Monthly Technique: The Mount
This month we’re looking at one of the most dominant positions in all of Jiu‑Jitsu: mount control. A lot of people lose mount because of small habits that snowball into easy escapes. In this breakdown, we’ll cover the core concepts that make your mount feel heavy, stable, and nearly impossible to shake. You can also see these details in action with my full YouTube instructional below.
Technique Snapshot
Position: Mount
Primary Goal: Maintain stable, high‑pressure control while shutting down common escapes
Best For: All levels; especially effective for hobbyists who struggle to keep mount
Difficulty: Easy–Moderate
Key Concepts:
Weight distribution
Eliminating space
Controlling hips before upper body
Brief Step‑By‑Step Breakdown
Establish a solid base by pinching your knees while hooking your toes in and cradling behind their hips.
Don’t try to hold them down (especially if they are bigger than you) imagine it to be more like bull riding, you are balancing on top while they carry your weight.
Keep their hands off of your hips, the more that they can frame the easier it is for them to escape. When they frame, work on forcing one of their hands to the mat and isolating it above their head.
Don’t get too excited about one hold and allow them to off balance you for a reversal.
Keep your hands actively posting to stop them from reversing you, let them carry your weight and wear themselves out.
As you do this gradually work on sliding their arms up closer to their head until their elbows are above their head.
Keep their posture disrupted, this can be done by driving a shoulder down to turn their head and by trapping an arm above their head.
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Mistake: Sitting on the opponent rather than actively holding them with your legs. → Fix: Remember to keep your knees and toes tight around them and picture it more like you are hugging them rather than just sitting on them.
Mistake: Staying too committed to one technique or idea. → Fix: As they try to escape don’t be afraid to let go of an arm to reestablish basic mount or switch to an S-mount and so on to keep the top position.
Mistake: Attacking a submission too soon and giving them an easy way out. → Fix: Establish true control and weather their initial panic, then set up a submission.
How to Add This Into Your Game/training
Grappling Game
Use this mount structure as your “default” whenever you land on top. It pairs well with high‑mount armbar setups, cross‑collar chokes, and S‑mount transitions. If you’re a pressure‑oriented player, this becomes your home base. If you’re more dynamic, it gives you a stable platform to launch attacks without losing position.
Training
Start in mount with your partner giving 30% resistance. Your only goal: maintain mount for 60 seconds without attacking. Focus on weight distribution, riding out their initial panic, isolating their limbs, and trapping them in the position.
