When you start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu you may be in situations where you will start sparring (randori in Judo) from your feet.  One of the fundamental goals of BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) is to get the fight from a standing position to the ground where so that the opponents use of punching and kicking is negated to a degree that it is in the BJJ practitioner favor. Unless you have a wrestling background you may not be sure of what to do and how to get someone to the ground without getting punched or kicked in a self defense scenario or getting someone to the ground safely in a training situation.

Therefore as a new white belt, YOU will be the one getting taken down till you learn the proper take down skills. So it is important to understand the proper way to receive take down techniques so you can at least be safe not get injured and maybe even wind up in an advantageous guard position upon take down.

In this guide will we cover what to do as a new white belt on how to get taken down safely.

• Tuck Your Chin to Avoid WhipLash and Head Injuries
• How to “Break Fall”  – the art of falling gracefully in BJJ & Judo
• How to Accept the Single Leg take down in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
• How to Accept the Double Leg take down in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Tuck Your Chin to Avoid WhipLash and Head Injuries

It is very important to keep your chin tucked when getting taken down. By tucking your chin you help avoid getting whiplash when you get taken down and helps to avoid having your head hit the mat because you are not bracing you head by tucking your chin.

How to “Break Fall”  – the art of falling gracefully in BJJ & Judo

Break fall is a term that originates in Judo and has carried over into BJJ.  A lot gyms will teach this technique to new students and will practice break falls as apart of warm ups.  To break fall is to simply use your body in way that spreads and dissipates the energy or force of your body making contact with the ground in such a way that the energy is dispatiated throughout you body and no one central area takes all of the force.

This can be done through slapping the mat, tatami or street in way that when you hit you also take some of the energy and disperse through the slapping motion of hitting the ground.   This video has a great breakdown on what it means to break fall and how to do it:

How to Accept the Single Leg takedown in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu