Forward Roll to Base
Coordination & Body Control
Legend
- player
- movement path
How it works
Develop basic mat coordination by teaching young wrestlers to perform a forward roll and immediately return to a balanced athletic base.
What you need
- wrestling mat
Your focus
Tumbling skills like forward rolls build kinesthetic awareness and remove the fear of hitting the mat. The transition from roll to base develops the body control needed for scrambles and takedown defenses. Early exposure to controlled mat movement is foundational for every subsequent wrestling skill.
Wrestler stands at one end of the mat in athletic stance.
Performs a forward roll, chin tucked, rounded back, push off with feet.
Immediately upon standing, returns to a balanced wrestling base with arms ready.
Walk the length of the mat performing rolls every three steps; coach corrects tuck and base each time.
Goal
You've got it when you roll forward and spring back to your base in one connected movement, roll and recover, not roll then recover.
Helpful cues
- Tuck your chin before you roll
- Pop up quick, feet under you
- Land ready, not resting
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Perform the roll only, remove the base-return requirement until roll is consistent.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Alternate forward and backward rolls the length of the mat.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.