Body Lock to Side Trip: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Body Lock to Side Trip is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed by off-balancing a partner to one side from a secured body lock and hooking a leg behind theirs to trip them to the mat, combining the lift with a tripping finish. Off-balancing the partner with the upper-body lock before the leg trip enters is what keeps this finish clean.
Equipment Needed
The drill needs a partner able to fall and resist safely, and a padded floor makes the landing safer.
Why It Matters
Off-balancing a partner to one side while hooking a leg behind theirs asks for more timing than a straight lift and drive. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) and a muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) drive the trip, and the front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) supports the base leg. The inner thigh muscles (adductors) control the hooking leg’s path, and the muscles along the sides of the abdomen (obliques) drive the off-balancing rotation. A large back muscle (latissimus dorsi) maintains the lock while off-balancing the partner, the forearms (forearm flexors) hold the grip and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) stabilize the spine through the finish.
When to Do It
Body Lock to Side Trip works well within a grappling-focused session, added once the straight body lock takedown already feels secure. Two to three sessions a week suits most people building toward this finish, as long as the partner already knows how to fall safely.
Anyone with a current hip, knee or low back issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since the off-balancing, the hook and the fall all load those areas.
Getting Ready
Securing the lock and off-balancing the partner to one side, without adding the leg hook yet, checks the setup this drill depends on. A few slow, partial trips preview the full finish before a complete rep against resistance is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Lock up. Wrap a tight overhook or double underhook grip around the partner’s torso.
- Off-balance to one side. Shift the partner’s weight toward one leg using the upper-body lock.
- Hook the leg. Reach a leg behind the partner’s off-balanced leg.
- Finish the trip. Sweep the hooked leg while continuing the off-balancing motion to the mat.
How Many, How Often
Body Lock to Side Trip is dosed by reps, with each full off-balance-to-trip sequence counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to off-balancing before attempting the leg hook | 3 sets of 2 to 3 reps per side |
| Intermediate | The off-balance and the hook connect under moderate resistance | 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 4 reps per side |
| Advanced | Comfortable finishing against committed, active resistance | 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side |
Off-balancing the partner before the leg hook enters matters more here than how hard the hook pulls, since a trip attempted against someone still square and balanced turns into a wrestling match however well the leg is hooked.
Modifications and Variations
Body Lock Takedown carries the same lock through to a straight forward and downward drive with no off-balance to one side, which makes it the simpler finish to learn first. Body Lock and Lift — No Throw stops at the lift and is the way to scale either finish down.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Hooking the leg before off-balancing. Reaching for the trip before the partner’s weight has shifted off their base turns the attempt into a wrestling match. The off-balance comes first.
Letting the lock loosen during the off-balance. Allowing the grip to slacken while shifting the partner’s weight gives them room to recover their base before the hook lands. The lock stays tight through the whole sequence.
Finishing the trip too slowly. Hesitating once the off-balance and the hook are both in place gives a partner time to recover before the trip completes. The finish follows as soon as the setup is ready.
After Your Set
A few slow circles of the hips unwind them once the set of trips wraps up. The shoulder on the locking side benefits from a couple of loose arm swings as well, after holding the lock through every finish.
Going Deeper
Off-balancing a partner to one side before hooking the leg creates an opening a square, head-on drive does not reach. The hook tends to come before the partner’s weight has shifted. Slowing down and checking that the weight has shifted before reaching for the leg fixes this faster than repeating attempts that turn into a scramble.
A beginner typically needs the first few sessions to put together a slow, cooperative version of the trip, then spends the following couple of weeks building it up against resistance.
How to Know You’re Improving
- An off-balance that clearly shifts the partner’s weight before the hook enters
- A lock that stays tight through the whole sequence
- A leg hook that lands cleanly once the weight has shifted
- A trip that works against committed resistance
The off-balance coming before the hook matters more than how hard the leg pulls.
Muscles Worked
- Erector Spinae (the muscles running along the length of the spine, holding the back solid as their weight shifts sideways)
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, extending the hip to drive them over the hooked leg)
- Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, holding the standing knee firm while the other hooks)
- Obliques (the muscles along the sides of the waist, turning the trunk to take their balance to the side)
- Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, drawing the hooking leg in behind theirs)
- Forearm Flexors (the muscles of the inner forearm, keeping the lock closed through the trip)
- Latissimus Dorsi (a large back muscle, holding them pinned to the chest as they fall)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, sweeping the hooked leg through their base)
FAQ
Why does off-balancing the partner matter more than the leg hook? A leg hook attempted against someone still square and balanced meets resistance they can step out of, while a hook that follows an off-balance catches them with nowhere to recover to.
Is this harder than the straight Body Lock Takedown? The two ask for similar strength and timing against resistance. The trip adds an off-balance to one side and a leg hook, so there is one more piece to coordinate than in the straight forward drive.
Is some hip or low back fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, a worked feeling through the hips and the low back after a full set of trips is expected. A low back ache that turns sharp or radiates into a leg deserves a check from a doctor or physical therapist.
Does the straight takedown come before this trip? It helps. The two finish differently, and a secure body lock makes either one easier to learn.
How often should the side trip be drilled? Two to three sessions a week works well for most people, as long as the partner already knows how to fall safely.
Related to Body Lock Takedown as the straight forward drive from the same body lock.