Introduction
The mount position in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most dominant positions a training partner or opponent can achieve. When you find yourself pinned under someone in mount, it can feel overwhelming, discouraging, and downright frustrating. Yet, this position is not a full stop. It is a learning opportunity, a moment to develop resilience, and a challenge you can overcome with the right technique, timing, and mindset.
Many people who train at gyms discover that mount escapes are one of the first major goals in their BJJ journey. At piratebjj offers jiu jitsu madison, instructors emphasize that mastering mount escapes forms a core foundation of defensive skills. Whether you are practicing at a high level or you are a complete beginner in **jiu jitsu madison al**, learning how to escape mount builds confidence, fortifies your game, and strengthens your overall BJJ fundamentals. In this comprehensive article, we will break down the psychological approach, technical strategies, drills, and live training principles designed to guide you toward escaping mount effectively.
Understanding why mount is powerful, how to recognize common mistakes, and how to apply technique with timing is crucial if your goal is to progress in BJJ. We will cover four detailed sections: the mindset and fundamentals behind mount escapes, key mount escape techniques, common errors and how to avoid them, and how to train effectively so your escapes become instinctive. By the time you finish reading this article, you will feel more informed, encouraged, and ready to implement these strategies in your next training session.
Section 1: Understanding Mount, Mindset, and Fundamentals
Mount is a position where your opponent is sitting on your torso with their knees or legs across your hips. This places them in a position of mechanical advantage. From here, they can strike if you are in a striking context, apply submissions, or transition to other dominant positions. For many grapplers, being mounted can feel like a cage, a challenge, or a punishment. Madison instructors from piratebjj offers jiu jitsu madison often remind students that understanding mount is the first step to escaping it.
At its core, mount is about balance, control, and pressure. Your partner uses their weight to pin your hips, isolates your arms to prevent escapes, and creates angles for submissions. The better you understand the structure of mount, the better you can apply corrective movement and timely escapes. One of the most important fundamentals is never to panic. Panic leads to stiff arms, poor hip movement, and wasted energy. Instead, approach mount with a calm mindset. Recognize that mount is a temporary situation if you apply the correct principles.
These principles include creating space, protecting your arms, controlling your opponent's posture, and using your hips effectively. At piratebjj offers jiu jitsu madison, instructors stress that mount escapes are not brute force actions. They are deliberate, positional adjustments based on leverage, timing, and creating opportunities. In jiu jitsu madison al, students are encouraged to view mount escapes like a chess game. You are not trying to overpower your opponent. You are trying to create the right sequence of movements that lead to a free hip and a reversal.
When facing the mount, start with a few simple fundamentals. First, keep your arms protected by keeping your elbows tight to your body. This prevents your opponent from isolating and attacking your arms with submissions. Second, keep your head up and look for breathing space. Mount feels heavy in part because your body collapses. If you lift your chest slightly, you create breathing room and make it harder for your partner to maintain pressure. Third, start thinking in terms of frames and hip movement. Your forearms and hands can act as frames against your opponent's hips or knees. These frames create a wedge of space you can use to shrimp and escape.
The mindset should be methodical. Break mount escapes into small chunks. Calm down. Create space. Move your hips. Recover guard or sweep. These fundamentals are repeatable, teachable, and trainable. The more you apply them, the more confident you become, turning what once felt like an ending into an opportunity for transition and growth.
Section 2: Key Mount Escape Techniques Explained
In this section, we explore several highly effective mount escape techniques, each with step by step detail. The goal is not only to describe them, but also to help you feel them in your body, understand the purpose behind each movement, and integrate them into your training.
Upa Escape (Bridge and Roll Escape)
The upa escape is often the first mount escape taught to beginners. It is a powerful technique when executed with timing. The idea is to trap one of your opponent's arms and legs on the same side, bridge your hips upward and roll them over.
Here is the step by step method: