Single leg takedown: how BJJ players use it
The single leg is the #1 takedown in BJJBuddy logs: 1,130 people have logged it, 44.7% of everyone who logs takedowns. How it works and who uses it by belt.
Where it ranks.
People who logged each takedown at least once.
Logged, not scored.
BJJBuddy records which takedowns people work in training. It doesn’t record who took whom down, so these pages show how widely each takedown is used, not how often it succeeds.
The single leg attacks one of your partner’s legs: you capture it, keep your head up, and finish by running the pipe, tripping or lifting. It is the most-logged takedown in BJJBuddy, for gi and no-gi.
How the single leg works
- Change levels by bending your knees, not your back, and step in close to the lead leg.
- Grab the leg with both hands around the knee or thigh, keeping your head tight to their chest or hip.
- Bring the leg up between your legs or to your hip so they are on one foot.
- Finish by turning the corner and driving them down, or by tripping the standing leg.
Common mistakes
- Reaching for the leg from too far away, so your head drops and you get guillotined.
- Letting your head fall below their hips.
- Standing still once you have the leg instead of moving them off balance.
Learn and drill techniques with a qualified coach and a cooperative partner, and let go the moment your partner taps. This overview is not a substitute for live instruction.
Who logs it, by belt
People at each belt who logged this takedown. Belt is the rank set in the app today.
How to read these figures
The rank orders all 31 takedowns by how many different people logged them. From BJJBuddy training logs, November 2015 to November 2026. Duplicate uploads are removed, so a session is one person on one training day. Each person counts once per technique. Groups smaller than 10 people are not shown.