Back Mount Position for BJJ
A Collection of Techniques and Videos to Improve Your Defense and Offense
Image Above: The offensive player (black gi) has the back of the defensive player (white gi). The offensive player has one hook in with his left leg and is trying to get a second hook with his right leg. The defensive player, is blocking the offensive player's choke with his right hand by placing it near his ear, like a telephone.
What Is Covered on This Page?
What Is the Back Mount Position?
Back mount (also known as 'rear mount' or 'back control') is a position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in which the offensive player controls the back of the defensive player. In Jiu-Jitsu, the most common way for the offensive player to control the back is with seatbelt control, which involves having one arm underneath your opponent's shoulder (underhook) and the opposite arm above your opponent's opposite shoulder (overhook). In this position, the offensive player is highly dominant, and the defensive player is highly disadvantaged.
What Key Terms Should I Know?
Strong-Side Arm
The strong-side arm (yellow highlight) refers to the offensive player's arm that goes over the shoulder of the defensive player, acting as an overhook.
Weak-Side Arm
The weak-side arm (yellow highlight) refers to the offensive player's arm that goes under the shoulder of the defensive player, acting as an underhook.
Defense for BJJ Back Mount (Survive + Escape)
The defensive position in the back mount for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the person with someone on their back. In Jiu-Jitsu, as with all forms of grappling, this is considered the worst position that you can be in. Your opponent can easily control your body and work for a submission while you pose little threat in return.
Image Above: The gold-colored character represents the defensive position of the back mount position. The defensive player has their opponent's leg hooks around their hips. Their opponent controls the back with seatbelt control, having one arm above the shoulder and one arm below the shoulder.
Surviving Back Mount
What is meant by "defense"? These are the basics that you must know to prevent someone from quickly submitting you when they are on your back. Here's what you should know how to:
Protect your neck. Keep your elbows in and your hands close to your collar. This is the most basic line of defense and should prevent any chokes.
Prevent the collar choke. If your opponent gets the collar choke, Robin Gieseler teaches to grab their elbow and shoulder to defend. This will negate the leverage they need to finish.
Break the bow and arrow choke at the pants. Grabbing the elbow and shoulder won't work to break the collar choke. If your opponent gets you in the bow and arrow choke, your first line of defense is to kick off their grip on the pants.
Break the bow and arrow choke at the collar. If you cannot break the bow and arrow choke at the pants, you can make a last-ditch effort to break it at the collar by pulling at the lapel as the choke gets tight.
1. Protect Your Neck
YouTube Clip: Saulo RibeiroYouTube Clip: Saulo Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 1 - The Back Position
Instructor: Saulo Ribeiro
Provided by: WorldMartialArts
Synopsis: Keep your elbows together no matter what. Your hands are what will protect your neck.
2. Prevent the Collar Choke
YouTube Clip: Robin GieselerYouTube Clip: Defending Collar Chokes From Back Mount
Instructor: Robin Gieseler
Provided by: Gracie Ohio Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Synopsis: When fighting a collar choke, grab your opponent's elbow and shoulder (as opposed to the wrist). This will give you the leverage to prevent the tightening of the choke. From this point, dig your heels into the ground, pull their arm over your head, and turn into your opponent.
3. Break the Bow and Arrow Choke at the Pants
YouTube Clip: Robin GieselerYouTube Clip: Defending Collar Chokes From Back Mount
Instructor: Robin Gieseler
Provided by: Gracie Ohio Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Synopsis: The bow and arrow takes into consideration that you want to defend the collar choke by grabbing the elbow and the shoulder. Once your opponent spins, you can no longer defend that way. The first line of defense is to use your opposite foot to kick off their grip at the pants.
4. Break the Bow and Arrow Choke at the Collar
YouTube Clip: Robin GieselerYouTube Clip: Defending Collar Chokes From Back Mount
Instructor: Robin Gieseler
Provided by: Gracie Ohio Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Synopsis: As a last-ditch effort, if you cannot break the bow and arrow choke by kicking off the pant legs. When the choke gets really tight, pull against it, and you can (hopefully) break the grip.
Escaping Back Mount
To escape means to get out of the hairy situation and into a better one. Having someone on your back is probably the worst scenario you can be into, so it's important to know the:
Scoop escape. As taught by Saulo Ribeiro, this escape involves scooting your body and torso down, reducing your opponent's opportunity for attack. From here, you kick a hook off and turn into your opponent.
Seatbelt control escape. A common form of back control is the seat belt escape which consists of a strong-side arm and a weak-side arm - which refers to the placement of the arms. You will need to know how to escape both of these variations.
Body triangle escape. A tighter variation of back control that is harder to escape. It's essential to learn the tricks to get out of this situation.
1. Scoop Escape
YouTube Clip: Saulo RibeiroYouTube Clip: Saulo Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 1 - The Back Position
Instructor: Saulo Ribeiro
Provided by: WorldMartialArts
Synopsis: Keep your butt and weight on the ground and off of your opponent. Engage your hamstrings to pull your butt down. This will lower you to a position that is harder for your opponent to attack you. From there kick off one hook and move your hips towards that same side.
2. Seatbelt Control Escape
YouTube Video: Robin GieselerYouTube Video: Basic Back Mount Escape
Length: 3 Minutes 18 Seconds
Instructor: Robin Gieseler
Provided by: Gracie Ohio Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Synopsis: For defensive hand placement - one hand should be as close to your opponent's wrist as possible; the other should be on their elbow. If you are on the strong side, pull your opponent's elbow over your head, put your head to the ground and turn your hips parallel to the ground. If you fall to the weak side, you may not have to pull your opponent's arm above your head, just get your head to the floor and turn your hips parallel to the ground.
3. Body Triangle Escape
YouTube Clip: Gordon RyanYouTube Clip: The Best Way to Escape the Body Triangle
Instructor: Gordon Ryan
Provided By: Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Synopsis: To escape, you need to prevent the choke with one hand while simultaneously using your other hand and hip rotation to create the scenario where you can trap your opponent's ankle. From here, you will trap the foot with your secondary hand, which should create the opportunity to square your hips to the mat.
Counterattacks from Back Mount
If the offensive player makes a mistake by crossing their ankles. The defensive player can counterattack with:
Leg Locks. Leg Locks are Dangerous - Do not leg lock an opponent unless you have previously agreed to leg locks and understand their dangers.
1. Leg Locks
YouTube Video: Jiame JaraWarning: Leg locks are dangerous for your opponent. Make sure you understand the dangers of attempting leg locks before attempting any leg lock technique.
YouTube Video: Three Leg Locks for When Your Opponent Has Your Back
Instructor: Jiame Jara
Length: 3 minutes 40 seconds
Synopsis: If your opponent crosses their feet while maintaining back control, you can go for a defensive ankle lock. These are very dangerous for your opponent so make sure the pressure is slow and controlled.
Offense for Back Mount (Control + Submit)
The offensive position in the back mount for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the person controlling their opponent's back. The offensive player is highly dominant in this position, with ample opportunity for attacks and low risk for a defensive attack.
Image Above: The purple-colored character represents the offensive position of the back mount position. The offensive player has their leg hooks around their opponent's hips. They control their opponent's back with seatbelt control, having one arm above the shoulder and one arm below the shoulder.
Controlling Your Opponent's Back
In order to be more effective at the back mount, it's important to understand how to control your opponent. Once you've mastered controlling your opponent, this will open up more opportunities for submissions. You'll need to know how to:
Keep your chest against your opponent's back. According to Lachlan Giles, keeping the chest against the back is the most important thing, but it's not a necessity.
Prevent the escape on the overhook side. As taught by Gustavo Gasperin, to prevent the escape on the overhook side, it's essential to keep your opponent's chest. You may wish to switch to a figure-four, body lock, or a crisscross. The crisscross will prevent your opponent from freeing their hip.
Prevent the escape on the underhook side. Keep your top arm covering their shoulder and step on the top hip with both feet. This will prevent your opponent from turning to their knees.
1. Keep Your Chest Against Their Back
Tom Davey: YouTube ClipYouTube Clip: How to Control the Back
Instructor: Tom Davey
Provided By: The Grappling Academy
Synopsis: To maintain back control, your priority should be to keep your chest to your opponent's back. Secondly, hooks are a luxury, not a necessity, and if your opponent starts getting away, stay tight, sit up, and step your legs over.
2. Prevent Escape on the Overhook Side
Gustavo Gasperin: YouTube ClipYouTube Clip: Back Control Details
Instructor: Gustavo Gasperin
Provided By: MMA Leach
Synopsis: When on the over hook side. In order to maintain better back control, you may wish to switch to a figure-four, body lock, or a crisscross. The crisscross will prevent your opponent from freeing their hip.
3. Prevent Escape on the Underhook Side
Gustavo Gasperin: YouTube ClipYouTube Clip: Back Control Details
Instructor: Gustavo Gasperin
Provided By: MMA Leach
Synopsis: To prevent your opponent from going to their knees, step on the top hip with one leg and then reinforce with the other leg. You must also keep your top arm above their shoulder to prevent your opponent from turning to the ground.
Submissions from Back Mount
Being on someone's back is considered the best position to be in. You have adequate access to attack your opponent, while they can't do much to you. The only thing to do from offensive back mount is to submit your opponent. The submissions available from here are the:
Cross-Collar Choke. A basic choke where the strong-side arm is the threat for the choke.
Bow and Arrow Choke. If your opponent escapes to the weak-side arm, this is an excellent opportunity to go for the bow and arrow choke.
Rear-Naked Choke. A go-to for no-gi and a practical option in gi jiu-jitsu.
Armbar. If your opponent is doing a good job escaping the back, you can transition to an armbar.
Rear Triangle Choke. A similar setup to the armbar. If you cannot break the grip, this allows another option to get the armbar.
1. Cross-Collar Choke
YouTube Video: Roger GracieYouTube Video: Choke Details From The Back
Instructor: Roger Gracie
Provided by: JiuJitsuMag
Length: 2 minutes 29 seconds
Synopsis: The strong-side arm is the dangerous one in this choke. You want to prevent the opponent from grabbing the strong-side hand by grabbing over said hand with the weak-side hand and keeping it tight to their body. To get the choke, open the wrist and move towards the lapel.
2. Bow and Arrow Choke
YouTube Video: Tom DaveyYouTube Video: How and When To Execute The Perfect Bow And Arrow Choke
Instructor: Tom Davey
Length: 4 minutes 17 seconds
Synopsis: According to Tom Davey, if your opponent falls to the weak side arm (which is a better escape option for them), this is the time to go for the bow and arrow choke.
3. Rear-Naked Choke
YouTube Video: John DanaherYouTube Video: How to Perform the Perfect Rear Naked Choke
Instructor: John Danaher
Length: 22 minutes 21 seconds
Provided by: Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Synopsis: The rear-naked choke is a go-to submission in the world of grappling. The perfect technique for the rear-naked choke can overcome your opponent's defenses and John Danaher does an excellent job of explaining the nuances.
4. Armbar
YouTube Video: Lachlan GilesYouTube Video: Transitioning Between Armbar and Back Control
Instructor: Lachlan Giles
Length: 11 minutes 41 seconds
Provided by: Absolute MMA St Kilda - Melbourne
Synopsis: If your opponent is escaping back control, you can go for the Armbar to stay on the offense. This begins with a typical seatbelt control and falling towards the side with the underhook. From this point, you will grab a kimura grip, frame against your opponent's face with your forearm, and then slide your leg over their head to get to the Armbar position.
5. Rear Triangle Choke
YouTube Video: Stephan KestingYouTube Video: How to do the Rear Triangle Choke (or 'Ura Sankaku')
Instructor: Rob Biernacki & Stephan Kesting
Length: 6 minutes 20 seconds
Provided by: Stephan Kesting
Synopsis: This attack from the weak side (underhook) of back control. You will trap one arm with a figure four grip while bringing the other leg over. You can then transition to triangle whether you have your opponent's arm blocked or not. From there, you need to properly angle your hips and legs to finish the choke.
More Positions
Back Mount: A position in which the offensive player controls the defensive players back.
You are currently viewing the back mount position page.
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.
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.