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Modified Mount Variations Top | BJJ Position Guide | BJJ Graph

Oct 25, 202512 min read

Modified Mount Variations Top

bjjpositionmounttop-positionintermediate

State Description

Modified mount variations represent strategic adjustments from standard mount position, providing the top practitioner with enhanced control options and submission opportunities based on the bottom opponent’s defensive reactions. These variations score 4 points in IBJJF competition and are characterized by modifications to knee placement, hip positioning, and weight distribution that optimize specific attacking scenarios. The position maintains dominant control while adapting to opponent’s defensive strategies.

From this position, you have multiple pathways for advancement including high mount, S-mount, and technical mount, each creating specific submission opportunities and controlling different defensive responses. The ability to flow between these variations makes it difficult for opponents to establish consistent defensive strategies. Modified mount variations serve as a control position that sets up finishing techniques while maintaining positional dominance throughout transitions.

The position is most effective when you have established strong base and forward weight distribution, allowing you to threaten multiple attacks simultaneously while maintaining security against escape attempts. Against more experienced opponents who defend standard mount effectively, these variations become essential for creating openings and advancing position toward back control or submissions.

Visual Description

You are positioned on top of your opponent who is flat on their back, with your knees on the mat on either side of their torso. Your hips are weighted forward and down onto their chest or upper abdomen, creating constant pressure that restricts their breathing and movement. Your weight is distributed through your knees and hips rather than sitting upright, keeping your center of gravity low and making you difficult to bridge or roll. Your chest leans forward over their upper body, and your hands are positioned for grips, frames, or submission setups depending on their defensive posture.

Your opponent is flat on their back beneath you, with their movement severely restricted by your weight and position. Their arms are typically defensive, either framing against your chest to create distance or tucked tight to their body to protect from submissions. Their hips are controlled by your weight and knee positioning, limiting their ability to shrimp or bridge effectively. The spatial relationship creates multiple angles for attack while your stable base prevents their escape attempts.

This creates strategic control allowing you to threaten multiple submissions and position advancements while maintaining security against common mount escapes, with your ability to transition between variations forcing opponent into continuous defensive decision-making under pressure.

Key Principles

  • Adaptive Positioning: Modifying mount based on opponent’s defensive reactions optimizes control and creates specific opportunities
  • Forward Weight Distribution: Maintaining hips heavy and forward restricts opponent’s movement while keeping base secure against bridge attempts
  • Base Maintenance: Wide knee placement and low center of gravity provide stability against escape attempts
  • Submission Chain Integration: Connecting multiple attack threats creates dilemmas where defending one opens another
  • Variation Recognition: Understanding which mount variation to apply based on opponent’s posture and defensive strategy
  • Patience and Timing: Waiting for opponent to expose vulnerabilities rather than forcing attacks maintains position security
  • Pressure Application: Constant chest and hip pressure fatigues opponent while restricting their defensive options

Offensive Transitions

From this position, you can execute:

Position Improvements

Submissions

Defensive Responses

When opponent has this position against you, available counters:

Decision Tree

If opponent frames with both arms extended:

Else if opponent exposes arm away from body:

Else if opponent turtles or turns to side:

  • Transition to Technical Mount Top (Probability: 70%)
    • Reasoning: Technical mount controls turn and creates natural pathway to back control

Else (balanced opponent / default):

Expert Insights

John Danaher: Modified mount variations represent intelligent positional adaptation based on opponent’s defensive strategies. The key is understanding that standard mount control must evolve when opponents develop effective defensive structures. By varying your knee placement, hip positioning, and weight distribution, you create different tactical scenarios each requiring different defensive responses, overwhelming opponent’s ability to maintain consistent defense while creating superior attacking opportunities.

Gordon Ryan: In competition, I use mount variations constantly based on how opponents react to initial control. High mount is my preference for restricting movement and forcing mistakes, while S-mount and technical mount create specific submission and back take opportunities. The ability to flow between variations smoothly prevents opponents from establishing rhythm in their defense and maintains constant offensive pressure that scores submissions at elite levels.

Eddie Bravo: Modified mount variations integrate perfectly with submission chains and creative attacking sequences. Each variation creates unique submission opportunities that can be connected in unexpected ways. Technical mount particularly interests me as it leads naturally to truck position and back control, creating non-traditional pathways that opponents struggle to defend when they’re focused on standard mount escapes.

Common Errors

Error: Sitting upright with weight too high

  • Consequence: Raises center of gravity making you vulnerable to bridge and roll escapes, reduces pressure on opponent allowing them to breathe and recover energy, and makes it difficult to react to their explosive movements effectively
  • Correction: Keep weight forward and hips heavy on opponent’s chest, leaning your torso over their upper body while maintaining wide knee base for stability
  • Recognition: If opponent can easily bridge or you feel unstable, your weight is too high

Error: Narrow knee placement or bringing knees together

  • Consequence: Reduces base width making you vulnerable to being rolled, allows opponent to create hip escape angles more easily, and compromises your stability when they resist or attempt to turn
  • Correction: Maintain wide base with knees spread on either side of opponent’s torso, creating stable platform that resists rolling attempts
  • Recognition: Feeling unstable or getting rolled frequently indicates narrow base

Error: Forcing submission attempts without securing position first

  • Consequence: Compromises mount control creating escape opportunities, allows opponent to roll or recover guard during your overcommitment, and reduces submission success rates due to poor positioning
  • Correction: Establish secure position and control before attempting submissions, ensuring your base and weight distribution are optimal
  • Recognition: Frequently losing mount during submission attempts indicates rushing

Error: Not transitioning between variations based on opponent’s defense

  • Consequence: Allows opponent to establish consistent defensive strategy, reduces attacking opportunities, and makes you predictable allowing them to anticipate your movements
  • Correction: Actively read opponent’s defensive posture and transition between mount variations to create new angles and opportunities
  • Recognition: Stalling in position without progress indicates need for variation

Error: Allowing opponent to turn to side without following

  • Consequence: Loses mount position entirely as they escape to turtle or recover guard, wastes dominant position advantage, and allows them to reset to neutral or better position
  • Correction: When opponent turns, immediately transition to technical mount maintaining hip pressure while controlling their far shoulder
  • Recognition: If opponent successfully turns to side and you lose position, you failed to follow their movement

Training Drills

Drill 1: Mount Variation Flow Drill

Practice smooth transitions between standard mount, high mount, S-mount, and technical mount with partner providing progressive feedback on your base and pressure. Start with 0% resistance allowing you to feel proper mechanics and weight distribution in each variation. Progress to 25% resistance where partner attempts gentle escapes, then 50% where they actively defend but don’t explosively counter. Focus on maintaining constant pressure throughout transitions, keeping base wide, and moving smoothly between variations based on partner’s positioning. Perform 3 sets of 2-minute continuous flow, resetting to standard mount each time partner provides feedback on pressure loss or base compromise.

Drill 2: Submission Chain Recognition Drill

From modified mount, partner presents specific defensive postures (frames extended, arms tight, turning to side) and you respond with appropriate submission or position advancement. Start with partner calling out the defensive posture clearly, then progress to silent indication where you must recognize it. Practice chaining attacks together: high mount to armbar, Americana to ezekiel, technical mount to back take. Perform 5 repetitions of each defensive scenario with 50% resistance, focusing on smooth recognition and response rather than forcing finishes. Success metric: correctly identifying and responding to defensive posture within 3 seconds.

Drill 3: Mount Retention Against Bridge Attempts

Partner performs progressive bridge and roll escape attempts while you maintain position using proper base and weight distribution. Start with slow, controlled bridges at 25% effort, focusing on your base and counter-pressure. Progress to 50%, 75%, and finally 100% explosive bridges. Key focuses: keeping weight forward and low, maintaining wide base, following their rolling motion rather than resisting, and using hip pressure to counter. Perform 3 sets of 10 bridge attempts at each resistance level, with partner providing feedback on moments when your base compromised or weight distribution failed. Goal: maintain mount through 80%+ of attempts at 100% resistance.

  • Mount - Base position from which modified variations develop
  • High Mount Top - Specific variation with knees advanced higher on chest
  • S-Mount Top - Body rotation variation designed for armbar attacks
  • Technical Mount Top - One leg extended variation for back take opportunities
  • Back Control - Natural progression from technical mount
  • Side Control - Alternative top control position with different control mechanics
  • Knee on Belly - Related top control position with different pressure application

Optimal Submission Paths

Fastest path to submission (direct attack): Modified Mount Variations Top → Americana from Mount → Won by Submission Reasoning: When opponent exposes arm, immediate Americana attack from solid base provides fastest finish with success rates of 30-60% depending on skill level

High-percentage path (systematic): Modified Mount Variations Top → Transition to High Mount → Armbar from Mount → Armbar Control → Won by Submission Reasoning: Advancing to high mount first restricts opponent’s options and creates better armbar angle with increased success rates due to superior position

Alternative submission path (choke-focused): Modified Mount Variations Top → Cross Collar Choke from Mount → Won by Submission Reasoning: When opponent maintains tight defensive structure, collar choke allows methodical grip establishment without position compromise, effective against larger opponents

Technical progression path (back take): Modified Mount Variations Top → Transition to Technical Mount → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke → Won by Submission Reasoning: When opponent turns to side defensively, technical mount to back control progression provides highest percentage path to back attacks

Competition-focused path (point + submission): Modified Mount Variations Top → Transition to S-Mount → Armbar from Mount → Armbar Control → Won by Submission Reasoning: S-mount transition maintains mount points while creating high-percentage armbar setup, maximizing both positional points and submission probability in competition

Graph View

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