Z guard BJJ
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Standard Low Mount·Energia Martial Arts·Added by Admin
Z guard BJJ Back to a full system again with the Z-guard this time. A beautiful halfguard/kneeshield variation with tons…
Standard Low Mount
Genusスタンダードローマウント(Sutandādo Rō Maunto)
TransliterationTranslation: standard low mount
Overview
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]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The standard low mount is the baseline mount position. [1]
Lineage
The default mount position in BJJ. [1]
Competition Record
Used in all grappling competition. [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
Variants
Low mount — hips heavy on the opponent's belly, grapevines in for stability
High mount — knees under the armpits, arms isolated for submissions
S-mount — one knee high under the armpit, other leg across for arm attacks
Technical mount — one leg hooked, one knee posted, modified for back-take transitions
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
✓Standard low mount execution: from mount, drop the hips to the opponent's lower abdomen, insert grapevine hooks by threading both feet inside the opponent's thighs, and establish chest pressure with head-and-arm control (Saulo Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University, 2008)
✓Step 1: settle the hips on the opponent's lower abdomen — heavy and low
✓Step 2: thread the right foot inside the opponent's right thigh (grapevine hook)
✓Step 3: thread the left foot inside the opponent's left thigh (second grapevine hook)
✓Step 4: spread the opponent's legs with the hooks to reduce their bridge power
✓Step 5: lean forward, driving the chest into the opponent, and control the head with a crossface or collar grip
✓Step 6: from standard low mount, threaten: cross choke (begin grip sequence), Ezekiel choke, or climb to high mount
✓Standard low mount is the first mount position taught: it establishes the control principles before adding submissions
✓Drill: establish standard low mount and hold against escaping partner — 3-minute rounds
Common Mistakes
!Not sinking the hips low enough — the hips must be heavy on the lower abdomen
!Threading the hooks too deep — medium hook depth provides the best control and mobility
!Not spreading the opponent's legs — the hooks should actively push the legs apart
!Leaning too far forward and losing hip contact — the hips must stay on the opponent
!Not using chest pressure — the chest drives into the opponent for maximum weight
!Keeping the head too high — the head should be beside the opponent's head for control
!Not adjusting when the opponent begins escaping — constant micro-adjustments maintain the position
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] 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
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my opponent from passing when I'm in the mount position?
Keep constant pressure on your opponent's hips by squeezing your legs together—don't let your legs go slack. If your legs are too loose, your opponent can easily bumble to the side and start passing into half guard. Maintain this hip pressure throughout the position to control their movement.
When should I get up on my elbow to attack from mount?
Energia Martial Arts emphasizes that you shouldn't get up on the elbow too much unless you control the secondary arm, as your opponent can cross face you without proper control. Once you have arm control, you can safely transition to attacks like the Kimura.
What's a good way to finish a Kimura from the mount if my opponent keeps their arm tucked?
Instead of shoving with your arms, extend your back to apply pressure. You can also use a shoulder crunch grip and bring your knee in front of their face to extend the arm from their body, then keep pressure back to prevent them from turning the arm as you rotate your hips out.
How does the Standard Low Mount work?
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. 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.
Where does the Standard Low Mount come from?
The standard low mount is a control-focused mount position commonly used in MMA and self-defence contexts where maintaining the mount is more important than immediate submission attacks. It is taught as a controlling mount option alongside the standard and high mount.
Is the Standard 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 Standard 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 Standard Low Mount?
The standard setup chain: Pass the Guard → Settle Weight → Control Arms → Threaten Submissions.
How do I defend against the Standard 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 Standard 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 Standard Low Mount in competition?
Used in all grappling competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Low Mount?
Top errors to watch for: Not sinking the hips low enough — the hips must be heavy on the lower abdomen / Threading the hooks too deep — medium hook depth provides the best control and mobility / Not spreading the opponent's legs — the hooks should actively push the legs apart / Leaning too far forward and losing hip contact — the hips must stay on the opponent.
What are other names for the Standard Low Mount?
The Standard Low Mount is also known as Sutandādo Rō Maunto, Classic Low Mount, Basic Low Mount, Seated Low Mount.