Knee slide takedown (trilemma prong 3)

Source: Volume 02, §4.3 — ▶Watch at 00:18:51   (full transcript)

---

Purpose

Third option when partner resists both sweep and back take — come up and attack the legs.

Entry condition

Half guard. Partner pulls back and reapplies whizzer. You're propped on elbow, lower-leg shift in.

Mechanics

The third situation. We're in half guard, go to tilt our partner — he pulls back. As we go to come up, he puts the whizzer back on.

It's not going to be possible for us to take his back. Whenever we feel this — propped on our elbow, lower-leg shift in, partner's knees on the inside — now's the time to come up and look to attack either single or double leg.

Best method from here:

1. Scissor the legs and rise to the top position.
2. Take your hand down low, below your partner's buttocks.
3. Even as he goes to take his legs out and away, widen your base.
4. From here we can always hit a knee slide. Grab your partner's heel on the far side. If you can't get that, no problem — put your hand on the mat.
5. Step your outside leg up.
6. Sweep your left knee toward your right knee. This torques his knee.
7. From this position he's either going to release (in which case shell the leg and chase it / come back), or as we go to tilt, he keeps that knee on the floor — which puts him down on his hip.
8. Gather the leg, lock your hands, put partner's shoulders flat on the floor, go to work to pass.

Key details

1. Scissor legs, rise to top — the transition from half guard to attacking position.
2. Hand below partner's buttocks — same low-grip principle as the scoop sweep. Control from below, not around the waist.
3. Widen base — even as partner tries to take legs out and away, a wide base keeps you stable.
4. Grab far heel or hand on mat — either grip works for the knee slide. If you can't reach the heel, the mat is fine.
5. Step outside leg up.
6. Sweep left knee toward right — torques partner's knee. This is the finishing mechanic. The torque on the knee either forces a release or puts partner down on their hip.
7. Gather leg, lock hands, shoulders flat — once partner is down, secure the position and work to pass.

Common failures

• Trying to take the back when the whizzer is back on. If partner pulled back and reapplied the whizzer, the back take is dead. Switch to the knee slide.
• Not widening the base. If your base stays narrow, partner can take their legs out and away and you lose position.
• Sweeping the knee without stepping the outside leg up first. The outside leg needs to be posted before you can generate the torque with the knee sweep.
• Not gathering the leg after the takedown. Once partner is on their hip, you need to lock hands and secure before passing. Letting the leg go means they can recover guard.

Connections

• From: Half guard (bottom) → To: Top position
• Principles: Inside position
• Skills: Grip fighting
• Part of: Trilemma system
• When partner keeps whizzer in (doesn't pull back): switch to Scoop sweep (prong 1)
• When partner removes whizzer and posts: switch to Back take from half guard (prong 2)