Sparring advice - initial take down

[Galen Frost]

Just looking for some advice.. when sparring in grappling class I always shoot first but always end up getting taken down myself. I am one of the least experienced there.

We usually start one knee on floor. I normally shoot for a leg straight away but end up getting countered. I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to land the first successful take down?

[Jamie Taylor]

dont worry about landing the first one. Use the fact that you keep getting sprawled on etc to practice your different finishes and duck unders . Try to offbalance them first before you shoot in snapping them down or throwing their head off to one side etc. Or work from bicep control, collar elbow tie or whatever. Much easier to shoot from there. Just dont telegraph it too much by shooting in off the bat. Hope that helps a bit ?

[BlueRabbit]

mix it up- am drags, feints, etc.

[Galen Frost]

Cheers, that is good advice. Sounds like my major mistake is just shooting in straight away. I can feel them just taking me off balance. Ill go in with a different game plan tonight.

[IranianWarMachine]

in one knee on the floor work for a front headlock bring them down then go to the back, another is getting the front headlock as if your goin for the guillotine you then instead of going across the neck with your arm you put the palm of hand on their chin pushing their chin so their head is turned the side then push your hips into them and walk forward keeping hold of their head and arm as you would for a guillotine, you end up in side control with a neck crank on them if you want to use it, just don't crank the neck in sparring or comps. The second one is hard to describe without showing.

[Atlasmma]

I always clinch when starting from knees. I just hate failing a double leg. There's nothing more demoralising than getting sprawled on. Plus I love the snap-down and head and arm throws :)

[Stalkachu]

Generally, when it comes to the kneefighting, I don't bother really working for anything. It's not a real position that's ever likely to happen, so I try to push the other guy onto his back. If he resists, I pull guard. If he doesn't, I play on top.

Just seems more useful that way. If the guy wants to charge in, double leg you and start in side control, good for him. You get to work your side control escapes. But it stops the two minute shoving match that you end up in when you have two guys who really really really want to be on top. ^_^

Take care,

Stalks

[Galen Frost]

Thanks for the tips

[IranianWarMachine]

what barnett does here at 57 seconds in can be done on the knees instead of a guillotine he underhooks the guys left arm then drives his hips forward and to the left, he could do a neck crank at the end if legal in the rules.

[IranianWarMachine]

what josh does here at 57 seconds in was what i was talking about it can be done from the knees instead of guillotining his opponent he underhooks the left arm and pushes the guys head to the opponents left and drives his hips forward and to the right of his opponent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVJ5x0gFusw&feature=player_embedded#