Down block / hips back first
Defence / Solo mat / Build
The hips shoot back and the hands drop to block at knee height, eyes still up, then the stance is rebuilt.
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 down block is the smallest defence there is: the first reaction to a level change, before a sprawl is needed. It only works if the hips go first. A hand block with the hips still forward is a leg handed over.
The phases
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.
Down block
- Stance. Start in the stance with the head up.
- Hips back. Shoot the hips back and down before anything else moves.
- Hands block low. Drop the hands to knee height in front of the base, eyes still up.
- Rebuild. Bring the hands up and the hips forward to rebuild the stance.
Watch for: The hands drop with the hips, not before them. A hand block with the hips still forward is a shot given away.
Three common faults
- Hands first
- The arms drop while the hips stay where they were. Watch the order at the side camera: hips, then hands.
- Blocking at the mat
- The hands go all the way down and the body follows. Knee height is the block; the mat is a sprawl.
- Head dropping
- The eyes follow the hands down. Eyes up while the hands are low.
In the room
- Hips back before the hands drop.
- Block at knee height in front of the base, not at the mat.
- Bring the hands back as the stance returns.
Drill prescription
| Rounds | 3 rounds |
|---|---|
| Repetitions | 10 blocks |
| Rest | 30 s |
Pair with the level change so the two reactions are drilled together.
Open the visual study ↗Where it sits
Mechanics: One movement at a time, slowed down: ties, entries, finishes and the shapes that stop them.
Also in this stage: Solo penetration step, Snap down / hips first, Hand fighting / inside position, Single leg entry / head outside.