Become a Double Leg Machine with Fabiano Scherner
Is age just a number in sports? While Father Time can sneak up on all of us, we often fear about how it’ll affect us physically. Shoulders become tense, backs become worn down, and agility becomes more measured. As athletes, we often fear that age will be the deciding factor in how we enjoy our craft. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way, as many athletes have performed well in their craft in their elder years, from Michael Jordan to Randy Couture.
Grappling is no different, as athletes like Fabiano Scherner, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and mixed martial artist, have shown success into their 40’s. In the video below, Scherner gives a preview of what makes him a successful grappler at his age with his take on the double leg takedown.
The Set-Up
Fabiano begins with a collar tie and inside control on his partner. This is a standard position to be in when setting up the double leg, as getting the inside angle is important against a well-versed opponent. His approach here is to pressure into his partner to create a reaction. His partner’s natural reaction here is to push back, where Fabiano responds with a snap down. Once again, the partner reacts the way Fabiano wants, this time by raising his posture. This is exactly what you need in order to create the opening needed for your shot.
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Penetration
After his partner raises his posture from the snapdown, Fabiano makes penetration by level changing and grabbing his partner’s legs. As he points out, you need to grab by the knees rather than the thighs. This makes sense, as you are manipulating a joint rather than muscle mass. Afterwards, he drops his lead knee to the ground and places his head against his partner’s hip. This head positioning is important, as it will be used as a fulcrum during the takedown finish. The last part of his penetration is sweeping his trail leg up and postured up for the drive.
The Finish
The trail leg sweeping up for the drive works in tandem with lifting the opponent’s same-side leg. Fabiano’s finish is not a typical explosive drive across the mat. Instead, his finish is technical, as he rotates his partner on their far side leg and sweeps the leg down, collapsing their base. This rotation finish is a lot easier on your knees and back, so it is perfect for wrestlers who are overcoming injuries or may have mobility issues. Nevertheless, the finish does exactly what’s intended: getting your opponent on the mat.
Age is not the end of your grappling career, just a continuation of your success. Takedowns such as Fabiano’s Scherner’s double leg are perfect for wrestlers of all ages and is a safe alternative compared to the blast double. No matter if you’re a rookie or a thirty year veteran, modifying your takedowns is the key to continued success.