Student Objectives:
The student will use the Underhook to take the Back from the Half Guard position against a non resistant partner.
The student will identify the 3 modes of control from the Half Guard Position.
Teaching Cues:
Underhook
Frame and Listen
Out the Back
Seatbelt
Lesson: Underhook and Out the Back
The practicing student will start in the Half Guard position by laying on their side and using their bottom leg hooked around the knee pit and Calf of the assisting student. The assisting student will take a modified Turtle position with both arms fully extended (not on their forearm) and making sure to leave space between their heels and their buttocks. For the initial learning of this position, have the practicing student place one hand on either side of the practicing student’s body.
If the practicing student has correct body angle, they should be facing the bicep/arm of the assisting student. The practicing student should take both hands and place them on the bicep directly in front of their face. The top arm will be close to the shoulder and the forearm should frame across the chest.
Once in the starting position it’s important to have a conversation about the Three Modes of Control from Side Control.
Avoid the Cross Face. The hands on the bicep have an important job, and that job is to protect against the Crossface. Before obtaining the Underhook both hands can frame and make space. When one of those hands turns into an Underhook the other Hand needs to stay on the bicep until they get good head positioning to prevent the Crossface.
Body Angle. Being flat on your back will pin you to the floor and remove your lateral hip movement options. It also makes you susceptible to the Crossface and reorients your hips to prevent bellying down or coming out the back. Lastly, it exposes the correct angle for your partner to get the Underhook.
The Underhook. The underhook is the pathway to the back. It is also very difficult for your opponents/partners to maintain a dominant position if you have the Underhook after they pass.
These 3 modes of control are extremely important. If one player has all 3, progression to the next position is inevitable.
To start the transition to the back, the practicing student will move their top hand to the underhook position by first leading with their elbow to their top hip, then over their hip until their hand clears out from under the assisting student's body. Once the hand has cleared, the practicing student will take a grip high across the back into the far armpit area. The exact distance and grip will change and the focus should be on the practicing student firmly pressing their shoulder to the back of the assisting partners armpit/upper ribcage.
Now that the practicing student has a firm underhook they will take the hand that is still on the bicep and push on the inside of the assisting student’s far knee. This will stretch out their base, while also exposing their back. While pushing the knee the practicing student should crunch their head down by the assisting student’s belly button to hide their head from the Crossface.
To finish taking the back, The practicing student will turn their chest towards the floor to come up on their forearm/elbow. While making this transition it’s important to put forward pressure with their underhooking arm’s shoulder, as the goal is to slightly move the assisting student forward while the practicing student is progressing out the back. As the practicing student starts to progress towards the back, the hooking leg from the Half Guard will flare out to give increased base and allow the raising of the body above the assisting students.
To secure the transition the practicing student will take a Seatbelt Grip by using the basing arm to go between the shoulder and ear, and the underhooking arm will go beneath the far armpit to lock the hands together.
Possible Extensions:
The above lesson plan starts from a good Half Guard with the Crossface blocked and good body angle. Learning how to re-pummel is an important technique as well and fits right into this lesson. Have the practicing student start flat on their back with the Crossface blocked by the hand on the bicep. Have the assisting student apply light chest to chest pressure and start with the underhook. To complete the re-pummel the practicing student will use their non hooking leg to Bridge up and on to their side. If the crossface is blocked correctly there should be enough space for the practicing student to regain their Underhook (and body angle) by dropping their hips and leading with their elbow into the Underhook position. The rest of the movement is as above in the lesson plan.
Once ending in the seatbelt position the practicing student can pull the assisting student back to the mat by pushing off the non-hooking leg. This transition will take some practice to learn the correct angle to overcome the base of the assisting student’s posted arm. Make sure to have the assisting student drop to their forearm during this portion of the movement so that they do not injure their elbow. Once broken down there will often be a need for little adjustments to make for a conventional back control.
Possible Refinements:
It is common for students to try and lead with the hand to get the underhook. This will often crowd the space by catching the elbow on the shoulder or bicep of the assisting student.
Make sure they are leading with their elbow into the armpit to secure the underhook. Make sure the student is always aware of the assisting student’s crossface. Any time that a Crossface is a possibility the hand needs to be on the bicep otherwise they will get crossfaced, and then flattened out.
Make sure the legs that are controlling in the Half Guard are both on the outside of the calf. This will help orientate the hips towards the assisting student. If the feet are on the inside then it will align the body with the lower back towards the floor.
Reference materials:
Teaching Reflections:
How did I do teaching?
What could I do better next time?
Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?