Complexity Rating ★

Cardiovascular Rating ★★

Purpose

Build and reinforce important elevation mechanics for Open Guard and Butterfly Guard.

Description

Training Partner Starting Position. The training partner will Triangle Sit (Seiza) with their knees and feet on the floor, both Laces Down and the balls of the feet are acceptable.  The hands have no specific placement, but will be used to base during the elevation.

Practicing Student. The practicing student will start in the Butterfly Guard position by sitting on their buttocks and bending both legs.  The bottoms of the practicing student’s feet will be touching and the ankles should be inserted into the space between the assisting student’s knees.  The practicing student should take care to keep space between their buttocks and their ankles but not fully extend the legs.  Once comfortably in the Butterfly position the practicing student will firmly grasp the assisting student’s belt knot with both hands.

To initiate the drill the practicing student will pull on the belt knot and slide their buttocks towards their own heels.  As the buttocks touches the heels the practicing student will lean back and roll their back onto the floor.  This lean, combined with the pulling of the belt, should firmly seat the assisting student’s thighs on the practicing student’s shins, and pull them on top of the practicing student.

As the assisting student’s base is transferred from their knees to the practicing student’s shins, the practicing student should lift slightly with their ankles.  This lift, from behind the assisting student’s thighs should off balance, and elevate the assisting student.  The assisting student should then place both hands on the floor to maintain the top position, but avoid placing their feet on the floor.

The practicing student will then lower the assisting student by relaxing their legs and allow the assisting student to return to the ground into the starting position.  As the assisting student is lowered to the ground the practicing student should partially extend their legs away and use the momentum to return to the seated position.  This should leave the practicing student in the starting position to then immediately perform another repetition. 

Common Mistakes 

• Commonly students will over extend their legs during the lift.  This will create a clear pathway directly to mount.  Remind students that the shins need to stay partially bent to create a frame/shield to prevent pulling the training partner into mount.

• During the lowering it is important for the practicing student to lock their hip while extending their legs.  This will naturally pull their back off the floor to re-enter a seated position.  If the practicing student is ending the movement with their back on the floor this aspect must be revisited.

• Some students will try to lift with their legs before they pull their buttocks to their own heels.  This will be nearly impossible and the focus needs to be first on pulling them on top of the shins before it is on lifting with the ankles.

Testing Threshold 

Time 30 Seconds

Requirement 15 Repetitions