Alias · Standing
Leg scissors takedown
Also known as Kani Basami — the canonical term used on this site.
Training background: English descriptive variant — emphasises the leg contact mechanism
Descriptive — the leg-scissor kani basami
Leg scissors takedown is a descriptive name for kani basami — spelling out that it is the legs, not the arms, that scissor the opponent down.
Etymology. “Leg scissors” specifies which limbs do the work; “takedown” attaches the outcome. The fuller phrasing removes any ambiguity that “scissors” alone might leave about whether arms or legs apply the trap.
Mechanics. The legs close across the opponent’s leg to destabilise them before control is taken — one leg sweeps high and one low so the support is folded out from under them; the destabilisation must come first, since the scissor unbalances rather than directly pins.
Cross-reference. “Scissors takedown” and “Flying scissors” are sibling aliases. Full mechanical coverage on Kani Basami.