BJJ Takedown Drills: Beginner Drills and Training Guide

What Are BJJ Takedown Drills?

BJJ takedown drills are the standing-phase counterpart to the ground fundamentals most beginners meet first. Where drills like shrimping and bridging build ground movement, takedown drills build the skills used before the fight reaches the floor: stance, footwork, balance, distance management, grip fighting, positioning, setups and controlled entries into a takedown.

Training methods vary between academies, but most programs build these skills progressively — starting with solo movement and shadow drilling, moving into cooperative partner drilling, and gradually adding resistance as technique and control improve. If you're new to solo practice in general, our guide to solo BJJ training covers the ground-based side of that same progression.

Why Are Takedowns Important in BJJ?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often taught and discussed as a ground-based art, but most exchanges begin standing. How that standing exchange is handled shapes what happens next — though not every roll or match follows the same path, and not every takedown attempt leads cleanly to the next stage.

Practitioners who can control the standing exchange often dictate where and how the ground portion of a roll begins. That's why many academies treat takedown fundamentals as a core part of a well-rounded BJJ game, alongside guard, side control, mount and back control work.

BJJ Takedowns vs Wrestling Takedowns

BJJ and wrestling share standing-grappling roots, but their objectives and rulesets diverge once the fight hits the ground. Depending on the ruleset and organization, some of these distinctions can vary further — this table describes general tendencies, not universal rules.

Many BJJ practitioners study wrestling-style takedowns to strengthen their standing game, and many wrestlers who cross-train in BJJ find the ground phase is where the two sports differ most. For a wrestling-specific breakdown, see our guide to wrestling takedown drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE], and for a broader comparison, wrestling vs BJJ [ARTICLE TO CREATE].

BJJ Takedown Fundamentals

Every takedown, from a simple single-leg to a technical trip, is built on the same handful of underlying skills. Beginners who prioritize these fundamentals tend to progress faster than those who chase specific techniques too early.

Stance

A balanced, athletic stance — knees bent, weight centered, hands active — is the base everything else is built from. A poor stance undermines movement, balance and grip fighting before a takedown attempt even begins.

Movement

Fluid standing movement lets a practitioner adjust angle and position without telegraphing intent or becoming off-balance. This connects closely to footwork and is trainable both with a partner and alone.

Balance

Takedowns are often as much about disrupting an opponent's balance as generating force. Practitioners also need to maintain their own balance under pressure, grips and motion.

Distance

Managing distance — knowing when to close space and when to create it — shapes when a takedown attempt is realistic versus premature or unsafe against a resisting opponent.

Positioning

Body positioning relative to a partner or opponent — hips, head and shoulder alignment — affects leverage, safety and the likelihood a takedown attempt succeeds.

Grip Fighting

Controlling grips (or, in no-gi contexts, ties and frames) often determines who dictates the standing exchange. Grip fighting is typically introduced once stance and movement are reasonably solid.

Timing

Timing — entering a takedown at the right moment relative to an opponent's weight, movement or reaction — is one of the hardest elements to develop and generally requires live partner work under supervision to build properly.

BJJ Takedown Drills for Beginners

These ten drills build from solo, no-resistance movement toward controlled partner work. Progress through them at a pace that matches your coaching, experience and recovery — this is a general framework, not a fixed schedule.

Partner BJJ Takedown Drills

Partner drilling is where timing, distance awareness and reactions actually develop — these are difficult, if not impossible, to build through solo work alone.

• Cooperative drilling — a partner offers no resistance, allowing both people to focus on correct mechanics and positioning.
• Controlled movement — partners move at a reduced, agreed pace so technique can be checked and corrected.
• Progressive resistance — resistance is added gradually as both partners demonstrate control and understanding.
• Timing — reacting to a real person's weight shifts and movement is something no solo drill can substitute for.
• Distance awareness — judging real, changing distance against another moving person sharpens entries.
• Partner reactions — learning how people typically respond to grips, setups and pressure builds instinct over time.

This progression is common across many academies, though training methods vary — some instructors move through these stages faster or slower depending on a student's experience and the group being taught. Always follow your coach's guidance on when to add resistance.

Solo BJJ Takedown Drills

A meaningful amount of takedown-supporting work can be trained alone — just not the parts of takedowns that depend on another person.

What solo training can support:

• Stance — reinforcing a stable, balanced base
• Movement — practicing directional changes and angles
• Footwork — building smooth, controlled steps
• Balance — maintaining stability through motion
• Shadow entries — rehearsing entry mechanics without a target
• Mobility — supporting hip, ankle and shoulder range of motion
• Conditioning — general fitness that supports standing grappling

What solo training cannot fully reproduce:

• Resistance — someone actively countering your movement
• Timing against another person — reacting to unpredictable movement
• Live reactions — the give-and-take of a real exchange
• Grip fighting — contesting real grips takes two people
• Scrambling — the chaotic, reactive phase after a contested attempt

BJJ Takedown Training at Home

Stance, footwork, movement drills, mobility, conditioning and shadow drilling can all be trained in a suitable open space at home — with enough clearance to move freely and, ideally, appropriate training mats underfoot.

Home training works best as a supplement between academy sessions, reinforcing movement quality so live partner training is more productive. For the fuller picture of building a home BJJ practice, see our guide to BJJ training at home.

Can You Practice BJJ Takedown Drills With a Grappling Dummy?

A suitable grappling dummy may support selected repetitions and movement patterns — but not every dummy is built for every use, and dummies do not resist, react or move the way a live partner does.

Possible uses, depending on the specific dummy's design, may include:

• Positioning — practicing how you align relative to a fixed target
• Movement practice — moving around a stationary object to build spatial awareness
• Controlled technical repetition — repeating a mechanic slowly and deliberately
• Transitions to ground positions — practicing the motion of moving from standing to a ground position
• Ground grappling practice — positional and transition work once on the ground, as covered in our BJJ dummy drills guide [ARTICLE TO CREATE]

For dummy-based takedown practice specifically, see our dedicated guide to takedown dummy drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE], and for a wider library of movement-based dummy work, grappling dummy drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE].

BJJ Takedown Defense Drills

Takedown defense relies on the same fundamentals as offense, applied reactively. A strong defensive base often matters as much as offensive skill, since it keeps a practitioner safe while they look for opportunities to counter or re-establish position.

• Stance — a defensively sound base is harder to off-balance or penetrate
• Balance — staying centered under grips, pressure and motion
• Distance — managing space to limit an opponent's entry opportunities
• Movement — circling and adjusting angle to avoid a committed attempt
• Positioning — keeping hips and shoulders aligned to reduce exposure
• Recovering posture — returning to a strong base quickly after a partial entry

Takedown defense is best developed through progressive partner drilling under qualified coaching, since it depends on realistic timing and reactions that solo training can't fully replicate.

BJJ Takedown-to-Ground Training

How a takedown connects to what happens next on the ground is a core part of BJJ's approach to standing grappling — distinct from styles that treat the takedown itself as the primary scoring objective.

A takedown that lands without a plan for the transition often results in a scramble rather than control. Practicing the connective phase — how weight, hips and grips carry over from standing into a ground position — is why many coaches treat takedowns and ground positioning as a single connected skill rather than two separate topics.

BJJ Takedowns in Competition

Competition rules vary between organizations, so it isn't accurate to describe a single universal standard for how takedowns are scored or regulated across BJJ competition.

• Scoring can vary — some rule sets award points for successful takedowns, others weight them differently
• Legal techniques can vary — certain takedown or throwing methods may be restricted at some rule sets or belt levels
• Positional control may matter — how long or how clearly control is established after a takedown can affect scoring
• Transitions may be judged differently — some rule sets place more emphasis on the quality of the transition than others

In many BJJ competitions, standing exchanges are treated as an important but not exclusively decisive part of a match. Always check the current rules of the specific organization or event before competing, and ask a qualified coach to clarify anything ruleset-specific.

Common BJJ Takedown Training Mistakes

• Training too fast — rushing reps before mechanics are clean.
• Ignoring balance — treating takedowns as pure strength rather than control.
• Poor stance — building everything on an unstable base.
• Ignoring distance — closing space without a clear reason or plan.
• Relying only on strength — skipping timing and positioning in favor of force.
• Skipping partner drilling — treating solo work as a substitute rather than a supplement.
• Ignoring takedown defense — training only offense leaves a real gap.
• Ignoring transitions — landing a takedown with no plan for what comes next.
• Training advanced techniques too early — skipping fundamentals to chase specific moves.
• Using unsuitable flooring — practicing higher-impact work on hard or unmatted surfaces.
• Using equipment beyond its intended purpose — loading a dummy or mat beyond what it's rated for.
• Skipping qualified coaching — not having technique checked by an experienced instructor.

Beginner BJJ Takedown Training Session

This is a general educational framework, not individualized coaching — adapt it to your own experience, class schedule and a qualified instructor's guidance.

1. Warm-UpGeneral mobility and light movement to prepare the body.
2. Stance and MovementReinforce a balanced base and directional movement.
3. FootworkPractice smooth steps and angle changes.
4. BalanceWork stability drills through motion.
5. Controlled Setup DrillsRehearse entries and setups without resistance.
6. Partner DrillingAdd a cooperative partner and progress resistance gradually, under supervision.
7. Standing-to-Ground TransitionsPractice connecting a controlled takedown to a ground position.
8. Cool DownLight mobility and a short review of what felt clean.

Equipment for BJJ Takedown Training

Not everyone needs everything here — but the basics affect both safety and how productive your training time is.

Training mats

Appropriate, impact-rated training mats are the single most important safety investment for any standing or ground BJJ work at home.

Appropriate grappling equipment

A gi or no-gi kit suited to your training style keeps grips and movement realistic, and general home gym equipment can support the conditioning side of takedown training.

BJJ training dummy where suitable

A BJJ training dummy can support selected positional and movement work — always check the manufacturer's product specifications before using one for anything beyond light, controlled drilling. For a broader range of options, browse grappling dummies as grappling training equipment.

Home training space

An open, clear area with room to move safely in every direction is essential for stance, footwork and movement drills.

Athletic clothing

Clothing that allows a full, unrestricted range of motion supports realistic movement and grip work, whether training gi or no-gi.

Continue Building Your BJJ Training Setup

Explore related guides and training equipment as you build a well-rounded standing and ground game.

Related reading: Solo BJJ Training · BJJ Training at Home · Takedown Training: A Beginner's Guide [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · Wrestling Takedown Drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · Takedown Dummy Drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · BJJ Dummy Drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · Grappling Dummy Drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · Wrestling Training at Home [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · MMA Grappling Drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · Submission Grappling Drills [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · Wrestling vs BJJ [ARTICLE TO CREATE] · MMA vs BJJ [ARTICLE TO CREATE]