Become Fighter
Escaping bad positions: MMA guide
Bridge, elbow escape and mount escape: the three tools for getting out from underneath.
Everyone ends up underneath at some point. Escaping is a skill with a fixed order: protect your head, make a frame, make space, then move.
Do not wait until you are in trouble to practise. These movements need hundreds of slow repetitions.
Key points
- Protect the head and the neck before trying to escape.
- Bridge to lift the opponent's weight, then shrimp into the space.
- Elbow escape: push their hip with a frame, turn on your side and recover guard.
- Mount escape: trap an arm and a foot on the same side, bridge and roll.
- Use small movements. Large panicked movements waste energy and give up position.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Bridging with straight arms. Keep the frames bent and tight. Straight arms get broken or controlled.
- Escaping in a straight line. Move at an angle, hips away from the opponent.
- Waiting until exhausted to escape. Start the escape early while the opponent is still settling.
Combinations that use it
- bjj-bridge-shrimp: Bridge, Hip escape
- bjj-bridge-shrimp-stand: Bridge, Hip escape, Technical stand-up
- bjj-frame-elbow: Guard frame, Elbow-knee escape
- bjj-bridge-roll: Bridge, Bridge and roll from mount
- bjj-bridge-shrimp-granby-stand: Bridge, Hip escape, Granby roll, Technical stand-up
- bjj-roll-shrimp-stand: Bridge and roll from mount, Hip escape, Technical stand-up
Related techniques
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Ground fundamentals module of MMA foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Ground fundamentals
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.