Want a Better Mount for MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Now?
Article by Brian Deusenberry
We have all watched Mixed Martial Arts Competitions, seen a fighter get the mounted position and hear the crowd roar only to find the top fighter to get rolled or not be able to finish the fight. Even in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments you receive four points just for mounting your opponent. Is the mount more of a moral victory than an effective position?
The mount can be the most effective position in fighting, but you have to keep it and not get reversed. First off let’s divide the mount in two categories, a high mount and a low mount. The high mount is more for striking and the low mount is more for looking for a submission.
There is a documentary called “Gracie in Action” it’s about showing the effectiveness of Jiu-Jitsu. Time and time again the Gracie representative would close the distance, take his opponent down, mount them, and begin to strike them to get them to turn their back where they would apply a choke winning the fight. The fighters in the video were mainly using a high mount.
So originally in street fighting the mount was used to strike a person to encourage him to roll over exposing his back ready to be choked. How do you keep this mount? When you’re mounted to strike you sit straight up with good posture and keep your knees high in their arm pits while reigning down punches. You keep your knees high in their armpits as opposed to over their stomach so when they bridge or buck their hips you’re not affected. Keep in mind this high is more of a striking guard so use your punches to distract him from escaping and feeling like his only choice is to turn his back.
The second mount is more of a low mount riding your opponent wearing him out maintaining your position while looking for submissions. Let’s look at a way to be in the low mount and make it virtually impossible to get rolled. The first thing is too put one of your arms behind their head that keeps him from bench pressing you off. The second thing is put your head down on the opposite side of his head. The third is to keep your other arm out to the side as a post to keep him from rolling you that way. The fourth thing is too keep your knees wide with big toes touching each other so if he bucks you have him hooked with your feet. While in this position your opponent will try to push on your knees trying to recover guard. When he does this on the side where that you are posting your arm out, use this had to reach down and pluck his hand from your knee. If your opponent does this on the side where your arm is behind his head move your arm away from the knee he is pushing on, stretching him out.
When you start implementing these strategies into your mount game pay attention to how your training partner reacts, especially in the low mount, is he protecting his neck? What does he do with his arms? Does he turn to his side? In jiu-jitsu each reaction causes a predictable reaction, use this knowledge to your advantage. Good luck training!
About the Author
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