Back control (defend)

They are on your back. Protect the neck and fight the hooks before the choke.

EscapesFundamental
Lesson video · 1 of 14

How to Escape Back Mount in BJJ

Report a problemDaniel Lewis Jiu Jitsu · on YouTube
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Essentials

Back control (defend): Back control, seated: chest to back with an arm across the chest and hooks in
You are the player underneath.US Army, FM 3-25.150 Combatives (2002) · Public domain (US Army work) Source ↗

They’re on your back with hooks or a body triangle and a seatbelt grip. Your neck is the target. Protect it, fight their hands, then slide your shoulders to the mat on their underhook side (away from the choking arm) so you can turn and face them.

Your goals
  • Chin tucked, two hands on their choking arm
  • Slide your shoulders to the mat on their underhook side, away from the choking arm
  • Clear the bottom hook and turn into them to recover guard
What they want
  • Win the hand fight and finish the choke
  • Keep their hooks and chest connection
Key principles
  • Two hands on one arm
  • Escape to the underhook side
Common mistakes
  • Grabbing their forearm with only one hand
  • Trying to stand up with them on your back

Techniques to learn

Each one opens its own page and video.

Escapes
Back escape to guardBack escape · FundamentalRear naked choke defenseSubmission escape · Fundamental
Escapes when caught here
Escape the rear naked chokeSubmission escapeEscape the bow and arrow chokeSubmission escapeEscape the sliding collar chokeSubmission escape

Where it leads

Other side
Back control
Moves from here
Half guardClosed guardTurtle (bottom)
Escapes
Escape the rear naked chokeEscape the bow and arrow chokeEscape the sliding collar choke
In courses
Foundations I: Survive & escapeBack attack set
Seminars

If this happens…

  1. they slip an arm under your chinPull their wrist down with both hands and turn your chin into the elbow
  2. your shoulders reach the matKick out the bottom hook and turn into their guard or top half

Seminars

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Longer seminars, classes and masterclasses that teach this. Free on YouTube.

Class recordingBottomEscapes

Back Escapes

Priit Mihkelson

Escaping when someone has your back

Priit Mihkelson's Zen Camp 2018 class on escaping back control, from the BJJ Globetrotters camp archive.

YouTube ↗
Advanced detailsTransitions, threats, reactions, troubleshooting and a sparring drill

1. Overview

They are on your back. Protect the neck and fight the hooks before the choke.

Key controls

  • Chin down, protect the neck
  • Two hands on the choking arm
  • Escape to their underhook side, then clear the hooks

In this position

3 transitions · 3 threats · 2 reactions · 2 troubleshooting fixes · 1 sparring exercise · 3 techniques

Read about itGrapplearts articlesBJJ Heroes

Finish this lesson

0% of this lesson0/14 videos completed · 0/3 techniques practiced
Test yourselfBack control (defend) lesson quiz5 questions · pass with 4