Referee's position / bottom base
Mat / Solo mat / Foundation
The hands-and-knees starting position, held and checked: hips over knees, back flat, head up.
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
Every bottom escape and every top ride starts here, and the position most people hold is wrong before anyone touches them: hips behind the knees, back rounded, head down. A correct referee's position is already halfway to a sit-out or a stand-up.
The phases
Referee's position, bottom
- Hands and knees. Kneel with the knees under the hips and the tops of the feet on the mat.
- Hips over knees. Post both hands in front of the shoulders, fingers spread.
- Back flat. Keep the back flat rather than rounded or arched.
- Head up. Look forward, not at the mat; this is a held position.
Watch for: Hips behind the knees or a rounded back both make the next movement slower. A held position, not a movement.
Three common faults
- Hips behind the knees
- The weight sits back on the heels. Hips directly over the knees, or a little in front.
- Rounded back
- The spine curves and the hips tuck. Flat from hips to head, like a table.
- Looking at the mat
- The head hangs between the arms. Eyes forward.
In the room
- Knees under the hips, tops of the feet on the mat.
- Hands posted in front of the shoulders, fingers spread.
- Back flat, eyes forward. Hold and breathe.
Drill prescription
| Rounds | 3 holds |
|---|---|
| Repetitions | 15 s each |
| Rest | 15 s |
Do it before every bottom study; it is the start of all of them.
Open the visual study ↗Where it sits
Foundations: The base, the level change and the four ways the feet move. Everything else stands on this.
Also in this stage: Stance / base check, Level change / reset, Stance / circle movement, Square stance / hold.
On the boards: Bottom chain, Four weeks: foundations.