Using your feet for takedowns: Most Jiu jitsu players spend the vast majority of their training time on the floor – that makes perfect sense since that is where most matches are won and lost and you always have the option of sitting to the floor without using takedowns. So when Jiu jitsu players do use and learn takedowns they tend to focus on HAND DOMINANT takedowns (te waza) since most people are more naturally coordinated with their hands than than feet and legs. This is fine for short term development, but long term you must begin to use FOOT/LEG DOMINANT takedowns (ashi waza) to utilize the greater power and reach of the lower body over the upper body. The learning time is longer but the potential rewards are greater. One of the best ashi waza for Jiu Jitsu purposes are the various foot sweeps. In particular DE ASHI HARAI (BARAI). This move works very well along side the rules of guard pulling in Jiu Jitsu and can send an opponent tumbling to the mat before he can get a grip on you to pull guard. It's a low risk move – you don't have to turn your back on your opponent and is fairly easy to learn the variations most applicable to Jiu jitsu. Here, gordon ryan uses a no gi variation to take an opponents legs out from under him and get off to a great start from standing position.
