Student Objectives:
The student will explore the Knee on Belly position including various balance points.
The student will practice transitions in and out of Knee on Belly.
Teaching Cues:
Knee On Belly
Shoulders back hips forward
Ear Muffs (hands on each side of the head)
Knees together, ankles together
Post the foot
Proud peacock (remove the hands from the floor, shoulders back, hips forward)
Lesson: Knee Dance
The assisting student will lay on the ground with their hands in the Home Alone position, with their legs bent and their feet flat on the floor. The practicing student will start in the Knee on Belly position with one knee on the belly, one foot posted in line with the assisting student’s shoulder with the foot flat on the floor.
The practicing student should have good posture. Encourage good posture by saying “shoulders back, hips forward”. The balance point on the shin can be anywhere from the tip of the knee to the center of the shin. Allowing students to explore various balance points has value.
Once the practicing student feels comfortable in the Knee on Belly position they will place their hands on the floor, one on each side of the head of the assisting student. This will partially break the posture of the practicing student. As the child becomes more proficient at the Knee Dance there are other placements for the hands that have less technical liability, but this is the best for teaching the movement.
Once their hands are on the floor they will bring the knee of the posted foot onto the chest and place it directly next to the knee that is on the belly. The knees should be touching at this point. Then the practicing student will connect their ankles as they transfer all of their weight to their knees and hands. This should leave the ankles free floating without any weight on them.
In one motion, the practicing student will bring both ankles over the assisting student’s body to the other side and transition into Knee on Belly by placing the outside leg on the floor in line with the shoulder. Remember the foot should be posted flat and then the hands will be removed from the floor to emphasize good posture (Shoulders back, hips forward).
Great care should be given by the practicing student to avoid touching their feet and/or ankles to the thighs of the assisting student. Make sure you emphasize that touching the thighs commonly leads to being put back in the Guard.
Possible Extensions:
Have the student start with a Three Step Guard Pass and upon entering the Knee on Belly have the practicing student immediately Knee Dance.
Have the practicing student start in Mount and transfer all the weight to their knees. Then take the foot and bring it back across the belt line and hook the hip. Then have the student sit up into a good Knee on Belly position and then immediately place their hands back on the floor to Knee Dance to the far side.
Start the practicing student in Side Control and have them practice popping up into the Knee on Belly position before transitioning into the Knee Dance. This sandwiches the movement in between two static positions and highlights how the Knee Dance should be used.
Possible Refinements:
Make sure the student is removing their hands from the floor and returning to good posture before executing the next repetition. It is common for students to become proficient at this moment and try to do their reps quickly. This leads to improper technique and bad habits. In reality you want your hands posted for the least amount of time.
It is very common for students to post on the balls of their feet and rotate their upper body towards the assisting student. This will lift their heel off the floor and change the angle of the Knee on Belly. There are times when this is ok to do, but it has limited technique options and is not the purpose of this particular Knee on Belly lesson.
Reference materials:
Teaching Reflections:
How did I do teaching?
What could I do better next time?
Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?