High Crotch

Takedown

The high crotch is a wrestling-based takedown where you shoot in and secure your arms around one of the opponent's legs at the upper thigh/hip crease, controlling their hip. It is used as a versatile entry that can transition to a single leg finish or redirect into a double leg depending on the opponent's reaction.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Deep penetration step places your lead knee between the opponent's feet, putting your head on the inside of their hip.
  • · Your arms lock high around the thigh near the hip crease, not low on the knee, giving you maximum control of their base.
  • · Driving forward and upward with your hips elevates the trapped leg and disrupts their balance.
  • · If the opponent sprawls, you can circle to a single leg; if they square up, you redirect to a double leg entry.
  • · Keeping your head tight to their hip prevents guillotine and front headlock counters.

Execution

  1. 1 From standing, set up with a collar tie or arm drag to create an angle, then level change by bending at the knees while keeping your back straight.
  2. 2 Shoot a deep penetration step with your lead leg between their feet, driving your shoulder into their inner thigh while your head posts on the inside of their hip.
  3. 3 Lock your hands around the upper thigh at the hip crease, with your trail knee off the mat and hips driving forward.
  4. 4 Lift their leg by standing up into them and angling off to the side, transitioning to a single leg finish by stepping to the outside, or redirecting to a double leg if they square their hips.
  5. 5 Follow through to land in a dominant top position such as side control or top half guard.

Common mistakes

  • × Grabbing too low around the knee instead of high on the thigh, which gives the opponent easy hip escape and whizzer defense.
  • × Leaving your head on the outside of the opponent's hip, exposing yourself to guillotines and front headlock attacks.
  • × Failing to bring the trail leg up after the penetration step, causing you to stall on your knees with no driving power.

Do it from

Positions and situations where the High Crotch shows up.

Standing Position

Chains into

Where to go next when the High Crotch lands, or gets defended.

Double Leg Entry takedown Single Leg Finish takedown

Where it lands

The position you end up in.

Side Control Top