One of the first things that a BJJ student learns at class is how to escape ground control situations. It’s crucial not just for their progress but to establish a good foundation that will help them become a well-rounded player in the years to come.
While using the bridge and hip movements are important steps to escape side control,as a white belt you also need to master other escapes such as escape from mount, escape from back mount, and pass closed guard. Each helps you get out of a tough situation and turn the tables as it were on your opponent.
So how would you go about learning and mastering these escapes? This article takes you on a technical journey that lays it out in simple terms, how to get yourself out of a tight spot and surprise your opponent right when they thought they were this close to winning a submission.
Side Control Escape
One of the most vulnerable positions you can find yourself in early on is to allow your opponent to have side control over you. It just gives them great advantages. Even for a white belt it doesn’t take a lot of experience for the novice player to turn that advantage into a huge win especially when they transition to knee on belly. Meanwhile you’re left helpless and on the defense. So how do you make your escape from this delicate position?
You can start by using your forearm. It creates a barrier between you and your opponent preventing them from taking full advantage of the position or rendering your defenses useless. Your forearm creates enough space for you to wiggle your hips and make your escape leaving your opponent flustered on the mat.
If your arms cannot get the job done and pave the way for your escape, you can use the bridge maneuver. It is more powerful and doesn’t require strong arms to get it done. Arch your back into a bridge and push the weight of your opponent off you and make your escape.
The last tip to keep in mind is to maintain a safe distance for your arms. Even while grappling, your arms need to have enough space to allow them their full movement without getting entangled. If you lose control over your arms, no matter what position you are in, you can neither mount a defense or an offensive against your opponent.
Escape from Mount
If side control puts you at a great disadvantage, you should never allow your opponent to have their way from a mount position. Simply put, a mount position gives the opponent the power of using their full body weight on your torso area. This makes it even more difficult for you to escape.
You probably have tried this the first time not with a classmate but with your teacher. Most teachers do this to prove a point. With the full bulk of their weight on your torso, you know that escaping is almost impossible. However, you can still escape from mount no matter how heavy or bulky the opponent you’re up against is.
The first thing you need to do as your opponent leans on you is to get them off balance. That may be easier said than done, but you’ll need every fiber in your body to get them off you. What you need to focus on is to adjust their center of gravity so that it’s not squarely placed on your torso.
You can try the same maneuvers we mentioned that work with side control escape. Pushing with your arms while wiggling your hips can create the kind of momentum you’re looking for. It displaces the opponents legs and thus gives you an opening into throwing them off your back.
Once you have created this shift in dynamics, it would be easy for you to build on it, extract yourself out of the critical position and gain enough momentum to launch an offensive.
Escape from Back Mount
Having the full weight of your opponent on your torso can be a heavy burden to throw off, but it’s really nothing compared to trying to escape from the back mount. It is by far the most dominant position in BJJ and you’ll need to give it everything you got just to make your way out of it and not have your opponent transition it into something that makes your chances of escape less attainable.
The reasons the back mount is such a tough position to escape is that your opponent has their legs hooked around your waist. That puts a stop to any attempt to use your legs, hips, or back to create any leverage or help you out of this difficult position.
Another problem has to do with your vulnerable neck. With the opponent behind you and your arms practically useless, they have a great opening to apply pressure on your neck. The opponent might also choose to go for a choke that brings the confrontation to a swift and inevitable ending.
Needless to say that with both the top and bottom halves of your body fully under the control of your opponent, neither your experience nor the lack of experience on the part of your opponent have much to do to help you out of this situation. Even advanced players find themselves so vulnerable when they are under the mercy of the back mount position.
So how do you get yourself out of this one?
First you need to untangle your body out of the hooks of the opponent. The hooks are what keeps you vulnerable and prevent you from escaping. So it’s normal that this is where you focus your efforts to escape. Apply pressure with your hands on the wrists of the opponent as you wiggle your waist out of their hooks.
Once you are free, you can now recover and improve your position. One of the first things to do once you’re out of the hook, is to try the bridge maneuver. The bridge allows you to turn the tables completely. Instead of having the opponent in control, you force them to the ground and now you have the upper hand.
Even if the opponent still got you hooked, a bridging movement eliminates any remaining advantage the opponent has along with the hook. This paves the way for you to launch your own offensive. This becomes easier as you get them on their back on the ground and with a few hip movements, you can totally escape and gain the upper hand.
Whether you’re trying to escape side control, mount or back mount positions, you need to keep in mind that the only common denominator in all these escapes is your breathing. Don’t panic no matter how insurmountable the hurdles seem to you at the time. You need all your wits by you and your breathing will help you calm your mind down.
Being slow and deliberate is the best policy to get you out of it. Don’t rush it and try to evaluate the situation, gauging your opponent’s weak points as you plan your defense. As we have seen the bridge maneuver is usually the go-to move to turn the tables on your opponent. But if you don’t pick the right moment, you might tip your hand and waste the golden opportunity to escape a tough situation.
Some players, especially beginners resort to sheer force to break out of the lock. But as we have seen, when you get your opponent behind your back with almost full control over your top and lower body, raw force will not help you much.
Your tactic should be to make your move as explosive as possible. Pressing or struggling against the opponent’s lock only makes things worse. And since the opponent has a positional advantage, your futile attempts to escape give the rival the opportunity to transition into something that gives them tactical advantage.
Finally, escaping the tough position is only half the battle. Once you’re out of it, quickly take advantage of the momentum to launch your offensive. Your opponent is still flustered and before they recover, you can get the upper hand and put them on the defensive.