Situational / Solo mat / Build

Top position: solo base

Combat base, sprawl and back to combat base: the top player's base rehearsed alone.

Shapes grouped by the position they belong to, plus the reflection blocks that turn a class into notes.

Phases of this study

1. Combat base. One foot posted, hips under the shoulders.
2. Standing base. Rise and settle.
3. Sprawl. Hips back and down.
4. Combat base again. Recover to one knee.
5. Return. Foot back, tall.

Common faults

Hips behind the shoulders

The base leans forward and could be pulled over.

Sprawl with the chest

The fold at the waist again.

Head down

Any shape with the eyes on the mat.

Why it matters

The top player's base, rehearsed alone: kneeling, standing, sprawling and back. Head up in every shape is the one cue that survives all four.

Drill prescription

3 rounds of 60 seconds work with 30 seconds rest. One pass per repetition. Alternate the posted foot each pass.

Scope

Solo drill on a mat. No partner, no grips, no weight, no pressure and no resistance are shown. Not coach-verified: a qualified instructor has not reviewed the animation or these notes. Top position is defined by the person underneath, who is not shown.

Cues the timer will call

1. Hips under the shoulders.
2. Sprawl with the hips, recover with the feet.
3. Head up in every shape.

Movement notes: Kneeling posture to combat base

1. Tall on both knees. Kneel tall with the hips over the knees and the hands in front.
2. Post a foot. Post one foot forward beside the other knee without leaning over it.
3. Combat base. Settle with the rear toes tucked, the hands ready and the eyes level.
4. Return. Return the foot and repeat on the other side.

Watch for. Combat base is a base, so the hips stay under the shoulders; leaning the chest over the posted knee gives the base away. Which knee is up depends on the partner, which this study cannot show.

Movement notes: Standing base

1. Feet apart. Stand in a comfortable staggered base.
2. Knees available. Keep enough knee bend to change your level.
3. Hands ready. Keep your hands available without reaching past your base.
4. Settle. Pause and verify your balance.

Watch for. Not a complete stance for every grappling ruleset.

Movement notes: Sprawl

1. Standing base. Start in a staggered standing base with the hands in front.
2. Hips back, hands down. Shoot the hips back and drop the hands toward the mat as the chest comes forward.
3. Hips through the mat. Drive the hips down and through with the legs long behind you and the weight on the hands and the balls of the feet.
4. Recover the base. Bring the feet back under you and recover the standing base.

Watch for. The hips go back and down; bending at the waist with the hips left high is not a sprawl. There is no shot to sprawl on in a solo study, so timing and where the hips land on a partner are coaching questions.

Rehearse, then reflect

Open the visual study to step the phases on the live model. Start slowly using the movement taught by your coach, pause between repetitions and keep the range comfortable. Add the study to a session when you want a timed block, and record one useful observation afterward.