Few positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offer as much dominance as the mount. From here, you control your opponent’s movement, apply relentless pressure, and launch high-percentage submissions. It’s a position so powerful that Roger Gracie called it the ultimate position in BJJ. The bottom fighters are stuck carrying your weight and have limited escape options while you attack.
In NAGA and other competitions, the mount is one of the highest-scoring positions. Fighters who can hold it and rack up points often control the pace of the fight, forcing their opponent into desperation mode. But getting there is only half the battle, as a skilled opponent will bridge, shrimp, or trap a limb to escape. That’s why mastering control, pressure, and submission chains is crucial to dominating from this position.
What is The Mount in BJJ?
The mount is one of the most dominant positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where the top player straddles their opponent’s torso with their knees on the ground and hips controlling their opponent’s movement. This position is tough for the person on bottom as they’re pinned with very few escape options while the top player is free to attack.
Success from this position requires maintaining balance, control, and pressure while keeping the opponent from escaping. A skilled grappler knows how to distribute their weight properly to shut down explosive bridge attempts, nullify hip escapes, and set up high-percentage attacks.
Variations of the Mount
- High: By shifting their weight forward and sitting on the opponent’s upper chest and sternum, the top player severely limits the bottom player’s ability to bridge or shrimp. This position also isolates the opponent’s arms, making them highly vulnerable to armlocks, mounted triangles, and other submissions.
- Low: In low mount, the top player stays closer to the opponent’s belt line, keeping their hips heavy and applying smothering pressure. This variation makes it harder for the bottom player to create space and escape, allowing the attacker to drain their energy over time.
- Technical: Used when the opponent turns to their side in an escape attempt. Instead of staying centered, the top player shifts their weight, placing one knee behind the opponent’s back and the other foot planted near their hip. This allows for quick adjustments while maintaining control.
Basic Mechanics of The Mount
The mount is only as effective as the control you maintain over your opponent. Understanding the mechanics of the position will help you maintain control and set up submissions without losing the dominant position.
The most common entries include:
- Passing the Guard: One of the most reliable ways to secure mount is by executing a knee cut, leg drag, or torreando pass, then sliding a knee over the opponent’s torso. From side control, you can transition into mount by stepping over their body while maintaining control of their far side.
- Taking the Back and Rolling: If your opponent is turtled up, you can sometimes roll them forward and establish mount instead of taking back control.
- From Half Guard: A well-timed knee slide or a back-step pass can allow you to clear the opponent’s legs and land directly in mount.
- Offensive Sweeps: In some cases, sweeps from guard (such as the flower sweep or lumberjack sweep) will naturally land you in a mounted position.
Once mount is secured, your priority is to stabilize before attacking. Rushing for submissions without control often results in losing the position entirely. To maintain this positioning:
- Maintain Balance: Keep your knees wide for stability, adjusting to your opponent’s movements to stay on top.
- Control Your Opponent: Use your hips and chest pressure to pin them down, limiting their ability to escape.
- Neutralize Escape Attempts: Expect immediate escape attempts. Grapevine their legs, cross-face to prevent turning, and anticipate upa (bridge and roll) or elbow escapes. Adjust as needed to maintain control.
- Chest-to-Chest Pressure: Smothering pressure forces the bottom player to use more energy when trying to escape. Keeping a heavy mount makes it harder for them to shrimp or bridge effectively.
Since the early days of Vale Tudo, the Gracie family demonstrated that mount control allows smaller fighters to dominate larger opponents. Roger Gracie, is famous for his ability to hold mount with textbook pressure and finish fights with simple but effective cross chokes and armbars became legendary in competition. In today’s BJJ scene, the evolution of leg locks has shifted the focus of some grapplers, but the mount is still one of the most dominant and highest-scoring positions in competition.
Use in Gi vs. No-Gi
The gi provides additional grip options for control and submissions, such as collar chokes, lapel grips, and cross-collar setups. Gi players can also use lapel entanglements to trap their opponent’s arms, limiting their ability to defend.
Without the grips of a gi, no-gi mount control requires tighter body pressure, underhooks, and wrist control. Chokes like the arm triangle and Ezekiel choke (using the forearm instead of a gi sleeve) are often prioritized over collar chokes. Additionally, grapevining the legs and floating mount adjustments become crucial for staying on top.
Common Submissions from Mount
Once you’ve established control, it’s time to attack. The mount offers some of the highest percentage submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, forcing opponents into defensive positions where they’re forced to react which often means exposing something else.
Armbar: One of the most fundamental submissions from mount, the armbar is highly effective because opponents often extend their arms when trying to defend chokes, creating an easy opportunity for the top player to isolate a limb and apply the lock.
Americana: This shoulder lock works well against opponents who keep their arms close to their chest in a defensive shell. By trapping their wrist to the mat and forcing their elbow upward, the attacker applies torque to the shoulder, creating immense pressure.
Cross-Collar Choke: A classic gi submission, the cross-collar choke attacks the carotid arteries, cutting off blood flow to the brain.
Ezekiel Choke: An underrated but highly effective submission that works in both gi and no-gi settings. It involves using your own forearm or gi sleeve to create a tight choke around the opponent’s neck.
When and How to Use The Mount in BJJ
In BJJ, mount position is best used to wear down opponents, set up submissions, or transition to another dominant position. It’s often secured after passing guard or sweeping, and once established, pressure is key to keeping an opponent pinned, forcing defensive reactions, and limiting their options.
It also opens up opportunities for submissions like chokes and armlocks as opponents focus on survival rather than offense. A solid mount breaks opponents down mentally and physically, making them easier to submit. Knowing when to maintain pressure, attack, or transition is what makes the mount a truly fight-ending position.
Defending Against The Mount
Proper defense starts with staying calm, recognizing opportunities, and forcing the top player to make mistakes rather than panicking and wasting energy. A common error by the top player is focusing too much on submissions without maintaining control. If they loosen their base or lift their hips too high, the bottom player can bridge explosively to off-balance them or shrimp to create space.
A good defense also means being alert to escape opportunities. Techniques like the upa (bridge and roll) work best when the opponent is leaning forward or posting on one side, while the elbow escape (shrimping to recover guard) is more effective when space is created. Staying patient and waiting for the right moment can make all the difference in escaping a tight mount.
Drills to Improve Mount Skills
Regular practice on balance, submission setups, and escape prevention will sharpen your ability to control and attack.
Balance and Weight Distribution Drills
Mount your partner while they try to buck you off with their hands behind their head. This forces you to use hip adjustments, knee positioning, and weight shifts to stay on top. Try it blindfolded to improve reaction speed.
Submission Setup Drills
Work through a submission chain, such as attacking a cross-collar choke, switching to an armbar if they defend, or transitioning to an Americana if they stay tight. This builds muscle memory for seamless transitions.
Escape Prevention Drills
Have a partner attempt upa (bridge and roll) or elbow escapes while you practice posting, adjusting your base, and switching to technical mount. The goal? Shut them down before they get out.
Mastering the Mount
Whether you’re racking up points in competition or just making your training partner suffer under your pressure, a rock-solid mount puts you in control and forces your opponent into survival mode. Legends like Roger Gracie and Marcelo Garcia built entire strategies around the mount, proving that when done right, it’s an inescapable nightmare for the person on the bottom. But mastering it takes practice, patience, and a willingness to embrace the grind because holding mount against someone who’s desperately trying to escape is no easy feat.