Body Lock Takedown: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Body Lock Takedown is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed by securing a tight overhook or double underhook lock around a partner’s torso, keeping the head on one side and driving forward and down to take them to the mat. Squeezing the lock tight against the ribs while driving the hips forward into the partner is what keeps a resisting partner from creating space and countering.
Equipment Needed
A yoga mat is optional, though a padded floor makes landing on the mat noticeably safer, and a cooperative partner able to resist safely is required throughout.
Why It Matters
Locking up a resisting partner and driving them to the mat calls on strength, timing and body control at once. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) and a muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) drive the forward and downward push, and the front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) supports that drive. The biceps (biceps brachii) and the forearms (forearm flexors) maintain the lock and the grip, and a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset (transverse abdominis) braces the trunk through the drive. The muscles along the sides of the abdomen (obliques) manage the rotation as the head settles to one side, and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) stabilize the spine through the finish.
When to Do It
Body Lock Takedown works well within a grappling-focused session, added once the lock and the lift already feel solid. Two to three sessions a week suits most people building toward this takedown, as long as the partner already knows how to fall and tap safely.
Anyone with a current low back, hip or shoulder issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since the lock, the lift and the drive to the mat all load those areas.
Getting Ready
Securing the lock and lifting the partner off the mat without driving them down checks the hold this drill depends on. A few slow, partial drives preview the full takedown before a complete rep against resistance is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Lock up. Wrap a tight overhook or double underhook around the partner’s torso and squeeze it against the ribs.
- Position the head. Keep the head tucked to one side of the partner’s body.
- Drive forward and down. Push the hips forward and drive the partner toward the mat.
- Control the landing. Follow the partner down, keeping the lock intact through the fall.
How Many, How Often
Body Lock Takedown is dosed by reps, with each full lock-to-mat sequence counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to driving the takedown against light resistance | 3 sets of 2 to 3 reps |
| Intermediate | The lock and the drive connect under moderate resistance | 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 4 reps |
| Advanced | Comfortable finishing against committed, active resistance | 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps |
Squeezing the lock tight against the ribs matters more here than how hard the hips drive forward, since a loose lock lets a partner create space and counter however much force goes into the drive.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Body Lock and Lift — No Throw secures the same lock and lifts the partner off the mat without carrying the motion through to a takedown. As a harder version, Body Lock to Side Trip off-balances the partner to one side and adds a leg trip to the same lock.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pulling with the arms alone. Trying to pull the partner down with the arms alone, without driving the hips forward into them, produces a weak, stalled takedown. The hips lead the drive on each rep.
Letting the lock loosen during the drive. Allowing the grip to slacken once the drive starts gives the partner room to create space and counter. The lock stays tight against the ribs through the whole motion.
Losing head position during the finish. Letting the head drift to the wrong side, or straight on, during the drive opens up a counter the partner can use. The head stays tucked to one side from setup through landing.
After Your Set
A few slow circles of the hips unwind them once the set of takedowns wraps up. The forearms benefit from a slow wrist roll through their complete range as well, after gripping through every lock.
Going Deeper
A lock that holds securely becomes a takedown once the hip drive, the head position and the fall combine against a resisting partner. The arms tend to do the work the hips are meant to do. Slowing down and checking that the hips lead the drive before adding resistance fixes this faster than repeating a stalled takedown that relies on arm strength.
Someone new to this drill generally manages a slow, cooperative takedown within the first few sessions, then works toward completing it against committed resistance over the following couple of weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A lock that stays tight against the ribs through the whole drive
- Hips that clearly lead the forward and downward push
- A head position that stays tucked to one side from start to finish
- A takedown that works against committed resistance
Hips leading the drive matter more than how hard the arms pull.
Muscles Worked
- Erector Spinae (the muscles running along the length of the spine, holding the back solid as the drive goes forward)
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, extending the hips to push them off balance)
- Biceps Brachii (the front of the upper arm, bending the arms to keep the lock closed)
- Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, tying the trunk together behind the drive)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, pulling the ground back as the feet march forward)
- Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, stepping through to keep the pressure on)
- Forearm Flexors (the muscles of the inner forearm, holding the hands gripped around their torso)
- Obliques (the muscles along the sides of the waist, turning the body so the head stays on one side)
FAQ
Why do the hips matter more than the arms here? A takedown pulled by the arms alone stalls against resistance, while hips that drive forward into the partner supply the force the lock depends on.
Is this harder than practicing the lock and lift alone? Yes, carrying the lock through to a takedown against resistance asks for more coordination and power than Body Lock and Lift — No Throw.
Is some hip or shoulder fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, a worked feeling through the hips and the shoulders after a full set of takedowns is expected. Hip or low back pain that lingers overnight is worth a visit to a doctor or physical therapist.
Does the lock and lift come before the full takedown? Yes, Body Lock and Lift — No Throw builds the grip and the lift, which are worth having solid before driving the takedown against resistance.
How often should the body lock takedown be drilled? Two to three sessions a week works well for most people, as long as the partner already knows how to fall and tap out safely.
Related to Body Lock and Lift — No Throw as the easier version with no takedown and Body Lock to Side Trip as the harder version adding a leg trip.