John Marsh: Double Leg System for Jiu-Jitsu
John Marsh's double leg as a decision tree: pick the setup from what he gives you, shoot through him, then pick the finish from how he defends. Every card is from John's own teaching in his Double Leg Series and free lessons, with links to the lessons.
Flow outline
Neutral: read his stance
- A tall stance invites the double. Low stance with his hands down: don't shoot the double into it; circle and attack his lead leg to the outside.
- Otherwise, which leg he leads only changes the finish: cross-body and off balance, push; balanced, lift. Be close enough to touch him before you shoot.
- John: “For my double leg takedowns, it doesn't matter which leg he leads.”
- In his courses
- When Double Leg Isn't An Option (Double Leg Series)
- Overview Double Leg And Sweep Single (Double Leg Series)
Sweep single instead
- Circle away from his lead leg and attack it to the outside, where you're safe. See the Sweep Single flow.
- John: “I want to circle and attack his lead leg out to the outside where I'm safe.”
- In his courses
- When Double Leg Isn't An Option (Double Leg Series)
Fake the tie-up
- As he steps in to tie up, fake it with your hands low and change levels before he can grab you and pull guard. Keep his feet where they are; don't chase him backward.
- In his courses
- Fake Tie Up Double Leg Takedown Set-Up (Double Leg Series)
- Setting Up The Double Leg Off A Fake Tie Up (I Shoot I Score)
Level change as he pushes back
- C-grips inside where his bicep meets the shoulder, like a steering wheel. Push him; when he pushes back, stop pushing, level change, hook your fingers and pull him through.
- John: “I'm taking advantage of that moment when I push him and he pushes back to level change.”
- In his courses
- Inside Tie Up Double Leg Set-Up (Double Leg Series)
- Double Leg From The Inside Tie (I Shoot I Score)
Pop or chop
- Push back so he pushes harder. Pop his arms as you level change, keeping your hands below your eyes, or chop them down hard. The level change does the work; standing, his arms are too strong.
- John: “Anytime someone charges you, pop or chop works very well.”
- In his courses
- Pop Arms Double Leg Takedown Set-Up (Double Leg Series)
- Chop Arm Down Double Leg Set-Up (Double Leg Series)
- The Pop VS The Chop Set Up (I Shoot I Score)
Head snap
- Club his head and level change with it so his reaction is to come up. Don't hold him down; let your hands slide down and through, and snap with the hand that will shoot.
- John: “Make sure that you guys don't get on the leg and stop.”
- In his courses
- Head Snap To Double Leg (Double Leg Series)
- The Head Snap Set Up (I Shoot I Score)
Arm drag: open him sideways
- Flat hand on his arm like wiping a glass, other hand ready to catch it, hook grip not C grip. Open him sideways like ripping your shirt off; pulling him into you lets him square up and re-drag. Control the wrist that lets you open him away from you: close his door, open yours.
- John: “I want to close his door and open mine.”
- In his courses
- Arm Drag From Shoulder Post Double Leg (Double Leg Series)
- Chop Arm Drag To Double Leg (Double Leg Series)
- Wrist Control Arm Drag To Double Leg (Double Leg Series)
Break his wrist grip
- Wrist control: fake pulling away so he grips harder, then flare your elbow into his thumb, rotate, and punch down. Reverse grip: don't push into the C; hook your hand and pull it out sideways. Open him up and step in.
- John: “When I flare my elbow out and rotate and punch down, it falls off.”
- In his courses
- Against Opponent's Wrist Control (Double Leg Series)
- Against Opponent's Reverse Grip (Double Leg Series)
Against his collar tie
- Shrug, control his elbow, and keep your head at the angle of his elbow and shoulder, not up, or you'll catch your face on his shoulder. Level change hard to the knee and reach straight sideways, letting your shoulder clear, the only time he does. Pull so his sprawl drops him.
- John: “This is probably the only time that I let my shoulder clear.”
- In his courses
- Double Leg Against Collar-Tie (Double Leg Series)
Shot, re-shot
- Stop his shot with a stiff-arm shoulder post, lower with him, and as he comes back up, level change under him. Roll your hands over like an inside tie and pull him into your shot.
- John: “I always like to think counter-offense.”
- In his courses
- Shot Reshot Takedown (Double Leg Series)
Shoot: head up, level change, drive through
- Step toward the line between his toes, head up the whole time, and level change to get under his defense. Drive off your back leg instead of falling to your knee, and use your head to push him.
- Bad knees: every shot can be a snatch, a level change and a step, then run him to the side.
- John: “In takedowns, your head is a weapon.”
- In his courses
- Double Leg Takedown Details (Double Leg Series)
- Penetration Step Drill (Double Leg Series)
- Snatch Version Of Double Leg Takedown (Double Leg Series)
- Overview Double Leg And Sweep Single (Double Leg Series)
The JT Torres special
- From wrist control, arm drag and drive into him hard, reaching beyond his legs. Your leg hooks behind his as you drop to your knee and fall through. Don't try the trip from standing. Good when it's sweaty.
- John: “Always go beyond where you're attacking somebody, because if I go to where JT is, he's going to be gone.”
- In his courses
- The JT Torres Special Arm Drag Finish (Double Leg Series)
- JT Special (Takedown the World)
Top half guard: punch the knee up
- Knee over his leg, punch it up, foot against his inside leg, then pass.
Read: how does he defend?
- Don't pause on the legs. The longer you sit there, the more time he has.
He stays up
Lift him sideways
- Hips under you so he's light, head up, then lift and take him sideways, pushing his head. Drop to the knee on the side you lift him and post your outside hand. Lifting straight up drops you into his guard.
- John: “They get on the leg and they pause. The longer I take here, the more time he has to defend.”
- In his courses
- Finish Double Leg Takedown With A Lift (Double Leg Series)
- Straight Through Finish VS Sideways Finish (I Shoot I Score)
He falls over you
Double knee drop
- Drop straight to both knees with your knees under you, pull him over the top, then pop up and dump him sideways. Keep his arm trapped so he can't pull guard. Better if you're taller.
- John: “I always have to make sure that my knees are underneath my body.”
- In his courses
- Double Knee Drop Double Leg Finish (Double Leg Series)
He sprawls and hips away
Cut the corner
- Turn the double into a sweep: step and switch your knees, far hand stays on the leg, head outside, pull the leg in to buckle it. Step and slide; don't pivot. Expect the sprawl and cut as he meets your pressure.
- John: “I'm already thinking cut the corner. I'm attacking his defense.”
- In his courses
- Cutting The Corner Double Leg Finish (Double Leg Series)
- Cut The Corner Solo Drill (Double Leg Series)
- Cutting The Corner (I Shoot I Score)
He sprawls well, you're getting extended
Post a hand right away
- One hand to the mat so you don't fall and your body stays under you. Keep your head up even more, pushing into him, or he pushes it down and punches for a triangle.
- Read his sprawl: if he's squared up over your head, come up and run through; if your head is past his body, knee slide or cut the corner.
- John: “My head's a weapon. I never just want my head against him. My head is always pushing him.”
- In his courses
- Hand Post Double Leg Finish - Drive (Double Leg Series)
Run through on top
- Step up with your outside leg and run through with no pause. Re-grab the double or stay on the single, weight on his hips.
- In his courses
- Hand Post Double Leg Finish - Drive (Double Leg Series)
Too strong to run through: knee slide
- Step wide and knee slide back under him, sit up high, look up, never let go of the far leg. Then drive off your outside leg like the double knee drop.
- John: “The important thing is that I get my body underneath my head.”
- In his courses
- Hand Post Double Leg Finish-Knee Slide (Double Leg Series)
Come up on the single
- Keep forward pressure so he hops and holds you for balance. Step in front with your inside leg, crunch down to load his weight, then step back and run the pipe. See the Sweep Single flow.
- John: “The longer I stay on that leg, the better chance it is for him.”
- In his courses
- Hand Post Double Leg Finish-Single Leg (Double Leg Series)
He body-locks with double overs
- Not underhooks: the peek out only works against double overs.
Peek out
- Pressure forward onto your hands and toes, step wide to the side you pick, open your arm above his elbow, sit out and drive through him. He falls flat and you cover, or you end up on his back.
- His favorite against bigger guys: he takes a deliberately shallow shot so they sprawl and body lock.
- John: “This is actually my favorite move against the big guys.”
- In his courses
- Peak Out Double Leg Finish (Double Leg Series)
- Peak Out (I Shoot I Score)
He backs up, leg too far to hook
Knee block
- Don't chase him across the mat. Re-step under him, squeeze his legs, take a big step and pinch your leg against his to block it, then drive your head through and fall sideways.
- John: “Once I punch my knee in, it's my head that's going to knock him down.”
- In his courses
- Knee Block Double Leg Finish (Double Leg Series)
- The Knee Block Finish (I Shoot I Score)
You're in but stalled
- Unsure whether to lift, run him down, or cut the corner.
Outside leg hook
- Circle your back leg around and hook his outside leg without pausing, driving forward as you pull his leg back. Keep his leg up and your hips pressing down, then slide up. A good beginner finish.
- In his courses
- Outside Leg Hook Double Leg Finish (Double Leg Series)
You over-finish and he rolls you
Roll through, head across
- Usually just post your outside leg, drive and come back up. If he's already stepping over to cover, don't fight back into him. Hang on to the legs, pull his arm in, roll through and circle to the side. Finish with your head and body on opposite sides so you can still fight a guillotine.
- John: “Never stay with your head on the same side that your body's on. Always across.”
- In his courses
- Through On Double Leg If They Roll You (Double Leg Series)
On top: side control or half guard
- Finish to the side, not into his guard: arm crossed tight under your body so there's no space to pull guard, then slide up.
- John: “If I have space in here, this is where he's going to pull guard.”
- In his courses
- Fake Tie Up Double Leg Takedown Set-Up (Double Leg Series)
Branch conditions
- he steps in to tie up
- inside tie
- he charges
- nothing open
- he posts on you
- he has your wrist
- he collar ties
- he shoots
- low stance, hands down
- from wrist control
- he sprawls hard
- he falls to the mat
- your head is past his body