Complexity Rating ★

Cardiovascular Rating ★

Purpose

Develop side to side transitions while building confidence in jumping while grappling.

Description

Training Partner Starting Position.  The assisting student will lie on their back, with their legs bent and their feet flat.  The hands should be placed in the Home Alone position.

Practicing Student. The practicing student will start by kneeling next to the assisting student.  The bodies should be parallel with each other with the practicing student’s head facing the same direction as the assisting student.

To start the drill, the practicing student will take their near arm and reach over the assisting student’s body. Then make a thumbs down with the arm over the body.  The shoulder of the “thumbs down” arm will then be placed on the assisting student’s near side hip and then the thumb can be curled back under the assisting students legs pulling the thumb in tight towards the assisting students' buttocks.  The outside hand should be used to base on the floor and protect the practicing student’s neck.Next the practicing student will elevate their hips by pushing off of both feet.  Pressure should be transferred to the assisting student’s hip via the practicing student’s shoulder.  After elevating the hips, the inside leg will be extended towards the ceiling.  As the leg becomes fully extended, as high as possible, the practicing student will push off their other leg and jump to the other side.  

Once on the other side, the practicing student will return to their knees and sit up with posture, then realign their body parallel and make the thumbs down orientation before reaching over the body.  This should leave the practicing student in the starting position on the other side and allow for a lot of quick repetitions. 

Common Mistakes 

  • Make sure the practicing student is switching their head between reps.  Prior to jumping over, the only thing across the body should be the “thumbs down” arm.

  • When jumping, it is ok to jump with both feet at the same time.  It is also ok to exaggerate the near leg to jump over first.  However, it is not ok to lead the transition with the outside leg, as it will turn the practicing student’s back towards the floor.

  • All of the pressure should be put onto the hip via the shoulder.  Sometimes students will try to base on their head while jumping over and this can lead to injuries.  Make sure the practicing student is not putting any weight onto their head and that the outside, posted hand, is protecting the neck in the case of a bad jump.

  • Make sure the assisting student has Home Alone hands.  These hands will be used to push the practicing student back towards the floor (away from the assisting student’s face) if the jump trajectory is off.  

Testing Threshold 

Time 40 Seconds

Requirement 20 Repetitions