How to do the Kipping Escape against mount

The kipping escape from mount is a technique used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to escape from the mount position, where your opponent is sitting on top of you with their knees close to your armpits. The kipping escape involves creating space, making small spaces, and using explosive hip movement to disrupt your opponent’s balance and regain a more favorable position. Typically this is done in no-gi and if done successfully, it will end in a single leg X position. If done really well, then you can go from bottom mount to heel hooking your opponent within seconds.

How to do the Kipping Escape

1. Create space: Start by placing your hands on your opponent’s hips, close to their knees. Push against their hips to create a brief moment of space between you and your opponent.
2. Bridge explosively: Use your hips and core muscles to generate a powerful bridge, lifting your hips off the ground. This movement aims to disrupt your opponent’s balance and shift their weight forward.
3. Create momentum: As you bridge, swing your legs from side to side, generating momentum for the next phase of the escape. This motion will help you create enough space to bring your knees in between you and your opponent.
4. Bring your knees inside: As you do a mini-bridge and swing your legs down, quickly bring your knees up towards your chest, tucking them in between you and your opponent. This action allows you to regain some control over their lower body and create further separation.
5. Roll to one side: Once your knees are tucked in, roll to a side, turning away from your opponent. Use your arms and legs to facilitate the roll, aiming to end up on your side or in the single leg X position.
6. Establish a new position: As you complete the escape, work on establishing a new position that is more favorable for you, such as single leg X guard. From here, you have now improved your position.

Remember, the kipping escape requires practice and timing to execute effectively. It’s important to drill this technique with a training partner under the guidance of a qualified instructor to ensure proper form and understanding of the mechanics involved. Additionally, developing a solid foundation of fundamental escapes and positional awareness will greatly enhance your overall ability to defend and escape from unfavorable positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

How to defend against the Kipping Escape

To stop the kipping escape from mount in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you can implement the following strategies and techniques:

1. Maintain a solid base: To prevent your opponent from executing the kipping escape, focus on maintaining a strong and balanced mount position. Distribute your weight to create heavy hips, lower your center of gravity, and keep your knees close to your opponent’s body.
2. Control their hips and shoulders: Maintain control over your opponent’s hips and shoulders to limit their movement and prevent them from creating the necessary space for the escape. Use your hands, arms, and pressure to control their upper body and stop their arms from touching your hips.
3. Maintain chest-to-chest connection: To further impede the kipping escape, maintain a tight chest-to-chest connection with your opponent. Keep your chest pressed against their upper body, which makes it difficult for them to generate the necessary momentum for the escape.
4. Utilize cross-face and shoulder pressure: Apply cross-face pressure by using your arm to control your opponent’s head and turn it away from you. This helps disrupt their alignment and limits their ability to execute the escape effectively. Additionally, apply shoulder pressure by driving your shoulder into their face or chest, further compromising their mobility. Arguably, controlling their head is the best way to defend against the kip.
5. Stay active and anticipate their movements: Stay active and maintain constant awareness of your opponent’s movements. Anticipate their attempts to bridge, roll, or create space for the kipping escape. By being proactive and staying one step ahead, you can effectively shut down their escape attempts.

Remember, stopping the kipping escape requires a combination of proper positioning, pressure, and control. It’s crucial to practice these defensive strategies in training and to drill them into your muscle memory.

Who has the best Kipping Escape in BJJ?

Arguably, the best kipping escape expert within the BJJ scene is Gordon Ryan. Here, he can often escape mount within seconds by implementing this. It’s also important to note that he often chains this with other escapes too.

This seems to be a trait with most John Danaher students, especially those who specialize in no-gi. Over the years, another Danaher student in Brian Glick has also been known to possess an excellent kipping escape. These are probably the best guys to study.