Stand / rebuild stance
Mat / Solo mat / Foundation
Recover a stable base from a seated starting shape.
Solo study. Solo rehearsal of a shape a coach has already shown you. No partner, no resistance, no finish against anyone. Not coach-verified.
Why it matters
A stand-up that ends standing is not finished; it ends in a stance. This study adds the stance to the end of the stand-up so the last beat, the one that gets skipped in a scramble, is part of the rehearsal.
The phases



Seated base
- Sit tall. Use a comfortable seated position on a mat.
- Set a base. Keep one foot available to support movement.
- Hands ready. Hands can frame or post according to the task.
- Hold. Pause without collapsing onto the lower back.
Watch for: This shows solo base only, not a partner escape.
Technical stand-up • sequence map
- Seated base. Use a planted foot and the opposite posted hand.
- Post and lift. Lift the hips while the free hand remains in front.
- Leg clears back. Bring the free leg back into space behind you.
- Stand. Establish both feet before releasing the post.
Watch for: Use the camera to inspect the supporting hand and opposite foot. Learn the full movement in class before practising independently.
Wrestling stance
- Base. Begin with a base wide enough to move from.
- Knees flexed. Flex the knees and hips while keeping the head up.
- Hands ready. Hands stay ahead of the body, ready to make contact.
- Hold shape. Maintain a shape you can move from in either direction.
Watch for: Do not turn a lower stance into looking down at the mat.
Three common faults
- Standing tall at the end
- The hips finish at standing height. The finish is the stance, hips lowered.
- Rushing the post
- The posting hand leaves before the feet are set. Feet first, then release.
- Looking down
- The eyes drop to the mat on the way up. Head up throughout.
In the room
- Clear space around your hands and feet.
- Move through the transition slowly.
- Finish balanced before starting again.
Drill prescription
| Rounds | 3 rounds |
|---|---|
| Repetitions | 6 returns |
| Rest | 30 s |
Do it after the sit-out and the hip heist so every bottom study ends on the feet.
Open the visual study ↗Where it sits
Defence and recovery: Sprawl, spin, front headlock, and getting back to a base from the mat.
Also in this stage: Solo sprawl / recover, Front headlock shape, Sprawl and spin behind, Seated-to-standing base.
On the boards: Back in position, Solo mat block, Bottom chain.