BJJ Basics – Mastering the Mount
BJJ Basics – Mastering the Mount
In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, no matter how much of a submission hunter you may be – or want to be – the fact is: positional dominance is crucial. Yes, you might be able to throw a hail Mary submission and get it… but that’s going to be relatively rare. In our new Kingz blog series, we’ll be covering some of the more basic positions and techniques in the world of jiu-jitsu. Starting with the “mount.”
The mount is one of the most dominant positions in BJJ. If you’ve ever seen one of the “hierarchy of BJJ positions” charts, you’ll see that mount is right up there at the top, just underneath back control.
So, learning how to effectively control and attack from this position is fundamental to improving your overall jiu-jitsu game. In this blog post, we will cover the essentials of mastering the mount in BJJ, including key principles for controlling the position, how to transition into other positions, and a few common submissions.
Understanding the Mount Position
Most people reading this should have some basic understanding of what “mount” is. But for those who are just stumbling into the world of jiu-jisu, the mount position is when you are seated on your opponent’s chest or torso, with your knees on the mat, on either side of their body, feet facing back. From this position, you have a significant offensive advantage due to your ability to apply pressure, keep your opponent in a relatively weak position (flat on his/her back), and attack with various submissions.
Just as with everything in jiu-jitsu, there are different variations of the mount. The most common of these include:
- Standard (or “Low”) Mount: You’re sitting directly on your opponent’s stomach, with your knees close to your opponent’s hips. This provides a stable base, but fewer submission opportunities.
- High Mount: You’re sitting a little higher on the chest, with your knees close to your opponent’s armpits, and maybe your feet cupped around his/her hips. This allows you to isolate their arms and apply upper-body submissions more easily.
- S-Mount: You’re sitting high on your opponent’s chest, with one knee close to your opponent’s head, and the other leg tucked with the foot facing his/her head (creating an S-shape with your lower body). This is particularly effective for setting up submissions like the armbar.
Key Principles of Mount Control
To master mount – or any position, really – you need to focus on maintaining control while limiting your opponent's ability to escape or counterattack. Here are some essential principles specific to the mount:
- Base and Balance: The key to a great base in mount is to stay low and wide. In the mount, you’ll want wide knees, with your butt and upper body low. This will make it difficult for your opponent to bridge or roll you off.
- Pressure: You’ll want to apply consistent downward pressure through your hips, forcing your opponent to carry your weight. This limits their ability to move effectively or efficiently, thereby draining their energy and ability to attack if they do escape. Shoulder pressure is also useful here.
- Hooks and Posts: Use your feet and hands to maintain balance and prevent escapes. Your feet will either be cupped over their hips, or hooked tightly under their legs. You can use your hands to post on the mat or on your opponent to limit their movements or maintain your base as they try to buck and roll.
Transitioning In and Out Mount
An important aspect of mastering any position is being able to transition, both into and out of the position, as well fluidly between variations of the position. The mount is no different. This is a skill that will allow you to respond to your opponent's movements, to either maintain the position or capitalize on their desperate movements in order to set up submissions effectively.
- Into Mount: The number one danger in transitioning into mount is keeping your leg from being caught up in a half guard on your way into the position. Whether transitioning from an inside guard pass or from side control, the trick will be moving your entry leg high across your opponent’s upper leg or hips, to keep them from pushing it down into guard.
- Out of Mount: Sometimes you’ll find your best course of action is to transition out of mount, either sliding off into side control or transitioning to the back. As you move, your opponent may take advantage of your shift of base and either sweep you or put you into guard. Keeping your weight low, and your body as close to your opponent as possible as you move, will help.
- Between Mount Positions: Shifting between the different mounts will be easier than into and out of mount, but the dangers remain the same. As you move, you put yourself at risk of your opponent taking advantage of that movement. Stay low and heavy, while trying to keep your opponent flat on his/her back will minimize their ability to defend.
Common Submissions from the Mount
The mount position provides a variety of submission opportunities. Knowing what they are and drilling them enough that you’re able to add them into your jiu-jitsu arsenal, will make you a more dangerous grappler.
Here are some of the most common submissions from the mount, and some good instructional videos for them:
Armbar:
Shoulder Locks (Americana, Kimura):
Cross Collar Choke:
Ezekiel Choke:
As with anything in jiu-jitsu, being able to “master” a technique takes a lot of time on the mat. Just “knowing” what you can and cannot do is no replacement for drilling and attempting to execute the positions or technique against opponents of all levels. By focusing on these key considerations and drilling them over-and-over again, you’ll become more proficient in maintaining the mount and finishing fights from this advantageous position.
And always remember… BJJ is a journey. Your journey be different than everybody else’s, and that’s where the magic of jiu-jitsu lies.