Become Fighter
The double leg: shot on air: Wrestling guide
Level change, penetration step and a clean reach to both legs, rehearsed with no partner.
The double leg is the most famous takedown in wrestling and mixed martial arts. You step in under their hands, wrap both legs, and drive them back.
This lesson teaches the entry only: the shot on air, with nobody there. The finish, where you actually take someone down, comes with a partner later. Do not try to lift or drive a person until you have learned that.
Key points
- Hand fight first, then level change, then penetration step. One flowing motion.
- Your lead foot lands between their feet, in the pocket of their stance.
- Head goes to one side of their belly, close and up. Never in front of their hips.
- Both hands reach to the backs of their knees or thighs, elbows in.
- Finish by driving forward with your legs, not by pulling with your arms.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Shooting from too far away. Close the distance with your feet first. If your arms are doing the reaching, you are out of range.
- Head in front of the hips. Place your head to the side of their belly so you cannot be sprawled on or guillotined.
- Reaching high at the waist. Your hands go to the backs of their knees and thighs. The legs are the target.
- Rising before you finish the step. Stay low until your lead foot has landed and your hands are home.
Combinations that use it
- wr-lc-dl: Level change, Double leg
- wr-lc-pen-dl: Level change, Penetration step, Double leg
- wr-hf-dl: Hand fight, Double leg
- wr-sprawl-lc-dl: Sprawl, Level change, Double leg
Related techniques
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Level change and shots module of Wrestling foundations.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
More from Level change and shots
- The level change: Wrestling guide
- The penetration step: Wrestling guide
- The single leg: shot on air: Wrestling guide
- Finishing the shots with a partner: Wrestling guide
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.