3 Ways To Escape High Mount
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High Mount·Stay Safe Martial Arts
3 ways to escape a high mount for jiu jitsu, mma, and self defense. Check out Combat Corner for all of your fighting…
High Mount
SubFamilyハイマウント(Hai Maunto)
TransliterationTranslation: high mount
Overview
The High Mount subfamily covers the mount variation where the top fighter slides the hips up toward the opponent's chest or shoulders, creating a higher mounting position that increases submission access. [1] The high mount provides better armbar, triangle, and mounted cross-choke angles because the top fighter's hips are closer to the opponent's head and shoulders. [1],[2] The trade-off is slightly less base stability compared to full mount, as the higher position makes the mount easier to bridge. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The high mount (chest mount) is an advanced mount variation that provides superior submission access by positioning the hips near the opponent's chest or shoulders. [1] From high mount, the attacker can more easily isolate the arms for armbars and threaten chokes while the opponent's hip escapes are severely limited by the high body positioning. [2]
Lineage
High mount positions the attacker's hips higher on the opponent's chest, increasing control and submission access; developed in BJJ as an advanced mount variant. [1]
Competition Record
High mount is used in BJJ and MMA competition for increased submission pressure. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Gravity-assisted top control — body weight pins the opponent's torso to the ground
Joints Involved — Attacker's hips (heavy base), knees (clamped for ride control), opponent's spine (pinned)
Force Vector — Downward — gravity plus active hip pressure maximises control and submission opportunities
Positional Mechanic — High mount raises the centre of gravity above the opponent's shoulder line, isolating their arms for attacks
Position & Entry
From guard pass completion — After passing the guard, establish mount by placing knees on either side of the opponent's torso
From sweep — Complete a sweep from guard and land directly in mount position on top
From side control (knee slide) — From side control, slide the knee across the opponent's belly and settle into mount
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Top positions enable pressure and striking; rib compression risk under heavy pressure
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— IBJJF — Legal, mount scores 4 points — highest-scoring po...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal, mount scores 2 points
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal dominant position
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— UWW — Legal, back exposure scores points, pin ends match ...
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal, pin scores points
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓High mount positions the top player's hips near the opponent's chest or armpits — it is the primary submission-hunting mount position (Danaher, Mount Attacks, 2020)
✓High mount changes the dynamic: the hips near the armpits trap the opponent's arms, making armbar and triangle entries available
✓Climbing to high mount: from low mount, walk the knees up toward the armpits while maintaining control — each knee advance reduces the opponent's arm freedom
✓High mount is where most mount submissions are finished: the armbar, triangle, and arm triangle are all readily available
✓The trade-off: high mount is less stable than low mount — the opponent has more space to shrimp and escape
✓High mount requires active maintenance: constant pressure and knee position adjustment are necessary
✓Roger Gracie's mount system: establish low mount → climb to high mount → attack the cross choke → armbar when they defend the choke
Common Mistakes
!Climbing to high mount too quickly — advance gradually, securing each position before climbing higher
!Not maintaining control during the climb — each knee advance must be accompanied by upper body control
!Sitting upright in high mount — lean forward with pressure to maintain the position
!Staying in high mount without attacking — high mount is for finishing; attack immediately upon achieving it
!Not controlling the arms from high mount — the arms should be trapped under the knees or controlled with grips
!Climbing too high and losing the mount entirely — if the opponent begins escaping, drop back to low mount
!Not training the climb from low to high mount — the transition is a specific skill that requires drilling
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Pass the Guard — clear the opponent's legs to advance to this dominant position
2Settle Weight — distribute body weight to maintain heavy pressure
3Control Arms — manage the opponent's arms to prevent frames and escapes
4Threaten Submissions — attack to force defensive reactions and maintain dominance
Sources & References
Primary Source
Mastering Jujitsu (Renzo Gracie & John Danaher, 2003)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] IBJJF Rules (2024) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [3] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
2BookBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Gracie & Gracie, 2001)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
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] IBJJF Rules (2024) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [3] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
5CitationBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Gracie & Gracie, 2001)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Community
Athletics
Requires
base stability, heavy hips, ride ability
Favours
heavier build with strong hips for pressure
Key muscles
hip adductors, core, glutes, quadriceps
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the key difference between escaping high mount versus regular mount?
High mount is more difficult because it eliminates your ability to use your hips effectively. According to Stay Safe Martial Arts, your first goal should be to shoulder walk your way up to bring your opponent down to a normal or low mount, then execute a standard mount escape from there.
How should I position my arms when trapped in high mount?
Don't keep your arms extended or pushing outward. Instead, tuck your arms around your neck for protection and post on your opponent's hip as much as possible, as demonstrated by Stay Safe Martial Arts.
What's the hip bump technique for escaping high mount?
When you hip bump to escape high mount, think of the motion like taking your pants off—you're bumping your hips while simultaneously pushing on your opponent's hips to create space and give yourself a fighting chance to escape, according to Stay Safe Martial Arts.
How does the High Mount work?
The High Mount subfamily covers the mount variation where the top fighter slides the hips up toward the opponent's chest or shoulders, creating a higher mounting position that increases submission access. The high mount provides better armbar, triangle, and mounted cross-choke angles because the top fighter's hips are closer to the opponent's head and shoulders.
Where does the High Mount come from?
The high mount developed as a submission-focused mount variation in BJJ, used when the top fighter wants to maximise submission attack options at the cost of some positional stability. It is a standard part of the mount progression taught in BJJ.
Is the High Mount legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal, mount scores 4 points — highest-scoring position; IJF: legal — Legal, osaekomi (pin) — 10-19 seconds scores waza-ari, 20 seconds scores ippon; ADCC: legal — Legal, mount scores 2 points; Unified MMA: legal — Legal dominant position; UWW: legal — Legal, back exposure scores points, pin ends match by fall; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal, pin scores points
How dangerous is the High Mount?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — top positions enable pressure and striking; rib compression risk under heavy pressure
How do I set up the High Mount?
The standard setup chain: Pass the Guard → Settle Weight → Control Arms → Threaten Submissions.
How do I defend against the High Mount?
Standard counters include: Bridge (Upa) — explosive hip elevation to off-balance the top player / Elbow-Knee Escape (Shrimp) — create space by driving elbow to knee and hip-escaping / Frame — establish forearm frames to prevent the top player from settling weight.
What are the variants of the High Mount?
Common variants: Low mount (hips heavy on the opponent's belly, grapevines in for sta…); High mount (knees under the armpits, arms isolated for submissions); S-mount (one knee high under the armpit, other leg across for arm …); Technical mount (one leg hooked, one knee posted, modified for back-take t…).
How effective is the High Mount in competition?
High mount is used in BJJ and MMA competition for increased submission pressure.
What are common mistakes when doing the High Mount?
Top errors to watch for: Climbing to high mount too quickly — advance gradually, securing each position before climbing higher / Not maintaining control during the climb — each knee advance must be accompanied by upper body control / Sitting upright in high mount — lean forward with pressure to maintain the position / Staying in high mount without attacking — high mount is for finishing; attack immediately upon achieving it.
What are other names for the High Mount?
The High Mount is also known as Hai Maunto, High Mount, Technical Mount, Mounted High.