Back Mount Position for BJJ
A Collection of Techniques and Videos to Improve Your Defense and Offense
Image Above: The top player (blue gi) has the bottom player (white gi) in his side control. The top player has their right hand over the neck and is grabbing the collar in what appears to be an attempt at a collar choke.
What Is Covered on This Page?
What Is the Side Control Position?
A position in Brazilian jiu-jitsu where the offensive top player is perpendicular to and on top of the defensive player, with their chest pressing against the defensive player's chest. The defensive player has their back exposed to the floor.
Defense for Side Control Position (Survive + Escape)
The bottom position is at a disadvantage for the side control position. The bottom player will want to prevent any submissions (the Americana and Kimura) and look to escape using either a wedge escape or an underhook escape.
Image Above: The gold colored character represents the defensive player. The defensive player has their right inside arm against the hip of the offensive player, while their left outside arm is pulled in close to their chest to prevent the offensive player from attacking that arm.
Defending the Bottom Side Control Position
Preventing the cross-face is the most important thing to stop when in the bottom side control position. Once your opponent get's you into cross-face your options for escapes are limited and your susceptibility to attacks is greatly increased. It's important to learn how to:
Prevent the cross-face. Preventing the cross-face is an essential part to improving your bottom side control game.
1. Prevent the Cross-Face
Free YouTube Video: Lachlan GilesYouTube Video: Escape Side Control Fundamentals
Instructor: Lachlan Giles
Provided by: Absolute MMA St Kilda - Melbourne
Length: 15 minutes 31 seconds
Synopsis: Preventing the cross-face is a lot easier than having to escape it. Frame against your opponent's elbow and then get to your side and post on your elbow.
Escaping the Bottom Side Control Position
It's best to prevent side control, but if that doesn't work, you need to know how to escape. The following are escapes from side control:
Frame Escape. This involves putting your elbow and your knee into your opponent's hip. This creates leverage needed to create space and re-guard.
Underhook Escape. When in bottom side control, if you can get an underhook with the outside arm, you can turn into your opponent and take their leg, putting you in an advantageous position.
1. Frame Escape
Free YouTube Video: John DanaherYouTube Video: How To Do The Perfect BJJ Side Control Escape
Instructor: John Danaher
Provided by: Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Length: 15 minutes 44 seconds
Synopsis: The technique requires wedging your elbow and knee in-between your and your opponent, which will allow your to create space and work for a better position.
2. Underhook Escape
Free YouTube Video: Marcelo GarciaYouTube Video: Escaping Side Control
Instructor: Marcelo Garcia
Provided by: Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu
Length: 13 minutes 10 seconds
Synopsis: Frame against your opponent so that you can make space and get an underhook with your inside arm. Once you have an underhook you'll bridge to the side to get the escape.
Offense for Side Control Position (Control + Submit)
The offensive player is the person on top. The Americana or Kimura submissions are available for the position. The top player may also choose to advance to the mount or counter an escape to get to the back mount.
Image Above: The purple-colored character represents the offensive player. The offensive player has their legs tucked in and wedged against the defensive player's torso. The offensive player also has their left arm under the head and neck of the defensive player applying a cross-face.
Controlling the Top Side Control Position
Proper knowledge of maintaining side control is crucial if you are ever going to excel at this position. Important things to know include the following.
Don't sprawl. If you sprawl your legs, it's easy for your opponent to get a leg under yours and re-guard.
1. Don't Sprawl
Free Reddit Video: Gordon RyanReddit Video: Gordon Ryan PSA for all the Twinkle Toes
Instructor: Gordon Ryan
Provided by: u/ToeHoldsBarred
Length: Under 60 seconds
Synopsis: Gordon Ryan explains that when in side control you should never sprawl your legs as this provided an easy escape for you opponent.
Submissions from Top Side Control Position
When in the top side control position, your opponent's opposite arm can often be a target for submissions; submissions available from side control include the following:
Americana. If your opponent's arm is facing up towards their head, the Americana is a good option.
Kimura. If your opponent's arm is facing down towards their waist, the Kimura is a good option.
1. Americana
Free YouTube Video: Rene A. DreifussYouTube Video: How to Do an Americana from Side Control
Instructor: Rene A. Dreifuss
Provided by: Howcast
Length: 1 minute 56 seconds
Synopsis: The Americana involves getting your opponent's arm to the ground, locking your wrists into the figure four position, and then pulling the arm down.
2. Kimura
Free YouTube Video: John DanaherYouTube Video: How To Do The Perfect Kimura From Side Control
Instructor: John Danaher
Provided by: Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Length: 10 minutes 2 seconds
Synopsis: John Danaher delivers exceptional wisdom into the secrets of finishing the kimura from side control. Among many things, he talks about the importance of having a pushing and a pulling hand and using the pulling hand to create tension on the shoulder.
Transitions from Top Side Control Position
Side control is a dominant position, but if you leave your opponent here long enough in jiu-jitsu, they will likely escape. If you can't get a submission from here, transitioning to a better position is a good idea.
Advance to mount. The most common transition from side control is to move to mount.
Advance to rear mount. If your opponent goes for the underhook escape (from bottom side control), you can counter this by taking their back.
1. Advance to Mount
Free YouTube Video: Stephan KestingYouTube Video: Advanced Details To Go From Side Control to Mount
Instructor: Stephan Kesting
Provided by: Stephan Kesting
Length: 5 minutes 17 seconds
Synopsis: Advancing to mount will result in being in an even more dominant position.
2. Advance to Rear Mount
Free YouTube Video: John DanaherYouTube Video: Side to Rear Mount Reactive
Instructor: John Danaher
Provided by: BJJ Fanatics
Length: 8 minutes 17 seconds
Synopsis: A high percentage escape from the side control is the underhook escape. You can counter this escape and take your opponent's back.
More Positions
Back Mount: A position in which the offensive player controls the defensive players back.
Mount: The position in which the offensive player is on top of the defensive player while the defensive players back is exposed to the floor.
Knee-On-Belly: A position in which the offensive player is on top of the defensive player with their shin and knee across their opponent's torso and abdomen. The defensive player has their back exposed to the ground.
Side Control: A position in which the offensive top player is perpendicular to and on top of the defensive player. The defensive player has their back exposed to the floor.
You are currently viewing the side control position page.
Kesa-Gatame: A position in which the offensive player has the head and one-arm of the defensive player.
Reverse Kesa-Gatame: A position similar to kesa-gatame the offensive player faces the defensive players legs.
North-South: A position in which the top player is face down and laying on top of their opponent's chest. The two opponent's body's are offset 180 degrees.
Turtle: A position in which the defensive player is in the fetal position. The offensive player has the back of the defensive player.