BJJ Mount System Guide | Dominance & Control

Beginner to Advanced • 12 min read

Blue Belt+ The mount is where you control your opponent's entire body weight distribution.

Contents

What is the Mount Position?

The mount position is arguably the most dominant position in BJJ when you're on top. You control both of your opponent's arms and hips while pinning their torso under your weight. This position is crucial for submissions and points scoring in BJJ competition.

1

Mount Position Setup

To achieve mount, you must:

Have both your knees high on the opponent's ribs or under their armpits
Control their hips by pinning them down with your weight
Keep your weight distributed across their torso, not just in their stomach
Maintain hand positioning to defend escapes

2

Establishing Upper Mount Control

The foundation of mount control comes from:

Posting your hands on the mat near their head (not on their chest)
Creating distance and preventing hip movement
Keeping your feet grounded and wide for base
Distributing weight evenly across your points of contact

3

Chest-to-Chest Pressure Mount

Advanced mount control uses pressure:

Lower your hips to apply maximum chest pressure
Keep your head on their shoulder to control upper body
Post your hands on the mat by their head for weight distribution
This tires your opponent quickly and creates submission opportunities

💡 Pro Tip: The key to effective mounting is managing your weight distribution. Don't sit straight down — instead, apply pressure through your chest while maintaining base with your feet. This prevents escapes while keeping you stable.

Mount Position Transitions

Moving between mount variations allows you to maintain control while attacking submissions. Key transitions include switching sides, transitioning to knee-on-belly, and moving toward the head for RNC setup.

Attacks from Mount

The mount position opens up the most devastating submissions in BJJ, including the armbar, rear-naked choke, triangle choke, and many others that we cover in dedicated technique pages.