Low Mount

SubFamily

Translation: low mount

Range & classification

Overview

The Low Mount subfamily covers the mount variation where the top fighter's hips are positioned low on the opponent's waist or hips, providing a more stable but less submission-oriented mounting position. ^[1] The low mount is typically used for control and ground-and-pound rather than submission attacks, as the lower hip position provides better base against bridging. ^[1],[2] The low mount is common in MMA where maintaining the mount for striking is the priority. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Low Mount^[1]Base Mount^[2]Hip Mount^[3]

Used in

BJJ MMA Submission Grappling Judo

History & Origin

The low mount is a control-oriented mount variation used across grappling and MMA, valued for its stability and striking platform. ^[1] It is commonly used in MMA where maintaining control for ground-and-pound is prioritised over submission attacks. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

BrazilBJJ, MMA, Submission Grappling
JapanBJJ, Submission Grappling, Judo
USAMMA, Submission Grappling

Effectiveness

Low mount positions the attacker's hips lower on the opponent's waist, providing a more stable base against bridge escapes. ^[1]

Lineage

Low mount is the standard starting position when achieving mount in grappling. ^[1]

Competition Record

Low mount is the most common mount position in competition. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

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

SBG PDX & Vancouver BJJ and MMA Videos

Solution For A Strong Low Mount

Low Mount·SBG PDX & Vancouver BJJ and MMA Videos

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1 video

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Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Moderate3/10

Top positions enable pressure and striking; rib compression risk under heavy pressure

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

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

— pin

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— 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 RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓Low mount keeps the hips low on the opponent's abdomen with grapevine hooks — it is the highest-control mount position and the base from which all other mount variations are reached (Saulo Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University, 2008)

✓Low mount prioritizes control over submission opportunity: the grapevine hooks and low hips make escape nearly impossible

✓Low mount is the 'safe' mount: when in doubt, return to low mount with grapevine hooks to re-establish control

✓The primary attack from low mount is the cross choke (gi) or the head-and-arm choke: both work from the low position

✓Low mount is the starting point for the mount progression: low mount → climb to high mount → attack submissions

✓In MMA, low mount with grapevine hooks is the preferred ground-and-pound position: maximum control with striking ability

✓Low mount maintenance: when the opponent bridges, absorb the energy and resettle; when they shrimp, tighten the knees

Common Mistakes

!Sitting too high when you want low mount control — the hips must be on the lower abdomen with hooks in

!Not using the grapevine hooks — low mount without hooks allows bridging escapes

!Attacking submissions from low mount without first securing control — control is the priority in low mount

!Keeping the chest too far from the opponent — chest-to-chest pressure adds to the control

!Not returning to low mount when higher mount positions are compromised — low mount is the safety net

!Using arm strength to hold mount — low mount control comes from hip position and hooks, not arm strength

!Staying in low mount indefinitely without attempting to advance — low mount is the base; advance to high mount for submissions

Related Techniques

Escape — the bottom player's primary objective from this dominant position Transition — movement between this position and adjacent positions in the hierarchy

Counter Techniques

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

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] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003) [3] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)

2BookBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Gracie & Gracie, 2001)

Effectiveness sources — [1] 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] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003) [3] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)

5CitationBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Gracie & Gracie, 2001)

Effectiveness sources — [1] 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

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Standard Low Mount

Genus

The Standard Low Mount positions the top fighter's hips on the opponent's waist or lower abdomen, with a wider base and lower centre of gravity for maximum stability. [1] The standard low mount prioritises control over submission access, making it ideal for ground-and-pound in MMA and for maintaining the mount against opponents with strong bridging escapes. [1,2] From standard low mount, the top fighter can transition to full or high mount when ready to attack with submissions. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I escape low mount when my opponent has strong pressure?

Get your leg flat and in the middle to lighten their knee pressure, which shifts their weight to their hips. This opens the opportunity to pull guard, though the hardest part is getting that leg flat in the middle position initially.

What's the key detail when executing a low mount knee escape?

Turn your kneecap down—this is a very important detail because it prevents your opponent from getting their foot back under you, making it much easier to slide your knee up and establish guard.

What should I do if my opponent uses shadow hooks to prevent my escape?

If your opponent is tracking you closely with shadow hooks and won't let you get your leg flat, you'll need an alternative escape since the standard knee escape becomes much more difficult.

How does the Low Mount work?

The Low Mount subfamily covers the mount variation where the top fighter's hips are positioned low on the opponent's waist or hips, providing a more stable but less submission-oriented mounting position. The low mount is typically used for control and ground-and-pound rather than submission attacks, as the lower hip position provides better base against bridging.

Where does the Low Mount come from?

The low mount is a control-oriented mount variation used across grappling and MMA, valued for its stability and striking platform. It is commonly used in MMA where maintaining control for ground-and-pound is prioritised over submission attacks.

Is the Low 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 Low Mount?

Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — top positions enable pressure and striking; rib compression risk under heavy pressure

How do I set up the Low Mount?

The standard setup chain: Pass the Guard → Settle Weight → Control Arms → Threaten Submissions.

How do I defend against the Low 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 Low 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 Low Mount in competition?

Low mount is the most common mount position in competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the Low Mount?

Top errors to watch for: Sitting too high when you want low mount control — the hips must be on the lower abdomen with hooks in / Not using the grapevine hooks — low mount without hooks allows bridging escapes / Attacking submissions from low mount without first securing control — control is the priority in low mount / Keeping the chest too far from the opponent — chest-to-chest pressure adds to the control.

What are other names for the Low Mount?

The Low Mount is also known as Rō Maunto, Low Mount, Base Mount, Hip Mount.

low mount r maunto position top position mount bjj mma submission grappling judo base mount hip mount