Is there a way to consistently knock enemies down without grappling them? I've done it on accident a few times i think, but i dont know how to do it. I want to play through the game being a consistent top rather than bottom.

Yes... although grappling is easier. You have to lower the enemy's balance when it's at it's lowest, it'll make them fall. Well to be fair you just need their balance to go lower then 0. Honestly I'd just stick with grappling, less of a pain. 

Try the attack "Overrun". You'll have to stack up a bit on Agi and End in order to do enough attacks in a row to actually knock them down.