Why Can't BJJ Players Do Takedowns? — A Beginner's Guide to Standup
Always starting from guard turns standup into a lifelong weakness. The three basics — double leg, single leg, body lock — how judo fits in, and why standup matters in competition.
An open secret among jiu-jitsu people — not many of us are any good on our feet. Most classes start on the knees, and "let's start from the guard" is the unwritten rule for sparring. Roll like that for three years and you end up in a lopsided state: purple belt on the ground, white belt standing up. Yet tournament matches start standing.
Why everyone avoids standing
The honest reason: it's scary, it's exhausting, and it's easy to get hurt. Takedown exchanges burn a ton of energy, and a bad breakfall carries injury risk. From the gym's side, several pairs wrestling on a crowded mat is a recipe for collisions. So everyone sits — but the more you avoid it, the wider the gap gets. Make a habit of starting standing even once a week, and six months later it shows clearly at tournaments.
The three basics to learn first
- Double leg — the king of wrestling. Level change (drop your stance) → penetrate → grab behind both knees and drive through. The key is that you enter with your feet and hips, not your arms.
- Single leg — the entry distance is shorter than the double leg, so it works well in the gi too. Keeping the captured leg tight to your body is everything.
- Body lock takedown — from an upper-body clinch, lock around the waist and take them down. Especially practical for body types and age groups that find shooting a tackle hard.
What about judo?
In gi competition, judo is genuinely strong. Shoulder throws, hip throws, foot sweeps — they're all built on gi grips, so the fit is perfect. That said, judo throws can be dangerous against partners who can't breakfall, so it's good etiquette to learn them thoroughly in drills first before bringing them into sparring. If you have a judo background around you, learning just the grip fighting will change your standup.
A successful takedown is worth 2 points under IBJJF rules, and more importantly it gives you control of the match. Step on the mat afraid of standing and your opponent will smell it. At minimum, plan your timing for pulling guard yourself before you go in. For the scoring system, see the IBJJF scoring explained.
If you're preparing for your first tournament, read the first tournament guide as well. The ground is the heart of jiu-jitsu, no doubt — but matches start standing, and the match should be yours from there.
Source: IBJJF Rule Book (takedown 2 points)