Stuff the Head, take the Back

Complexity Rating ★★★

Cardiovascular Rating ★★

Purpose

Build and refine effective pathways for side to side transitions against an opponent who inserts an Underhook.

Description

Training Partner Starting Position. The assisting student will lie on their back with their legs bent and their feet flat on the floor.  The hands should be placed in the Home Alone position.

Practicing Student. The practicing student will start in a modified Side Control Position by entering a Triangle Sit perpendicular to the assisting student. The practicing student will then take the hand closest to the assisting student’s legs and post it on the floor on the far side of the assisting student's body.  The other hand will be posted on the near side next to the assisting student's head.  Both arms should be extended, leaving a large amount of space between the student’s bodies.  

To start the drill, the assisting student will place their far side arm in the practicing student’s armpit to create an Underhook.  Once the hand is in place the assisting student will Shrimp.

The practicing student will remove their far side hand from the floor and make a fist. The fist will then be placed on the near side of the hip creating a chock.  The other hand will be placed on the assisting student’s ear and lightly pushed down.  Next the practicing student will step over the head into the Head Sit position.  As the leg steps over the head, the hand may be removed from the ear to make a clear pathway for Head Sit.

Next the practicing student will make a fist with the hand that was previously pressing down on the ear.  The fist will then be placed directly next to the other fist that is chocking the hip.  As the fist touches the floor the practicing student will Back Step into Kesa Gatame on the opposite side.  As the hips hit the floor, the practicing student should immediately pop back up to their knees and place the hands in the modified Side Control Starting position.  

Common Mistakes

  • When stepping into the Head Sit position it is very important that practicing students avoid kneeing the assisting student in the face.  The hand pushing lightly on the head should be able to help with this, as the practicing student will be physically attached to the assisting student.As the practicing student becomes more proficient, the head will be cupped with a Sloth Grip and the forearm will push down on the head (opposed to the hand pushing down on the ear).  This will add some depth to the transition as the practicing student can pull the assisting student’s head preventing him/her from rolling their back flat to the floor during the movement.
  • The second fist must reinforce the chocking hand during the pivot off of the Head Sit position otherwise the pathway for the Back Step will not be correct.  
  • The assisting student must shrimp and get their back off the floor for this drill to be effective.  Encourage the assisting student to move their body with the intent of bellying down (without actually going all the way belly down).

Testing Threshold

Time 45 Seconds

Requirement 23 Repetitions


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