Never Lose Back Mount Again (4 Techniques and Some Hyperbole to Get Your Attention) [Video]

For a long time, I struggled with the back mount position.  Reaching back mount and setting my hooks required an extraordinary amount of effort, and once I accomplished that goal, I bumbled about trying to set a choke and my opponent would ultimately escape.  In many cases, I preferred to play guard simply because I was better at it.  Taking the back was just a good way for me to get points, not to finish fights.

Then I wrote Marcelo Garcia's Advanced Jiu-Jitsu Techniques.

Marcelo's game plan for maintaining back mount is incredibly efficient, and at it's core, surprisingly simple.  He cycles between 3 core techniques, and once I taught myself to recognize what situations required which technique, my back mount game changed.  The forth technique that I have included is a trick that I blundered into on accident, but I'm sure that guys like Marcelo are privy to it.  Before you study the graphic and video below, you should remember two key details that make this system effective:



1. This system is designed for use with the seatbelt grip, one overhook and one underhook.  If you are playing double underhooks, these techniques may not be as effective.

2. When you are playing a seatbelt grip, your goal will typically be to lie on the side of your overhook, and the techniques in this article are designed to keep you there.  If your opponent is lying on top of your underhook, your ability to finish with the rear naked choke will be hindered because your arm is trapped by your weight and his weight.  Are there submission options available from the underhook side?  Yes, but most of them require you to abandon your position, and I would argue that that is unwise.  If you have the back, keep the back until you finish a choke.  Bailing for an arm lock is a bit too risky for my taste.

As you can see in the graphic above, my main goal is to stay on my overhook side.  As soon as my opponent does something to escape, I use one of my 4 techniques to counter and to reset my position.  As I am working to maintain back mount, I am hunting my opponent's neck.  You will find that his neck often opens up during the stretcher technique, so be aware of that opportunity.  You will also find yourself often needing to use the stretcher after the Marcelo roll and after the knee hook dump.  This will make more sense, of course, after you watch the video.

Admittedly, there are a few other techniques that you might find useful, but these are the 4 that you will use most often (check out Marcelo's new book for the complete rundown).  Enjoy the video breakdown of these techniques: