Double Leg to Finish: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Double Leg to Finish is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed by completing the double leg takedown through to a finished, controlled position on top, driving through the initial shot all the way to a full mat return and immediate positional control. Continuing to drive the legs after contact is made is what turns a good shot into a controlled finish.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required beyond a padded surface, such as a grappling mat, for the landing and the control work that follows it.
Why It Matters
Driving all the way through the shot into a controlled top position asks the body to keep producing force well past the point where a contact drill would stop, which takes power, endurance and coordination together. The front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) and the largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) drive the continued leg push, and the lower back muscles (erector spinae) keep the spine braced through the finish. A muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) helps control the descent, and a muscle across the upper back and neck (trapezius) supports the grip through the landing. The abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach (rectus abdominis) brace the trunk, and a calf muscle (gastrocnemius) helps power the final drive.
When to Do It
Double Leg to Finish works well once the full Double Leg Takedown Drill already lands cleanly, added to a wrestling session before live sparring. Two to three sessions a week is a reasonable pace for building this finish.
Anyone with a current neck, shoulder or low-back issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since the continued drive and the landing both place load on those areas.
Getting Ready
Practicing the shot through to first contact without continuing further checks the entry this finish depends on. A few slow, partial finishes, stopping the moment the opponent’s weight starts to come up, preview the full sequence before a complete rep is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Shoot the takedown. Drop the level and drive forward to wrap the opponent’s legs.
- Keep driving. Continue pushing forward with the legs even after contact is made.
- Return to the mat. Guide the opponent’s weight all the way down to a controlled landing.
- Secure top control. Settle into a controlled position on top immediately after the landing.
How Many, How Often
Double Leg to Finish is dosed by reps, with each complete shot-to-finish sequence counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to continuing the drive after first contact | 3 sets of 3 to 4 reps, deliberately slow |
| Intermediate | The drive and the landing connect smoothly | 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps at a working pace |
| Advanced | Comfortable finishing against a partner who resists | 4 to 5 sets of 5 to 7 reps with a resisting partner |
Continuing the leg drive all the way through contact, with no pause before the landing, matters more here than how fast the whole sequence moves, since a shot that stalls at the opponent’s knees is easily sprawled on and stopped.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Double Leg Takedown Drill practices the shot and the takedown without continuing into top control. Penetration Step Only isolates the level change before that.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Stopping the leg drive once contact is made. Treating the initial wrap as the end point leaves the takedown unfinished and gives the opponent a chance to recover their base. The legs keep driving until the opponent’s weight is down.
Losing grip control during the landing. Letting the hands loosen on the way down trades away the positional advantage this drill is meant to build. Keeping both grips tight through the whole fall is what makes the top position available immediately after landing.
Pausing between the landing and securing top control. Taking a moment to reset after the opponent lands gives them a window to recover or scramble. Moving directly from the landing into a controlled top position, with no pause in between, is what completes the finish.
After Your Set
A few slow hip circles in each direction release the hips after repeated finishes. A standing hamstring stretch, one heel resting on a low surface with a gentle forward lean, lengthens the legs that just drove through the landing.
Going Deeper
Continuing the drive into a full finish asks for sustained force and coordination the shot alone does not. The drive tends to fade as the opponent’s weight starts to come up, the moment it matters most. Practicing the finish starting from contact, on some reps, builds that strength faster than repeating the whole sequence from the start every time.
Someone new to this drill generally manages a slower, more deliberate finish within the first few sessions, then works toward a connected, driving sequence against a resisting partner over the following couple of weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A leg drive that continues all the way through contact with no stall
- A grip that stays tight through the whole landing
- A transition into top control that happens immediately, with no pause
- A finish that holds together even against a partner who resists
Leg drive that continues past contact matters more than how fast the whole sequence moves.
Muscles Worked
- Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, straightening the legs to keep driving past the initial shot)
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, extending the hips to carry the opponent to the mat)
- Erector Spinae (the muscles running along the length of the spine, holding the back solid through the whole mat return)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, slowing the descent so the landing stays controlled)
- Trapezius (the broad muscle spanning the upper back and neck, holding the grip as both bodies hit the mat)
- Rectus Abdominis (the abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach, bracing the trunk on impact)
- Gastrocnemius (a calf muscle, pushing off to drive the last of the distance)
FAQ
Why give the finish its own drill? Breaking the finish out on its own lets the continued drive and the landing be repeated and corrected directly, since those two pieces need far more reps than the shot alone to become reliable under resistance.
Is a clean double leg shot needed before this drill? Yes, a shot and initial contact that already connect cleanly come first, since the finish only helps once that movement is in place.
Is some hip or low-back fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, a worked feeling through the hips and lower back after several full finishes is expected. A sharp, localized pain, especially anywhere near the neck, calls for backing off and checking in with a doctor or physical therapist.
Is practicing the shot alone acceptable if the full finish feels like too much? Yes, isolating the shot and the initial contact without continuing into the finish is a reasonable way to build that movement first, and Double Leg Takedown Drill is built that way.
How often should the double leg finish be drilled? Two to three times a week, once the basic shot already lands cleanly, suits most people building toward this complete sequence.
Related to Double Leg Takedown Drill as the easier version that stops at the takedown.