BJJ Fundamentals

Lesson 3 – Mount Retention

Warm Up (5min)

1. Solo Drills
   • Bridge
   • Sliding Hip Escape
   • Bridging Hip Escape

Lesson (25min)

High Mount

1. Start in low mount
2. Uke executes a strong hip bridge
   • Note the strong effect of the bridge due to the hip-to-hip connection of this position
3. Shift to high mount, with your knees next to uke’s armpits
4. Uke tries to bridge again
   • Note the reduced effect of the bridge
     • ACTIVE DRILLING: After a couple of repetitions, ask uke to try and escape in a more realistic manner; see if you can hold the position

Low Mount – Closed & Toe-to-Toe

1. Start in low mount
2. Uke executes a hip bridge
3. Use the open space under uke’s hips to cross your ankles
   • Note that uke should also find it more difficult to elbow escape from this position
   • Alternatively (if uke does not provide the space), you can achieve a similar effect by touching your toes together
4. Flatten your spine and push your body weight through your hips
   • • ACTIVE DRILLING: Same as above (add the current technique to your list of options)

Low Mount – Grapevines

1. Start in low mount
2. Establish grapevines, hooking into uke’s legs and reducing the potency of their bridges
   • Note that uke can remove grapevines somewhat easily by straightening their legs
     • ACTIVE DRILLING: Same as above (add the current technique to your list of options)

Shin Mount

1. Start in low mount
2. Uke tries to elbow escape
3. Establish a shin mount, moving your ankle on top of uke’s hip so that they cannot trap it between their knees
   • • ACTIVE DRILLING: Same as above (add the current technique to your list of options)

Seated / Technical Mount

1. Start in low mount
2. Uke tries a bridging escape
3. Establish a seated mount, unweighting your hips and letting uke turn underneath you to nullify the bridge
   • • ACTIVE DRILLING: Same as above (add the current technique to your list of options)