my terms. Even when I lost. In most cases, I lost on the battlefield positioning I had chosen.
Most People Don’t Have Reliable Takedowns for BJJ
This is contrast to many who compete or even roll like I used to.
They lack a true step by step approach to their takedowns.
They dance around aimlessly with no real focus.
They can’t score the takedowns that they want.
And they’re either forced to pull guard or they have ugly matches that leave them frustrated, like I was a Brown Belt.
Worst of all is that many are scared of takedowns all together for fear of injury.
And I believe this is due to the fact that most people LACK a systematic approach to their takedowns.
You don’t want to be any of these people do you?
Right now, I’m doing an early release of the system of takedowns I developed for my game and for my students.
It’s a great system of takedowns specially designed for the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu player.
I’ve included both Gi and No Gi variations in the hopes that you don’t end up like I did. Great in one sub set of BJJ and poor in the other.
Even if takedowns just aren’t your thing and it’s an area that makes you uncomfortable.
We can make them your thing!
-Chewy
P.S. In addition to the system of takedowns already laid out. We will be doing a live seminar style format and additional content based on input from those who take part in the early release.
Those who wait to order will not have access to the live options and input.
[Me, exhausted but victorious, and $1000 richer. Due in part to my ability to dominate takedowns in the Black Belt invite division]
 |