BJJ Beginners

Lesson 5 – Mount Control and Escape

Warm Up (10min)

Line Drills (3min)

• Butt Scoot Backwards
• Butt Scoot Fordward
• Shrimp Backwards
• Shrimp Fordward

Partner Drill (7min)

• Hips & Hands (Preparation Drill)
  • Essential Detail: Constant hip pressure and effective head-handoffs
  • Most Common Mistake: Weak torso alignment
  • Bad Guy Reminder: Hug your partner’s body to make it easier to check their base
  • Core Principles: Connection (1), Head Control (28)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, establish hip pressure, side-to- side 5 times, reverse roles
• Anchor & Base
  • Indicator: Opponent attempts to escape by pushing you side-to-side
  • Essential Detail: Effective hook transfers with constant hip pressure
  • Most Common Mistake: Handing off the head control when it’s not necessary
  • Bad Guy Reminder: Switch directions slowly at first to build your partner’s confidence
  • Core Principles: Depletion (18), Pyramid (4), Connection (1)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, establish hip pressure, side-to-side 5 times with fixed neck hug (if possible), reverse roles
• Low Swim
  • Indicator: Opponent attempts to wrap your posted arm to roll you off
  • Essential Detail: Solid 45-degree posted hand angle
  • Most Common Mistake: Weak elbow positioning and predictable response time
  • Core Principles: Reconnaissance (12), Clock (8)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, 2 low swims on each arm, reverse roles
• High Swim
  • Indicator: Opponent pushes straight up on your chest or throat with one or both hands
  • Essential Detail: Get low and heavy after each swim to prevent Follow-Up push attempts
  • Most Common Mistake: Swimming both hands at once
  • Core Principles: Redirection (29), River (9)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, 3 high swims, reverse roles
• Reflex Development Drill
  • Practice all of the above as a combined drill

Lesson (30min)

• Standard Elbow Escape
  • Indicator: Opponent prevents the Trap & Roll Escape by establishing wide base from the mount
  • Essential Detail: Curl body sideways during knee shove and flat leg removal
  • Most Common Mistake: Failure to consider strikes and prevent posture throughout the technique
  • Bad Guy Reminder: Keep your body rigid to make it realistic
  • Core Principles: Frame (10), Mobility (30)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, 1 rep, reverse roles
• Hook Removal
  • Indicator: Opponent inserts the leg hooks or “grapevines” for better control
  • Essential Detail: One foot helps the other to remove hook
  • Most Common Mistake: Forgetting to block the knee with hand during hook removal process
  • Bad Guy Reminder: Insisting on the grapevines can cause you to sustain a knee injury
  • Core Principles: Ratchet (26), Tension (14)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, 1 rep, reverse roles
• Fish Hook
  • Indicator: Opponent resists the Standard Elbow Escape by keeping their leg heavy
  • Essential Detail: Use elbow or hand to shove leg south to facilitate the Fish Hook
  • Most Common Mistake: Failure to use the flat leg to expose the opponent’s foot
  • Core Principles: Connection (1), Redirection (29)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, 1 rep, reverse roles
• Heel Drag
  • Indicator: Opponent neutralises the Fish Hook by keeping their knee heavy while making the foot light
  • Essential Detail: Use your flat leg to chock the opponent’s lower leg off the ground
  • Most Common Mistake: Weak ankle bite with the back leg
  • Core Principles: Reconnaissance (12), Pivot (22)
  • Drill Orders: Mount start, 1 rep, reverse roles
• Partner Drill (10min)
  • Mount Escapes with 50-80% Resistance
  • Use a clock 1min each on the bottom.
  • Switch partners