Mount Escapes

In a real fight, the goal is to achieve the top position once the fight goes to the ground; the problem
is that things dont always go according to plan. Against a larger attacker, you are likely to end up on
the bottom of the mount position which is the single worst place to be in a fight. From this position
the top person can strike or submit you at will and you cannot effectively strike back. The worst part
about trying to escape the mount without an effective strategy is the panic you experience and the
extreme exhaustion it will inevitably cause.

1. Trap and Roll
Standard Variation
Used if the opponent is choking you with extended arms, a forearm choke or has his arms on your
chest. This works with one or two arms.
Use your opposite side hand (left to left etc.) to trap one of your opponents arms at the wrist with a
thumb less grip (thumb down).
Use your same side hand to trap the opponents elbow or tricep with a thumb up claw. Your elbow
on this arm should also press against the opponents thigh to prevent him gaining high mount if
possible.
Now use your leg on the same side as the opponents trapped arm to hook and trap his leg, make
sure there is a slight outward angle on your knee rather than inward. You want to slightly rest your
thigh on his calf and stand on his foot with your foot, to prevent him from escaping his leg.
Now pop your hips to maximum extension, before rolling to the side of the trapped arm and landing
on your knees inside the opponents guard. You can also use your elbow of the arm controlling the
wrist, to drive into the opponents ribs to assist your roll.

Note that if the opponents arms are based out you can grab one of his wrists with both hands, and
then you push away from your head and swing his arm around and onto your chest. However this is
difficult to do if they are pressing their chest to yours.

Punch Block Variation
Used when the opponent sits up in an attempt to throw punches at you.
As soon as your opponent postures up to throw strikes you must sit up with him, and establish a
body lock. It is important to keep your head close and pressed to the opponents chest at all times,
to prevent him from gaining power in his strikes or pressing your face down to the mat to create
distance to strike effectively.
Manoeuvre both of your hands one at a time to hook the opponents shoulders. Use this grip
combined with your legs pushing to scoot backwards, your head should now be on one side of the
opponents face, again it must be close.
Using your arm on the opposite side of your face, establish a tight and deep body hug around your
opponents back to prevent him from regaining posture.
Begin to weave your face side arm into an overhook, grabbing the opponents tricep and trapping his
arm. This can be achieved if your opponent is posting his arm on the mat or attempting to pull it
back for a short punch.
Trap the leg on the same side of the isolated arm, and reach upwards with your hugging arm into
your opponents armpit, as you roll onto your knees inside the opponents guard.

Headlock Variation
This is used against a more skilled opponent who is attempting to control and pin you, using a
headlock and potentially grape vining your legs.
Keep your head heavy to trap his head locking arm behind your head and on the mat, grab your
opponents tricep with a thumb up grip on his tricep to isolate the arm.
Establish an underhook body hug under his free arm, to put you in an over under clinch position.
If your opponent is not grape vining your legs you can now roll to your opponents guard in the same
manner as the punch block variation.
However if your opponent is grape vining your legs you must escape the far side grapevine. Do this
by extending the leg you want to free, rotating it towards your other leg and tucking it in by your
butt.
Now bridge upwards and reach with your hugging arm, before rolling over your shoulder onto your
knees, landing inside your opponents guard.

2. Elbow Escape/Hip Escape
Any time you find yourself trapped underneath your opponent in the mount position you should aim
to use the Trap and Roll escape, since it will place you on top of your opponent. If your opponent is
too big or this escape is not possible, the Elbow Escape will guarantee your survival. First, you must
learn how to move your hips by doing the Shrimp Drill, and then you will learn the Elbow Escape and
a few variations that may come in handy.

Shrimp Drill
Put one leg up and one leg down, turn onto the side of the flat leg, posting on the foot of your raised
leg. Now scoot your hips out and away by pivoting on your shoulder and post leg.
Standard Elbow Escape
This is used when the opponent is keeping a low posture and his arms spread, keeping a wide base
and not allowing you to control one of his arms to execute the trap and roll escape.
Start in the shrimp position, i.e. one leg raised with one leg flat on the floor. With your hips and
pelvis turned towards the flat leg.
Keep your raised leg side arm hugging his back, with your head close to avoid damage. Using your
hand (or preferably your elbow if possible), press down on his knee of the flat side leg, while sliding
your leg upwards and under his leg keeping it on the mat. Make sure your arm is pointing 45
degrees outward and is blocking the thigh, just above the knee.
As soon as your leg escapes, turn your hips square to face the sky, the hand that was pressing the
opponents knee now transfers around the neck in a headlock.
You will now be in the half guard, using your outside leg (formerly flat side) hook and trap the
opponents leg. Now repeat the process on the opposite side to regain full guard.
Note that the elbow escape is hard to do against an opponent keeping weight on their knees.
Hook Removal
This is used when the opponent inserts the leg hooks or grape vines for better control.
As before hug the body with one arm and stay close.
Because the opponent has hooks underneath your legs you will not be able to accomplish the elbow
escape. To remove the hook you must extend and straighten your hugging side leg, this will clear his
hook and enable you to rotate your leg around his leg and press on top of the heel of his remaining
hook.
Once you are pressing on his heel, you can now extend the remaining trapped leg. Once this leg is
straightened, rotate it around and rest it on the instep of your leg that is trapping the opponents
heel.
Once in this position you must quickly remove your trapping leg and glue your flat leg to the ground
utilizing downward pressure. You must also begin to block the opponents knee at this stage to
prevent them for obtaining a high mount making your escape much more unlikely.
From here you can now use the standard elbow escape. It is worth mentioning if your opponent is
keeping his hips heavy you can implement a slight hip bump to create some space before attempting
the standard variation.

Fish Hook
This is used when the opponent resists the elbow escape by keeping their leg heavy.
From the shrimp position with your opponents knee blocked, you cannot escape your leg because
your opponents leg is too heavy.
Bring your raised side leg over and across your flat leg and hook under the opponents ankle on the
flat side leg, moving your flat leg out of the way. It is important that your elbow or hand is blocking
the opponents knee, so that his leg is low enough to be hooked by your opposite leg.
To pick up the opponents leg you must lift with the hooking toes and the elbow/hand
simultaneously, to be able to bring your flat leg through as in the above elbow escapes.

Heel Drag
This is used when attempting the fish hook but the opponent keeps his knee heavy and raises his
foot.
As the opponent lifts his foot to counter the heel drag, bump his knee out slightly with your flat leg
sliding your thigh under his shin to keep his leg raised.
You now go over his leg with your fish hook leg, clamping down and biting his leg in the pit of your
knee, using your calf to bite the opponents ankle as tight as possible. It is possible if you are
blocking with your elbow, to use your hand to help trap the opponents leg.
Now scoot your hips towards the hooked leg and turn them towards the sky pivoting on the foot of
the biting leg, to lift his hips and leg, allowing you to slide your leg through as in the previous elbow
escapes.

3. Surprise Rolls
In a street fight, the Trap and Roll and Elbow Escape mount escape techniques will work against
most people. Against a skilled adversary, however, the only reliable way to escape the mount is to
use the techniques in combination. In this lesson, you will learn three highly effective Trap and Roll
transitions that you can use to surprise your opponent after they neutralize your initial Elbow Escape
attempt.

Neck-Hug Variation

This is used when the opponent neutralizes the elbow escape by hugging your neck on the same side
as the leg you are attempting to escape; he may also cross face you making the elbow escape
unlikely.

It is important to make the initial elbow escape believable; to cause the opponent to react, once he
clamps down on your neck you must instantly transition to the trap and roll escape.
Using your same side arm to trap his tricep of his head locking arm, your opposite arm tightly
hugging his body, quickly transfer your leg over his and implement the trap and roll escape.

It is important to obtain all of the elements of the trap and roll simultaneously; otherwise the
opponent will recognise the danger and move to high mount to block the position.

Punch Block Variation

Used when the opponent rises to punch you during the elbow escape attempt.

This escape relies on the premise that it is hard for the opponent to base correctly and punch at the
same time.
As your opponent attempts to sit up, you must sit up with him, it is imperative that you maintain the
closeness to avoid being damaged.
Before or as the opponent attempts to throw a punch you overhook his arm, holding the triceps,
simultaneously switching your leg to trap the opponents leg.
If your opponent continues to sit up to pull his trapped arm out, give a quick hip bump upwards, to
disturb his base and bring him to the ground, forcing him to post on his free hand.

You are now free to implement the trap and roll escape.


Forearm Choke Variation


Used when the opponent neutralizes your elbow escape with a forearm choke.
As the opponent attempts the forearm choke, transition to the standard variation of the trap and
roll, again it is important to have a genuine elbow escape attempt combined with simultaneous
upper and lower body control for the trap and roll escape.
Note that it does not matter which arm the opponent chokes you with, the technique still applies.
It can be helpful to use the flat side leg to drive the opponents knee outwards, this makes it easier
for the fish hook and heel drag, and it will also cause their leg to spring close to your leg when you
release it to transition to the trap and roll.
Remember if your opponent attempts to pull his arm out, do not trade arm strength follow him with
your body.

4. Surprise Elbows
In the previous lesson, you learned the most reliable transitions to the Trap and Roll from a failed
Elbow Escape. Now, you will learn the best transitions to the Elbow Escape when your opponent
neutralizes the Trap and Roll. By the end of this lesson, you will truly understand how, in isolation,
neither of these escapes is fully reliable, but when used in combination, theyre virtually
unstoppable.

Spread Foot

Used when the opponent spreads their foot for base to prevent the trap and roll.

As you control the arm the opponent puts their foot out for base, also not allowing you to trap it,
use the elbow of your c grip arm to block his knee and execute an elbow escape.
Only attempt to trap the opponents foot is it is within reach, otherwise you will leave yourself
exposed to a twisting knee submission, or the high mount.


Spread Knee
Used when the opponent spreads their knee for base to prevent the trap and roll.

The concept of this technique is similar to the above technique, however posting the knee out
instead of the foot, suggests a more experienced opponent. The difficulty lies in the reduced space
available for the elbow escape.

Because the opponent jumps his knee out for base, his weight will make it heavy on the posted side,
to counter this and create space for the elbow escape you must execute a full shrimp folding your
body in half and extending him on his free leg side.

After obtaining half guard it is important to maintain a dominant inside hook, because the escaping
leg is somewhat restricted, otherwise your opponent will have the opportunity to pass your guard.

Your bridge from the trap and roll must be legitimate to make the opponent post his knee properly
and make his back leg weightless.

This escape generally works better against opponents who have longer legs. This is because it is
hard for shorter opponents to initially post out their knee.
You can also use the forearm of the arm initially trapping the opponents wrist to create a wedge in
between the opponents stomach or hips.

It is important to note you are far less likely to encounter an opponent posting their knee when you
utilize an over under trap and roll with the opponents arm encircled; this is because their chest is in
close contact with yours. For this reason the punch block or neck hug is often more reliable than the
two on one standard variation.

The difference between this elbow escape and all previous elbow escapes is that in this variation
your leg is coming inside the opponents leg instead of underneath.


Spread Hand

Used when the opponent posts their hand for base to prevent the trap and roll.

While attempting the trap and roll escape, the opponent frees his trapped hand and posts it to
prevent the trap and roll.

Straighten the leg that you want to escape while keeping it heavy in top of the opponents leg and
hug the back with the opposite side arm, now turn your hips and put them and your straightened leg
on the ground. The leg stays heavy on the opponents leg by keeping your hips slightly off the
ground; this puts pressure on the opponents leg as well as making the hip turn easier.
You may need to jump or slightly lift your straightened leg to avoid catching it on the opponents
heel as you attempt to flatten it on the ground. At this point you should already have your hips
turned sideways and your hand, forearm or elbow blocking the opponents thigh.


5. Modified Mount Escape

The Elbow Escape is one of the simplest and most reliable escapes from the mount position, but it is
easily nullified by a quick transition to the modified mount position. In this lesson we will teach you
the two most effective modified mount escapes. Not only will these techniques ensure that you have
a plan when your opponent counters your Elbow Escape, but they will also improve your modified
mount by teaching you the moves vulnerabilities.
Top Knee Through

Used when the opponent transitions to the modified mount in an attempt to control you.
When you attempt to elbow escape moving to the modified mount is an effective counter because
the foot prevents the hip escaping effectively, the escaping leg cannot get under the opponents
ankle, and the foot is also out of range from the fish hook and heel drag.

To begin use both your hands to push away on the opponents knee, if he is wearing pants it will be
easier as you will have more control.
Now slightly shrimp your hips towards the opponents flat leg to create space to slide your raised top
knee through the gap in between the opponents raised leg.
Now control the ankle using the hand on your flat leg side, so the opponent cannot step his leg off to
the side mount. You also can bring the flat leg thigh upwards to assist in trapping and controlling the
opponents ankle.

You now want to fold the opponents leg back by scissoring your legs, bringing your bottom leg in
and pressing your top leg forward and down.

To assist you in getting up bring the flat leg foot into your butt as you post the same side (or ankle
trapping) hand on the ground.

You should either land in guard with one leg raised and one kneeling or in half guard with one leg
pinning his leg with your shin. In either case it is essential to secure an underhook on the opposite
side you are passing too, to prevent the opponent escaping or taking your back.

If the opponents knee is heavy in the modified mount, you can begin by pulling it towards you, to
create space for your knee to come through, however this move relies on a gi or pants. A hip bump
here can also be effective to create extra space for you.

If your opponent is not knocked onto his back allowing you to come on top, you can transition to
butterfly guard by hipping out in the direction of his captured leg and bring your other leg inside the
space in his leg.

It is also worth noting that you should be using your hands pushing/pulling to assist you in getting
your knee through, by lifting his knee over your knee.


Top Arm Through

The top arm through variation has the same use as above, it is merely a choice between the two,
however if you are having difficulty getting your knee through, you may want to use this variation.

As above you are pushing on the opponents knee but having difficulty, so you put your top arm
through (opposite side to opponents raised leg). You want to get your shoulder as deep as possible
with your through arm. Use your bottom elbow and thigh to assist in trapping the opponents leg, so
he cannot step off and away to negate your control.

Use a hip bump to throw the opponent forwards and slightly towards your flat leg side as you switch
onto your knees from the position they are in, while backing under and out from in between your
opponents legs. Make sure to keep control of your opponents ankle as you begin to stand.

You can also pull your opponents raised knee towards your shoulder once your arm is through to
gain more effective control.

It is important as you go through the opponents legs, to slide out the back and not attempt to
throw them away.

Make sure the opponents foot is not too high into your armpit otherwise you will be unable to do
the shoulder get up. You want your elbow as close to your body as possible and not overhooking his
leg.
You use the top side arm to escape because if you use the bottom arm you will be vulnerable to the
mounted triangle.
Once you have backed out it is important to control the opponents foot and ankle when you begin
to stand, this ensures you come out on top, prevents a scramble on the knees and gives the
opportunity for foot locks.

When you have the opportunity to escape from the Modified Mount, act quickly and convincingly,
because you will be vulnerable to many arm locks and chokes. If you cant escape, turn toward into
your opponent and defend until the next opportunity arises.

6. Hip Thrust Escape

The Elbow Escape and the Trap and Roll Escape will enable you to escape from underneath most
people when used in combination and with proper timing. Against more skilled opponents, these
fundamental mount escapes may not work. In this lesson, we will teach you a quick, powerful
technique called the Hip Thrust Mount Escape. Its effective because it can be executed without
warning giving your opponent no time to respond. First, we will teach you the standard variation,
and then we will discuss critical combination concepts that will keep you ahead of the game even
when your opponent neutralizes the initial escape attempt.

Standard Thrust

Used when the opponent is kneeling in the mount position.

Begin by bracing the opponents hips with both of your arms and stiff arming straight. Once this is
accomplished begin by bumping up forcefully and turning your hips sideways to one direction, in an
attempt to make the opponent open his knee for base.
After a slight shrimp outwards, bring your top leg in and through. Use the shin of the top leg to press
outwards to create the space to bring your bottom leg in and through, into butterfly guard.

This technique can be used anytime the opponent has his knees touching the ground while in the
mount position. You should also attempt to weaken the opponents non posting leg with your butt
as you shrimp outward. However the technique will work better when the opponents body is bent,
it will be much harder when the opponent is postured up. The technique will also not work if the
opponent has smashing hip pressure.

It is important you bump, fall and turn in one fluid motion, if you stall at any of the positions it will
be much harder to complete the technique. You must hip out as soon as the opponent posts his
knee for base.
Remember to extend the hips fully during the side fall, and slide out rather than attempting to
disconnect. Also if you bump your hips before you have straightened your arms, you will only add
more weight onto your arms.


Switch Thrust

Used when the opponent neutralizes the standard hip thrust with solid base.

The opponent can use a neck hug or a lapel grab, along with a posted hand, to stifle your initial hip
thrust, meaning his weigh will not be shifted enough to one side to complete the technique.
It is essential that your hips do not drop after your initial hip thrust, otherwise your opponent will
drop his weight back on you, or possibly insert his hooks, in either case he will be able to follow you
with the switch.
It is also important you maintain the stiff arm, by keeping your arms extended.

As soon as the opponent negates your initial hip thrust you must change the direction your hips are
facing, while they are still elevated, shrimp out and get your top knee through.
Note that if you can fall completely to one side you have enough space to execute and complete the
technique.

A good combination for this technique against an opponent who has smashing hip pressure with
hooks, is to clear the hooks and attempt an elbow escape, when the opponent puts their weight on
their knees to counter the elbow escape, switch to the hip thrust.

Trap & Roll Combination

Used when the opponent successfully resists the hip thrust with closeness.

The hip thrust is a good technique, however it is not unstoppable, one of the main benefits of this
technique is that it forces your opponent to get close to defend the escape, in turn setting up further
escape options.

One of the most important aspects of this technique is to actually intend on achieving the hip thrust
escape and when you know that the technique will fail, you want to still sell the technique to the
opponent to throw him off his defensive game plan.

It is also critical when your technique fails to not reset after the hip thrust, the switch to the trap and
roll should be immediate and without delay.

If the secondary trap and roll is unsuccessful you can transition back to the hip thrust, or forward to
the elbow escape.