High Mount

What it is

High mount is mount with your knees climbed up into your opponent's armpits, which takes away the bridge and usually isolates an arm. The person on top is one move from the armbar, the americana or the ezekiel; the person on the bottom has run out of good options. This is why mount survival is about never letting them climb: elbows tight to the ribs and hips moving early keep them low, where the upa and the elbow escape still work.

What you want from here

• On top: you have a normal mount and they push your chest or hips; walk the knees up as they push.
• On top: you want to finish; from here the armbar, the americana, the ezekiel and the cross collar choke are all close.
• On bottom: the escape has already been missed. Keep the elbows in, chin down, and wait for them to commit before moving.
• On bottom: aim to get an elbow back to your ribs and push a knee back down, so the low mount escapes work again.

Key details

• Knees in the armpits, toes tucked, hips low on their chest.
• Chest and head forward with a hand posted or a collar grip, so you do not tip over their head.
• Move to the attack straight away. High mount is not a resting position, it is a loading position.
• On bottom, hands on your own collar or neck, elbows tight, head turned to one side.
• On bottom, bridge only to move your hips, not to lift them; a big bridge opens the armbar.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: letting your weight go forward with no post. They bridge and you go over their head.
• Mistake: climbing high but leaving a knee wide. They slide an elbow and a knee back in and recover half guard.
• Mistake: on the bottom, pushing their chest with straight arms. The armbar is immediate.

How it is escaped or passed

• Elbows tight and a small bridge to one side, then working a knee back under their thigh.
• Turning to the side and sliding the arm back to the ribs to return to a low mount position.
• Trapping one arm and foot and bridging over if they lean over to attack.