Learning takedowns is one of the hardest aspects of BJJ, along with passing, but unlike the latter, people can shy away from takedowns by opting for guard pulls instead. Whenever a move appears that somehow makes takedowns easier to master, it should instantly become the centerpiece of your game, unless you’re a collegiate wrestler or Olympic-level Judoka.
The Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD seems like yet another wrestling instructional, albeit the subject is one that is extremely beneficial for Jiu-Jitsu grapplers – the knee tap takedown. However, as you’ll see from our review, this short instructional turns out to be much more than a takedown combo blueprint.
Key Takeaways
BJJ No-Gi DVD with 2 short volumes reaching barely an hour of material.
Extends past just knee tap setups and covers how to learn movement that lets’ you master any technique first.
Includes follow-ups to the knee tap, such as passes and submission finishes.
BJJ World Expert Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
SAM SCHWARTZAPFEL KNEE TAP SERIES DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!
The Most Efficient Wrestling Takedown for BJJ
I am a fan of trips and upper-body takedowns rather than shooting, as many of my damaged body parts won’t allow for anything else. It is not that I don’t go for the occasional single, very rarely double though, if I create the right opportunity.
One of the moves that still falls under the category of leg takedowns, even though it is mostly upper-body work, is the wrestling knee tap. This incredible takedown is the epitome of off-balancing (popularly known as Kuzushi) and requires no shooting or crazy athleticism to pull off against skilled opponents, making it a great choice for anyone.
An even better aspect of the knee tap is that it doesn’t feature a major level change, so it leaves you in a clinch position, most often with an underhook, to recover and try again if you fail with your initial attempt. That underhook is also o massive at providing you impeccable top positioning immediately after you finish the takedown.
The knee tap is a very easy-to-master move that both older, beat-up grapplers and complete newbies can quickly add to their arsenal, introducing lots of diversity to their standing game. The Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD is an incredible resource on how to set up your research plan to master this effective wrestling move for BJJ.
The Indestructable Sam Schwartzapfel
One reason you might not know who Sam Schwartzapfel is (outside of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu circles) as he is “still just a brown belt.” With a huge wrestling background though, and a competitive career reaching back more than a decade, the Eddie Bravo brown belt has put the professional No-Gi scene on notice.
The remarkable story of Sam has been inspiring to say the least, with Schwartzapfel returning to the sport he loves even after suffering a horrific car accident that left him in a serious condition. The accident prompted Sam to rethink how he moves, creating a crazy effective system for grappling that he uses to dominate now.
He puts safety first and has come up with a way to train BJJ and compete at a high level without taking any unnecessary risks while still being super efficient. Sam has a pretty well-rounded style that is surprising even to the creative folks over at 10th PLanet, and we now get to see a part of it in the Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD.
Detailed Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD Review
My Sam Schwartzapfel DVD Review Knee Tap Series DVD review was a lot more fun than I anticipated. Not knowing who Sam was before, I was surprised and inspired by his story, but also by the way he approaches Jiu-Jitsu and this DVD. This two-part No-Gi instructional lasts around an hour but is essential for anyone looking how to practice BJJ for a lifetime, even though you expect a wrestling DVD when you read the title
Part 1 – Learning Essential Movement
This DVD is anything but your round-of-the-mill BJJ DVD. Sam begins by talking a lot about his accident and instead of making this a wrestling instructional, which he is extremely good at actually starts by addressing a huge aspect of 10P Jiu-JItsu first – their warm-up system.
Sam focuses on the fundamentals of movement and how they relate to efficiency in this volume, demonstrating how he changed his own game to transform it from the 10Th Planet system into his own, simplified version. Some key aspects he covers include hip heisting and hip walking, but the best chapter is the one on how to develop moves that will help you execute a specific move, such as the knee tap easily.
This part of the Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD feels like an early Eddie Bravo instructional, with folks dropping in to chat with Sam as he demonstrates. All that is missing is a band playing.
Part 2 – Knee Taps for BJJ
The second portion of the Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap DVD holds a bit more in terms of techniques and combinations. Schwartzapfel’s goal is to integrate BJJ with wrestling, rather than just show wrestling so what he does is, he provides instinctive and effective follow-ups to the knee tap tailor-made for Jiu-Jitsu.
For example, he has an armbar entry straight off the takedown, as well as some key follow-up pins and passes. He bases most of his entries and follow-ups on an initial underhook control, which is the best way to set up a wrestling knee tap.
A section on leg lock defense to deal with counters and the notion of doing things with a clear purpose, rather than just moving wraps up this short, but very useful instructional.
A Tap That Wins Matches
The knee tap is a move that will help you win plenty of matches, even though it may not and you all the takedowns you attempt by doing it. Apart from being a viable and useful takedown for BJJ, its real value lies in opening up follow-up opportunities that are even more effective.
For me, and probably most older grapplers out there, those are trips and sweeps coupled with a safety net of a guard pull straight into your favorite sub. It also offers a bunch of transitional options for those who like to mingle Judo in their standing game, as creates such a powerful Kuzuhi that people will then fall prey to virtually any takedown or throw you attempt.
Finally, there is the control option. Most takedowns use lots of forward or spinning force to execute, which crates that problem of inertial movement that the bottom person can use for a reversal. The underhook, featuring heavily in this Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD, which stays in place during the knee tap ensures a stable top position after the takedown, even if you end up in someone’s guard.
FULL DOWNLOAD: SAM SCHWARTZAPFEL KNEE TAP SERIES DVD
Tap ‘Em Out!
Mastering the knee tap is going to give you a very powerful weapon to use in both Gi and No-Gi, as you’ll achieve that crucial Kuzishi more effectively than by using only upper or lower-body-based takedown systems. Moreover, it provides incredible direct pin and submission follow-ups.
The best part about this Sam Schwartzapfel Knee Tap Series DVD is that it goes beyond just showing moves and combos. It teaches a whole new approach to BJJ, leading you to explore the motions behind a move and then practice them with the purpose of making that move work flawlessly for you. One of the best BJJ DVDs I’ve seen in 2024.
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