Student Objectives:
The student will execute the Break Dance with good technique with a compliant partner.
The student will explore the value of position regression as a way to maintain overall positional dominance.
Teaching Cues:
Control the wrists
Straighten a leg
Don’t kick your partner in the face
Lesson: Break Dance
The assisting student will start with their back flat on the ground, their feet flat on the floor and their hands in the Home Alone position. The practicing student will get in the mount position with their hips over the hips of the assisting student. The practicing student will have full posture with their hands controlling both wrists of the assisting student.
The practicing student will straighten one leg and position the leg close to the head of the assisting student. Then the leg will be lifted and transition over the head while sliding their whole body off the mount position into a modified Side Control position. The practicing student will then quickly transition to a more positionally secure side control by attempting to position the hands in the crossface, the underhook or placing the hand on the floor near the hip.
Possible Extensions:
The Break Dance is an important transition to maintain positive position when the practicing student starts to lose control of the Mount position. The technique is very easy and can become mundane very quickly. For that reason extensions are important, or you can turn the movement into a drill by having the student combine the Break Dance with the Knee Pull to Mount so that the student can get a lot of reps in a short amount of time.
Have the assisting student perform a Hip Escape; as the assisting student is getting on their side this is a perfect time to execute the Break Dance. This will leave the practicing student in Side Control with the assisting student facing them. . It’s important to immediately rotate around the head towards the back.
Have the assisting student Bridge and turn. They won't be able to trap an arm as the starting position was Home Alone and the practicing student is controlling the wrists. However this is a common response, and it will allow the practicing student the ability to build the timing for this transition. Some students may inquire which way they should get off during the bridge and it does not matter although it will be easier to get off to the same direction as the Bridge if they initiate the movement late.
Possible Refinements:
Commonly students will resist moving their hands off of the assisting student’s wrists. This will make the transition of sliding the leg over the head impossible as the hands will be a physical barrier. Make sure the students know this when practicing.
As the leg is clearing the head the practicing student will need to move up and over to slightly angle their bottom away. This will give space for the practicing students' buttocks to hit the floor with a positive body angle to protect their back and immediately transition towards North/South.
Full posture will be a requirement for the practice of this movement. If the student needs to posture in order to straighten their leg then they will struggle on feeling like they don’t have enough time to complete the Break Dance and will get rolled over.
Reference materials:
Teaching Reflections:
How did I do teaching?
What could I do better next time?
Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?