Two people are practicing jiu jitsu on a blue mat.

No-Gi submissions from the mount


No-Gi submissions from the mount

No-Gi submissions from the mount are more difficult without the use of grips to choke the neck. Getting submissions from mount without the gi is often a very different position from just holding  the mount itself. Normally when we aim to hold a tight mount, we stay roughly aligned with our opponents centerline with our hips over his hips. However, when it’s time to enter into mounted arm bars and triangles, we have to climb up high to the shoulders and pivot 90 degrees while totally changing our leg placement. This is also often referred to as S mount in Jiu-Jitsu circles. This angle and position allows you full use of your hands to pull and manipulate and the legs and hips to wedge your opponent and prevent defensive movement. This requires some balancing on your part, since you have less base under you, but as they say, nothing risked, nothing gained. The number one rule of the mount (and back) is to keep those dominant positions. And to take your time to work your angles tightly to prevent their escape. Let them carry your weight for a bit. In addition, you can use your face over their face to hinder their breathing, something the New Wave BJJ team has been very effectively using lately. Here at Savarese BJJ (www.njbjj.com), we have been working our no-gi mount game to try and find all the proper angles and set up to submission with no escape. Taking away each escape systematically so the submission is indefensible is the goal.