John Marsh: Ankle Pick, High Crotch, and Low Single
The leg attacks from John Marsh's Takedown the World course as a decision tree: ankle picks, the low single, the high crotch, and the fireman's carry, with the switch each one offers when he defends. Built from his free lessons, with every card linked to the matching course lesson.
Flow outline
Neutral: hand fighting
Ankle pick
- From the collar tie with wrist control, or the inside tie: circle away from the leg you want so he has to step. Hang on to the head, level change, and bring his head down toward his knee as you catch the leg. Throw from your forearm and post your arm.
- Biggest mistake: dropping down with your arm left high. If he has your elbow, he throws by and takes your back. Don't follow through.
- It lands you in his guard, so plan to pass.
- John: “I don't want to just attack his leg where it is right now, because once I get there, his leg is going to be gone.”
- In his courses
- Near Side (Takedown the World)
He controls your elbow
- Drop with your arm high and he throws by to your back. Bring his head down toward his knee and post your arm as you throw.
More ankle pick entries
- The far-side pick and the double leg and front headlock setups from the same chapter.
- In his courses
- Far Side (Takedown the World)
- Double Leg (Takedown the World)
- Front Head Lock (Takedown the World)
Low single: drive through
- Circle away from the leg you want so he has to step and follow, then level change and drop in. Catch the leg with your shoulder, not your head: a knee to the face hurts if he defends.
- Don't stop on the leg. Drive through, post your hand, and pop up quick so he can't lock his legs or throw a triangle.
- John: “It's a continual drive through that motion.”
- In his courses
- Drive Thru (Takedown the World)
- Spin Through (Takedown the World)
- Snatch (Takedown the World)
Fake the sweep single
- Step like a sweep single and reach to touch his lead leg, stepping a bit more sideways than a real single so you can drive off it.
He pulls the leg away
- Now he's heavy on the other leg.
Low single on the far leg
- Drive into the weighted side and crunch the leg down hard. Post up; don't follow through between his legs where he can lock them.
High crotch: pop up, don't hang
- One of his best takedowns, and one of the most dangerous in jiu-jitsu: you're on one leg with your head outside, so a guillotine and guard pull is right there. Keep your head high and don't hesitate.
- Level change like a squat, not a lunge. Drive in, bounce off your knee quick, and pop up like a duck under.
- John: “The higher level opponent you go against, the better chance you're gonna get caught in a guillotine.”
- In his courses
- Switch to Double (Takedown the World)
Read his defense
He sprawls and posts a C-grip on your arm
- Staying knee-side in here just buys him time to suck you down or catch the neck.
Turn sideways, switch to the double
- Rotate sideways instead of finishing tight and in. His grip falls off your arm as you turn, and your arm shoots forward to catch the double. Head as high as possible, elbow tight.
- In his courses
- Switch to Double (Takedown the World)
Other high crotch finishes
- In his courses
- Duck Under (Takedown the World)
- Cut The Corner (Takedown the World)
- Reach Across (Takedown the World)
- Mat Return (Takedown the World)
Fireman's carry
- In his courses
- Double Knee Drop (Takedown the World)
- Lunge (Takedown the World)
- Throw (Takedown the World)
Takedown: on top
He stands back up
Mat returns
- In his courses
- Lift (Takedown the World)
- Leg Hook (Takedown the World)
- Reverse Lunge (Takedown the World)
- Foot Post (Takedown the World)
- Suck Back (Takedown the World)
- Cross Wrist Roll Through (Takedown the World)
- Spiral Ride (All 4's) (Takedown the World)
Branch conditions
- watch for
- more entries
- more advanced
- back down