Get better at Surviving Mount

Your guide for better Jiu-Jitsu

Being able to survive bad positions should be a priority in your Jiu-Jitsu. This guide will cover the best ways to stay safe when you get stuck under the Mount.

What we cover:

  1. Keep your partner connected to your hips

  2. Make your partner post their hands on the mat

  3. How to keep your arms and neck safe

  4. Defending against the high mount

  5. Defending against chokes

  6. How to practise surviving mount

  7. Training checklist

  8. How 2800 students feel about surviving mount

  1. Keeping your partner connected to your hips

The goal of surviving mount is to make your partner's life difficult to submit to you and make them frustrated. The key to surviving mount is to make sure your partner is connected to your hips. This allows you to bridge and disturb your partner’s balance making it hard to establish control and apply submissions. 

Secret Tip: Your arms should not be trying to push your partner’s chest. They should be focused on keeping your partner's hips stuck to yours. 

Watch Video | Surviving Mount Objective & Mechanics

If your partner is too busy posting their hands on the mat they are unable to submit you. Your goal should be to use your hips and legs to bridge your partner and make them post. Whether they are going for a choke, armbar or even trying to climb a high mount. Make them post and your life will become a lot easier. 

2. Make them post

Watch Video | Execution and Awareness

3. Defending the high mount and submissions

Your partner is not going to just sit there. They will aim to improve their control and seek out submissions. Here are the most common reactions and how to deal with them.


Kimura - when they lean their weight to set up the kimura you can bridge in the same direction and off balance them.

Under hooking your arms and walking to the high mount - they are trying to create space. When they underhook your arms you give a bump to the same direction forcing them to post their hands on the mat. 

Trying to choke you - first you need to disconnect the hand from your neck. You just have to turn your head to alleviate the pressure. When their second hand comes in you simply bump to make them post their hands on the mat. Timing is key.

Watch Video | Common Reactions

Without practise you will not improve. Try the below drills to start progressing quickly.

How to Train

  1. Practise making them a part of your hips. 

  2. Practise bringing your heels close to your hips and bridging them. You should make them post their hands on the mat. 

  3. Let them underhook your elbow. Bridge and recover your frame on the hips. 

  4. Let them go for the front choke. Disconnect your neck and when they go to place the second hand in for the choke bridge and make them place their hands on the mat. 

4. How to practise

Surviving Mount Training Checklist

So you have watched all the videos and now have a better understanding of what you need to do to survive mount. Now it’s time to tick off your practice and progress.

Actions

Practise connecting your partner to your hips with the right frames.

Practise bridging them and making them post their hands on the mat.  

Let them try a submission and practise the timing for the bridge.

Progress Check In

You can survive mount against someone at your level for 2 minutes

You can survive mount against a higher belt for 2 minutes. 

You feel confident surviving mount.

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The data from our BJJ Journey Score shows that on average most students are confident in their ability to surviving mount against someone they are equally matched with. But your goal should be confident against higher belts.

If you would like to map your Jiu-Jitsu try our BJJ Journey Score below:

How Other Students Feel About Surviving Mount