Student Objectives:
The student will pass the Butterfly Guard by using the Hands on Knees pass with good technique on a compliant partner.
The student will develop dynamic linear hip movement by practicing the Hands to Knees Butterfly Guard Pass with a compliant partner.
Teaching Cues:
Hands to Knees
Pop Up
Hips Forward
Lesson: Hands to Knees Hop Over Butterfly Pass
The assisting student will start in the Butterfly Position by sitting, with posture, on their buttocks. Their legs should be gently bent with their heels close to the groin. Their wrists should be placed on their own knees with their palms facing up. The practicing student will Triangle Sit with one knee on either side of the assisting student’s feet.
Once in position the assisting student will take Double Underhooks with Inside Head Control. The practicing student will then take both hands and place them on the assisting student’s knees with the fingers rotated in and the elbows flared out.
The practicing student will squeeze their knees together lightly trapping the assisting stduent’s ankles. This will slightly adjust the assisting student’s knees by bringing them closer together and provide a better base to push off with the hands.
After squeezing the knees around the ankles, the practicing student will transfer as much weight as possible to their hands and push down on the knees. This should create a strong lifting motion and the practicing student should pop directly to their feet. Immediately upon getting to the feet, the practicing student should thrust forward with their hips in an exaggerated pelvic thrust. This thrust should carry the hips over the tops of the assisting student’s knees and allow a clean transition into the mount position.
Possible Extensions:
I like to pair this technique with the Grapevine from Mount. Due to the exaggerated pelvic movement I often find the ending position has my feet in the correct place to easily hook the ankles of my opponent. This can be a great option, especially in the kids division, as many children do not know how to deal with the Grapevine.
This pairs very well with the Bull Rider Mount Escape and can turn this pass into a drill. Keep in mind the Bull Rider Escape is not in the youth curriculum but can be reviewed via the Reference Material section of this lesson.
The Hands to Knees Hop Over is really a great option when paired with other lateral guard passes. The Steering Wheel Pass is a great pass and creates a great “A and B” option.
Possible Refinements:
Make sure when the student’s thrust forward that they do so with the intent of falling. Often students will try to maintain their balance when doing this move and stay on their feet. This will provide the assisting student the opportunity to read the move and adjust their posture to set up an effective Open Guard.
Make sure to prepare the students for the transition by warning them about the pelvic thrust. The goal of the pelvic thrust is to make contact with the chest of the assisting student (for a clean transition into mount), however, it is not uncommon to make contact with the assisting student’s face if they are not expecting the transition. Both the practicing student, and the assisting student should be trying to make this transition clean while drilling to avoid trauma to the face.
Make sure the elbows are bowed out and away from the body as the practicing student pops up to their feet. If the elbows are tucked in towards the ribs and the practicing student thrusts their pelvis forward they will be fighting against their own body alignment and may inadvertently armbar themselves.
Reference materials:
Teaching Reflections:
How did I do teaching?
What could I do better next time?
Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?