Student Objectives:
Teaching Cues:
Lesson: Reverse Sit Luis Pass
Entering Reverse Sit without the arm
The assisting student will start on the ground, laying on their side with their chest facing the practicing student. The practicing student will place one leg in between the assisting student’s legs and the other knee will be placed on the floor away from the assisting student. Once in the Half Guard position, the assisting student will place their hands in the Home Alone.
To enter into the Reverse Sit the practicing student will initiate 3 movements simultaneously. This can be difficult for students new to the position and can be taught individually, however it should be noted that as proficiency increases so should the ability to perform these movements simultaneously.
The above steps are essential to the position and need to be drilled until they can be executed together, quickly, and with precision.
To solidify the position, the practicing student will use the hand closest to their leg that is trapped in Half Guard and grab their own foot. The foot will then be pulled close to the assisting student’s tailbone. This is extremely important in changing the angle and pressure of the assisting student’s Half Guard and will significantly impede their ability to maintain control of the leg.
In the previous lessons the practicing student may have communicated an off balance feeling while in this position. Without the Underhook being trapped across the practicing students chest, they may feel more comfortable and secure in this position. While the balancing aspect is much easier without the arm in, there are more escaping options with the arm out. While there are no Reverse Sit defenses currently in the curriculum, it may bring value to the students, and the Reverse Sit position, to include that material as a supporting technique.
The Pass
To execute the Luis Pass, the practicing student will untuck the assisting student’s kimono from their belt and take the far side lapel in their hand that is posted on the floor. The practicing student will then make a Spear hand with their other hand and place it on their own thigh where the legs are entangled with the goal of passing it under the assisting student’s knee pit.
The space is very commonly crowded, and the hand may have a difficult time passing through this space. When the hand meets the friction of the knee and it can’t progress anymore, the practicing student will allow their foot that is planted close to the assisting studnet’s tailbone to slide directly away from the buttocks. This will create a pocket of space that allows the hand to slide through. Make sure the hand is waiting to make the transition as soon as the foot slides away. If this opportunity is missed, simply reset the foot and make the transition again.
Once the hand has passed through the space at the back of the knee pit the practicing student will hand the lapel off making sure the palm is orientated towards the floor as the grip is made. Now that the lapel is passed to the hand, the practicing student should apply tension to the grip by extending the arm and slightly leaning back. This should make it difficult to post, shrimp or bridge.
Next the practicing student will use the freehand and the foot trapped in Half Guard to elevate their hips and slide the non-trapped knee across the assisting student’s belt line (Bear Crawl). Once the knee is in place the practicing student will return to the seated position and adjust their base.
This position is extremely secure and can be difficult for the assisting student to escape. This can be used as a resting position to deplete the assisting student’s cardio as it is also uncomfortable for the assisting student. It will be important to point out that this position, while dominant, is not a finishing position and the practicing student will still need to attack and try to advance their position.
To finish the pass, the practicing student will anchor their free hand on the belt or kimono while maintaining a base on the forearm. Then the practicing student will lean back towards the assisting student’s head while pushing with the tip of the knee that is across the beltline. This push/pull dynamic will create a very strong prying pressure on the knees and allow for the ankle to be pulled from between the legs. The angle for the lean is very important as the practicing student should never lean back over the floor otherwise the assisting student may be able to rock up and reverse the position.
Once the ankle has been cleared from between the assisting student’s legs the foot should be posted and then transitioned into a more conventional Side Control position.
Possible Extensions:
Possible Refinements:
Reference materials:
Teaching Reflections: