Mount—Top Position
In a fight, you may end up in a dominant position. In this section, we will discuss how to operate in this advantageous position.
Maintaining Mount
Position 1: When in top position of the mount, you want to maintain a good base. You do this by staying close to the defender. Keep your hips back toward your heels, knees in tight or wide to base (depending on the opponent’s movement), and arms posted wide. If the defender grabs your arms, you want to pull them back quickly, bringing your elbow to your hip (“swim out”), and then re-post.
You must be able to feel the defender’s weight shift and adjust to it.
You can also maintain the mount position while sitting up and back. If you stay over the defender’s hips, you can keep from being bucked. However, your striking will not be strong (or may not reach) until you put your weight forward.
Position 2: An option is to try to move up on the defender’s chest with your knees under his arms. In this position it is hard for the bottom person to defend against strikes to the face.
Strikes
Position 3: With your hands posted and your weight low on the defender, you can send strikes to the defender’s head and body. Palm strikes, elbows, and headbutts work best from this position. Be sure to always recover to your base position.
Positions 4-5: For stronger strikes, sit up and back and then come down with punches and elbows.
Trap Opponent’s Arms to Chest to Pop Up and Out
Although the mount is a good position in a fight, you may need to get up from the ground to defend against a third party, or to simply disengage from the fight.
Starting Position: Mounted on top of a prone defender.
While
sitting up
and back,
pin your opponent’s
arms to his chest—use
your body weight,
not just your
arm strength.
Pop your
hips up,
keeping your
feet on the
ground on either
side of the attacker;
your hands
should still pin
his
arms.
Lift
one leg up
and over, pivoting
to one side of his
body near his head.
(Be sure to lift
your leg high
enough to
pass over his bent
knee).
Stand straight
up, moving
away from the
attacker.
Guard—Bottom Position: Kick Off from the Guard
This technique presents a basic method of making distance when you’ve trapped someone in your guard. Additional techniques, including arm bars, will be taught at higher levels. This technique can be performed most easily when the opponent’s weight is back, although it can be done when his weight is forward (it’s just more difficult).
Starting Position: Holding an attacker in your guard.
Shift
to one hip, bringing
your top
knee in
against his body.
Your hands
should be up
to protect against
punches.
Kick your bottom
foot against his hip to
create space.
Kick your top
foot against his chest
or face.
Get up and create distance.
Foot Grab: Stripping
This technique can be applied when a standing attacker grabs the defender’s foot.
Starting Position: The defender is lying on her back. The attacker is standing up, grabbing the defender’s foot.
When
the attacker grabs
one of your
feet, you
want to remove
at least one of
his hands
to keep
him from spinning
you. So raise
your free foot
high. At
the same
time, “flex” your
caught leg—this gives
you extra
power and also
helps you target
his hands.
Bring
your raised leg
down, heel first, to
strike his hand
and strip it
from your foot.
Immediately kick
at his legs
to cause
damage.
