The First 3 Mount Escapes You Need To Know in BJJ
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Standard Sit-Out Technique·Brandon Mccaghren
When you first start Jiu Jitsu, you're gonna be getting stuck in the bottom of mount. A lot. Even by people who aren't v…
Standard Sit-Out Technique
Genusスタンダードシットアウト技(Sutandādo Shitto Auto Waza)
TransliterationTranslation: standard sit-out technique
Overview
The Standard Sit-Out Technique executes the fundamental sit-out escape by kicking the hips out to one side from the turtle position, rotating the body to face the opponent while landing on the hip or buttock. [1] The turtled fighter plants one hand on the mat, kicks the hips out to the opposite side in an explosive motion, and rotates the body to face the opponent, ending in a seated or guard position. [1],[2] The sit-out is completed in one explosive motion, and the speed of the hip kick is the key factor in its success. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The sit-out is one of the most fundamental and effective turtle escapes in wrestling, using a combination of hand control, hip rotation, and explosive hip movement to escape the bottom position. [1] It is a core wrestling escape that translates directly to BJJ and MMA turtle escape situations. [1],[2]
Lineage
Competition Record
The sit-out is a standard escape in wrestling competition. [1]
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Breaking the opponent's leg control to advance to a more dominant position
Joints Involved — Hips (posture and pressure), knees (opening the guard with knee-in or standing), hands (grip fighting)
Force Vector — Forward pressure (stack/smash) or backward posture (stand-up break) to open the closed guard
Passing Mechanic — Once the guard is opened, speed passing, pressure passing, or toreando passing advances the position
Position & Entry
From bottom side control — Create frames with the forearms against the opponent's neck and hip, hip escape (shrimp) to create space, insert the knee to recover guard
From underhook escape — Swim the near arm to an underhook, bridge into the opponent and come to knees or reverse
From opponent's transition — When the opponent moves to mount or north-south, use the movement to create space and escape
Variants
Shrimp to guard — framing and hip-escaping to recover full guard or half guard
Underhook escape — winning the underhook and coming to knees or reversing
Bridge to knees — bridging into the opponent and transitioning to turtle or single-leg
Ghost escape — inverting under the opponent to re-guard from the opposite side
Videos
Escapes from the Gift Wrap Position | Jiu-Jitsu Escapes
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Standard Sit-Out Technique·Knight Jiu-Jitsu
Technical mount, or kneeling mount, can be extremely tricky to escape. The top opponent has submission opportunities and…
3 Defenses to the STANDING Guillotine (BJJ/Jiu-Jitsu/Judo)
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Standard Sit-Out Technique·Brian Glick
In this video we look at 3 defenses to the standing guillotine. The guillotine occurs on the ground as well, but the def…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The sit-out escape, as taught across instructional contexts, represents a fundamental reversal technique applicable to mounted and side-mounted positions. Brandon Mccaghren emphasizes the sit-out within the broader framework of mount escapes, describing it as the kipping or hip bump escape variant where the defender maintains a survival posture with a frame across the opponent's far hip and an inside elbow, bumping forward with the bottom knee while pulling one knee inward to return to guard. This escape preserves defensive framing rather than exposing the body through bilateral hand traps. Knight Jiu-Jitsu addresses sit-out mechanics when mounted on the side, detailing hip elevation, C-clamp ankle control, and hip displacement toward the supporting leg to insert the leg inside before executing a shin sweep or knee cut pass. Both instructors emphasize the importance of foot positioning and preventing opponent connections (seat belt control, arm triangle vulnerability). The technique requires fluid, continuous motion rather than isolated movements, with timing considerations critical to success against advancing opponents. Mccaghren notes the sit-out's effectiveness increases when combined with proper weight distribution and hip movement, while Knight Jiu-Jitsu highlights spatial awareness and the option to transition into follow-up attacks when escaping.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- Brandon Mccaghren — The First 3 Mount Escapes You Need To Know in BJJ: Detailed the kipping/hip bump escape variant with emphasis on survival posture, frame placement, inside elbow positioning, knee-inside mechanics, and the importance of fluid bridge-and-bump timing rather than discrete movements.
- Knight Jiu-Jitsu — Escapes from the Gift Wrap Position | Jiu-Jitsu Escapes: Explained sit-out mechanics from side-mounted positions, including hip elevation, C-clamp ankle control, hip displacement, and leg insertion techniques, with emphasis on preventing opponent connections and spatial awareness.
- Brian Glick — 3 Defenses to the STANDING Guillotine (BJJ/Jiu-Jitsu/Judo): Covered standing position mobility principles and defensive hand positioning that complement foundational sit-out mechanics, though focused primarily on guillotine defense rather than sit-out technique proper.
Learn This Technique
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Turtle escapes involve rolling and granby movements; neck strain risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive/transitional technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— NCAA Folkstyle — Legal, escape scores 1 point, reversal s...
NCAA Wrestling Rules 2025-26PDFTraining Notes
✓Standard sit-out technique execution: from turtle, post the near-side hand firmly on the mat, kick the far leg through between your posted arm and the opponent, and rotate 180 degrees to face them (Cael Sanderson, Wrestling Technique, 2010)
✓Step 1: from turtle position, choose the escape direction
✓Step 2: post the near-side hand on the mat — fingers pointing forward, arm firm
✓Step 3: kick the far-side leg through the space between your posted arm and the opponent's body
✓Step 4: as the leg kicks through, rotate your entire body to face the opponent — completing the 180-degree turn
✓Step 5: end in a seated position facing the opponent — immediately transition to guard or standing
✓The posted hand is the pivot: your body rotates around it like a gate swinging open
✓The leg kick must be fast and low — drive it through the space close to the mat
✓After completing the sit-out, your options are: pull guard, technical standup, or re-shoot
✓Drill: partner on top of your turtle, sit-out to face them — 10 reps per side, increasing speed
Common Mistakes
!Posting too far from the body — the hand should be close for a strong, stable pivot
!Kicking the leg too high — the leg stays low, close to the mat, for speed and efficiency
!Not completing the full 180-degree rotation — you must end facing the opponent
!Pausing after the sit-out without transitioning — immediately go to guard or standing
!Sitting out when the opponent has hooks in — clear the hooks first
!Not using the core to drive the rotation — the sit-out is powered by the core, not just the leg
!Only training from one side — develop the sit-out equally on both sides
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Create Space — use frames, hip movement, or leverage to generate room to move
2Disrupt Control — break or weaken the opponent's grips and weight placement
3Execute Escape — apply the specific escape mechanic with timing and commitment
4Recover Position — establish a safe position (guard, standing, or top)
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (John Jesse, 1974) [2] NCAA wrestling terminology
2BookMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling for Fighting (Randy Couture, 2007) [2] Coaching Wrestling Successfully (Dan Gable, 1999)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (John Jesse, 1974) [2] NCAA wrestling terminology
5CitationMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling for Fighting (Randy Couture, 2007) [2] Coaching Wrestling Successfully (Dan Gable, 1999)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip escape (shrimping) speed, framing strength, timing
Favours
flexible hips and quick lateral movement
Key muscles
hip flexors, obliques, triceps (framing), core
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important thing to focus on when doing a bridge and roll escape from mount?
Brandon McCaghren emphasizes making the bridge and roll one fluid movement rather than two separate steps—this will significantly increase your success rate. You should look back over your shoulder and bridge in that direction, rather than trying to roll sideways.
How do I trap my opponent's foot effectively in a mount escape?
Brandon McCaghren recommends shifting your hips over and turning your knees toward the foot, then pulling your heel to your butt—avoid trying to trap from the center, since your opponent can stay low and hide the foot trap from there.
What should I do with my arms to prevent an arm triangle when defending mount?
Keep your elbow tucked inside and maintain a frame on your opponent's hip, rather than pushing them away with your hands. This positioning is important to hide your underhook and prevent your opponent from setting up an arm triangle.
Why is keeping my elbows low important when mounted?
Knight Jiu-Jitsu notes that if your opponent gets high on your armpits, many of your bridging escapes become ineffective, so keeping your elbows down and concentrating on controlling their hips prevents them from riding too high.
How does the Standard Sit-Out Technique work?
The Standard Sit-Out Technique executes the fundamental sit-out escape by kicking the hips out to one side from the turtle position, rotating the body to face the opponent while landing on the hip or buttock. The turtled fighter plants one hand on the mat, kicks the hips out to the opposite side in an explosive motion, and rotates the body to face the opponent, ending in a seated or guard position.
Where does the Standard Sit-Out Technique come from?
The standard sit-out technique is the most fundamental turtle escape in wrestling, taught as one of the first bottom-position escapes in every wrestling programme worldwide. Its adoption into BJJ and MMA has made it a universal grappling technique.
Is the Standard Sit-Out Technique legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive/transitional technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal, escape scores 1 point (freestyle), reversal scores 1 point; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; NCAA Folkstyle: legal — Legal, escape scores 1 point, reversal scores 2 points
How dangerous is the Standard Sit-Out Technique?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — turtle escapes involve rolling and granby movements; neck strain risk
How do I set up the Standard Sit-Out Technique?
The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.
How do I defend against the Standard Sit-Out Technique?
Standard counters include: Maintain Pressure — keep consistent weight distribution to limit escape space / Anticipate Direction — read escape attempt direction and block early / Transition — flow to a new position when the current one is threatened.
What are the variants of the Standard Sit-Out Technique?
Common variants: Shrimp to guard (framing and hip-escaping to recover full guard or half guard); Underhook escape (winning the underhook and coming to knees or reversing); Bridge to knees (bridging into the opponent and transitioning to turtle or…); Ghost escape (inverting under the opponent to re-guard from the opposit…).
How effective is the Standard Sit-Out Technique in competition?
The sit-out is a standard escape in wrestling competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Sit-Out Technique?
Top errors to watch for: Posting too far from the body — the hand should be close for a strong, stable pivot / Kicking the leg too high — the leg stays low, close to the mat, for speed and efficiency / Not completing the full 180-degree rotation — you must end facing the opponent / Pausing after the sit-out without transitioning — immediately go to guard or standing.
What are other names for the Standard Sit-Out Technique?
The Standard Sit-Out Technique is also known as Sutandādo Shitto Auto Waza, Basic Sit Out, Standard Sit Through.