Side Mount To Mount – Step Over

The side mount to mount with a step over is a basic mount and a ground technique that’svital for novices. Learning how to do it properly, along with other basic JiuJitsu stuff, are important for a fighter to go from a novice to someone who’s skilled enough to fight competitively.

In this article, you’re going to learn how to do a side mount to mount with a step over properly.

1. Start by assuming a side mount, with your right knee pressing against your opponent’s hip. If there is no submission hold available, proceed to the other steps.

2. Switch knees so your left knee is now the one pressed against your opponent’s hip, then twist your body sideways.

3. Your opponent will try to bring their knees up to prevent you from taking up the mount. Counter this by clearing them out of the way by using your right hand.

4. Now that you’ve established a proper hold on your opponent and your opponent’s legs not able to do anything, you can now step over it and slowly move to a mounted position.

5. Push using your left elbow, hand, or leg for momentum to finish with your right knee on the ground now.

6. Congratulations, you’re now on top of your opponent.

Mounting Tips

Mounts are no easy feat and they are rather intricate. There are small details that go into doing it properly and even more when it comes to mastering it.

As a novice, your main focus is to try and do it first. Then, you move on to the specifics. And, to help you with that, here are a few tips.

• If you don’t have good balance, forget about mounting. You’ll easily put yourself at risk for attempting to do so. One way that you can try and improve mounting is for you to practice the side mount to mount with your sparring partner trying to throw you off balance. Once you get used to the body movements involved, get a blindfold and do it through muscle memory alone. Timing and sensitivity are important for mounting and the simple exercise illustrated to you should help you improve both.

• The flexibility of your hips will decide just how deadly your mount is. The more flexible your hips are, the broader your base and the lower your center of gravity will be. So, try to do a little bit more yoga next time.

• Your mount isn’t always going to be a success, especially against heavier and much more powerful opponents. Knowing when to quit and transitioning to a side mount or back or even disengaging is a vital skill that’ll only develop with more time dedicated to practice or competing.

As with any technique employed in JiuJitsu, practice is the key to improvement.

Assuming that you’re a white belt, you don’t only need practice, but you’ll want to watch competitions where such techniques are employed. Try to watch with your professor as well, so you can pick up pointers as he watches and winces on the mistakes as well.