Chains / Solo mat / Build

Bridge, then to the knees

A bridge, a hip heist and a settle into combat base, one after another.

Two or three movements in the order they actually happen, so the finish of one is the start of the next.

Phases of this study

1. Bridge. Heels drive, chest turns toward a shoulder.
2. Lower. Under control.
3. Heist. Post, lift and turn over the hand.
4. Knees. Head up on landing.
5. Combat base. One foot posted, toes tucked.

Common faults

Bridge with no direction

Straight up and down, so the heist starts from nowhere.

Turn without a post

The hand is not on the mat when the hips turn.

Kneeling flat

The chain ends on both knees with the hips behind them.

Why it matters

The bridge moves weight; the heist turns you over; combat base is where you arrive. This is the honest solo version of the turn to the knees, with the turn itself shown as a heist rather than as a partner escape.

Drill prescription

3 rounds of 45 seconds work with 25 seconds rest. Bridge, lower, heist, base. Alternate the shoulder you bridge toward.

Scope

Solo drill on a mat. No partner, no grips, no weight, no pressure and no resistance are shown. Not coach-verified: a qualified instructor has not reviewed the animation or these notes. The transition from the bridge into the turn is not animated as one movement; the beats are separate starting positions.

Cues the timer will call

1. Heels drive the bridge.
2. Post before the heist.
3. Arrive in base with the head up.

Movement notes: Shoulder-supported bridge

1. Feet close. Draw both heels close to the hips before anything moves.
2. Drive the heels. Drive through the heels, not the toes, and keep the head resting on the mat.
3. Hips high. Take the hips as high as is comfortable and let the upper back turn slightly toward one shoulder.
4. Lower. Lower with control instead of dropping.

Watch for. This is not a neck bridge; do not load the crown of the head. The turn shown here is deliberately small: how far a bridge turns depends on the partner it is answering, which a solo study cannot show.

Movement notes: Hip heist

1. Seated, hand posted. Sit with one hand posted behind you and the free hand in front.
2. Hips lift and turn. Drive through the planted foot so the hips lift and turn toward the posted hand.
3. Knee finds the mat. Swing the free leg under and set the knee down facing where the post was.
4. Hands and knees. Arrive on hands and knees with the head up and the base wide.

Watch for. The hips lift and turn as one movement; sitting up and then crawling to the knees is a different thing. A heist under a partner's weight is a coaching matter, and this study cannot show it.

Movement notes: Kneeling posture to combat base

1. Tall on both knees. Kneel tall with the hips over the knees and the hands in front.
2. Post a foot. Post one foot forward beside the other knee without leaning over it.
3. Combat base. Settle with the rear toes tucked, the hands ready and the eyes level.
4. Return. Return the foot and repeat on the other side.

Watch for. Combat base is a base, so the hips stay under the shoulders; leaning the chest over the posted knee gives the base away. Which knee is up depends on the partner, which this study cannot show.

Rehearse, then reflect

Open the visual study to step the phases on the live model. Start slowly using the movement taught by your coach, pause between repetitions and keep the range comfortable. Add the study to a session when you want a timed block, and record one useful observation afterward.