Sprawl ladder
Defence / Solo mat / Build
Stance, sprawl, stance, sprawl, on a clock, with the hips reaching the mat every time.
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
The sprawl that matters is the one in the last minute, and it is shorter, later and higher than the first one. A ladder of sprawls on a clock is how the full-depth habit is kept when the legs would rather not.
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.
Sprawl • solo pattern
- Stance. Use a clear, suitable mat.
- Hands toward mat. Prepare the hands to support a controlled lowering.
- Legs back. Send the legs behind as the hips lower.
- Recover. Bring the feet underneath you to recover.
Watch for: Opponent contact, hip pressure and a competitive finish are not depicted.
Three common faults
- Half sprawls
- The hips stop above the mat. Full depth every time, or fewer of them.
- Half stances
- The recovery stops at a crouch. All the way back to the stance.
- Speed over shape
- The count goes up and the shape goes. The clock is the target, not the count.
In the room
- Every sprawl reaches the mat. No half sprawls.
- Every recovery reaches the stance. No half stances.
- Slow down before the shape goes, not after.
Drill prescription
| Rounds | 5 rounds |
|---|---|
| Repetitions | 30 s continuous |
| Rest | 30 s |
Padded mat only. Stop the round when the shape stops.
Open the visual study ↗Where it sits
Conditioning: The same shapes, repeated on a clock, so the position survives being tired.
Also in this stage: Cued level changes.
On the boards: Four weeks: entries and defence, Four weeks: competition prep.