Overview

The high crotch is best understood as a transitional leg-attack position, not a single takedown. It sits between the single and the double, giving you multiple exits depending on how your opponent reacts.

What makes the high crotch valuable — especially for jiu-jitsu players — is that it:

  • Keeps you upright longer
  • Preserves strong posture and inside position
  • Allows you to flow between finishes instead of forcing one

This page emphasizes the high crotch as a decision point, where reading reactions matters more than committing to a preset finish.

Core Principles

  • Shoulder pressure into the hip crease creates control
  • Head stays on the inside to limit counters and scrambles
  • Control the thigh, not the knee
  • Stay mobile — the position dies if your feet stop
  • Let the opponent’s reaction determine the finish

If you enter the high crotch already decided on one outcome, you’ll miss better options.

Primary Variations

High Crotch → Double (Cut Across)

The most common outcome when the far leg stays available.

Why it works:

  • Converts upper-leg control into full leg control
  • Punishes square stances
  • Natural continuation for opponents who don’t sprawl early

This is often the first look, not the only one.

High Crotch → Single

When cutting across is blocked.

Why it works:

  • Keeps you attached instead of disengaging
  • Maintains inside head position
  • Flows naturally into run-the-pipe, trips, or crackdowns

For BJJ players, this is often safer than forcing a double.

High Crotch Lift

When opponents sprawl or overcommit their hips.

Why it works:

  • Converts their defensive pressure into elevation
  • Strong option when they whizzer or drop weight
  • Pairs well with mat returns and controlled landings

The lift is a threat, even when you don’t use it.

Crackdown Finish

When forward pressure collapses their posture.

Why it works:

  • Uses head and shoulder pressure instead of speed
  • Capitalizes on opponents leaning into you
  • Leads directly into dominant top positions

Common Mistakes

  • Treating the high crotch like a single-move takedown
  • Letting the head drift to the outside
  • Grabbing low on the leg and losing control
  • Standing still instead of adjusting angle
  • Forcing a finish that’s being defended

Most failures happen because the attacker stops reading reactions.

Transitions & Chains

The high crotch is a hub inside a larger leg-attack system.

Common chains:

  • High crotch → cut blocked → single
  • High crotch → sprawl pressure → lift
  • High crotch → stalemate → crackdown
  • High crotch → disengage → re-shot or body lock

If nothing is opening:

  • Change angle
  • Change height
  • Change target

Don’t abandon the position prematurely.

Video Study

Primary Breakdown (Start Here)

Your video embed
(Shows decision-making, reactions, and finishes)

Additional Examples

2–3 complementary videos

  • Different body types
  • Different reactions
  • Different rule sets