Back Control

Position
Also known as:
Back Mount

Back control is the summit of positional jiu-jitsu: you are behind the opponent, chest glued to their back, legs hooked inside their thighs, arms wrapped in a seatbelt around their torso. They cannot see you, cannot strike you, and can barely touch you, while their neck is one hand fight away from the sport's highest-percentage finish. Every positional hierarchy in grappling puts the back at the top, and the scoreboards agree.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Chest-to-back connection is the foundation; eliminating space between your torso and the opponent's back prevents escapes.
  • · Hooks (heels inside the thighs) control the opponent's hips and prevent them from turning or sliding down.
  • · Head positioning on the choking side keeps your face protected and sets up collar or rear naked choke attacks.
  • · Anticipate the opponent peeling your hooks by constantly re-pumping hooks and using your heels to dig inside their thighs.
  • · Control the opponent's hands and arms to prevent them from building defensive frames or stripping your grips.

Execution

  1. 1 Establish chest-to-back contact and secure a seatbelt grip (one arm over the shoulder, one arm under the armpit, hands clasped).
  2. 2 Insert both hooks by placing your feet inside the opponent's inner thighs with your heels pressing inward.
  3. 3 Angle your body slightly to the choking side (the side of the over-the-shoulder arm) to off-balance the opponent.
  4. 4 Use your top hook and seatbelt to prevent the opponent from turning into you, constantly adjusting to maintain back exposure.
  5. 5 Begin attacking submissions such as the rear naked choke or transition to collar chokes while maintaining hook and upper body control.

Common mistakes

  • × Crossing your ankles between the opponent's legs, which exposes you to a straight ankle lock counter.
  • × Relying solely on arm grips without maintaining tight chest-to-back pressure, allowing the opponent to create space and escape to the side.
  • × Staying flat (square) behind the opponent instead of angling to one side, making choke entries difficult and giving the opponent easier escape paths.

From the bottom

What the bottom grappler is working toward from Back Control.

Back Control Escape escape

On top

The top grappler's options against Back Control.

Armbar From Back submission Back Control To Mount transition Bow And Arrow submission Rear Naked Choke submission
13 less common
Armbar Finish submission Armbar From Crucifix submission Back Control To Crucifix transition Belly Down Armbar submission Choke From Crucifix submission Lapel Choke submission Rear Triangle Sliding Collar Choke submission Triangle Choke From Back submission Truck Entry transition Arm In Ezekiel Choke submission Thunderlock submission Triangle Choke submission

How you get here

Techniques that land in Back Control.

50-50 Guard Arm Drag transition Arm Drag To Back transition Arm Extraction escape Armbar From Guard submission Back Step transition Back Take Generic transition Berimbolo Entry transition Bolo Sweep sweep Butterfly Half Guard Back Take transition Collar Drag transition Crab Ride Crab Ride To Back transition De La Riva Guard Bottom De La Riva Sweep sweep Deep Half Entry transition Deep Half Guard Back Take transition Dogfight To Back transition Double Ankle Sweep sweep Duck Under pass Front Headlock To Back transition Half Guard Bottom Half Guard To Back transition K-Guard Back Take transition Kimura submission Kimura To Back Take transition Kiss Of The Dragon transition Knee Shield Back Take transition Knee Shield Half Guard Bottom Lasso Back Take transition Leg Drag Pass pass Matrix Back Take transition North-South To Back transition Octopus Guard Back Take transition Octopus Guard Bottom Octopus Guard Counter Back Take transition Omoplata Sweep sweep Omoplata To Back transition Outside Ashi Garami Over-under Pass pass Posture Recovery transition RNC Defense escape Reverse De La Riva Guard Bottom Reverse Half Guard Back Take transition Rolling Back Take transition SLX Back Take transition Saddle Defense escape Saddle Entry From Top transition Side Control To Back transition Smash Pass pass Snap Down To Front Headlock takedown Stack Pass pass Standing Back Control Technical Mount To Back transition Transition To Omoplata transition Triangle To Back transition Truck Back Take transition Turtle To Back Take transition Turtle Top Two-on-one To Back Take transition Waiter Sweep sweep Worm Guard Back Take transition

Chains & Sequences

Commonly taught paths through the graph that feature this technique.

Side Control Triple Attack

Side Control Top Kimura Back Control Rear Triangle

Shin-to-Shin Back Take

De La Riva Guard Shin-to-shin Guard Back Control

Knee Cut Smash Truck Back Take

Knee Cut Pass Smash Pass Truck Entry Back Control

Knee Shield Arm Drag to RNC

Knee Shield Half Guard Arm Drag Truck Back Control Rear Naked Choke

Turtle Cradle to Back Take

Turtle Top Truck Entry Back Control

DLR Crab Ride to Back

De La Riva Guard Crab Ride Back Control

Toreando to Truck Back Take

Toreando Pass Truck Entry Back Control

Backstep Berimbolo Back Take

Reverse Half Guard Berimbolo Entry Back Control

SLX Waiter Sweep to Back

Single Leg X Bottom Waiter Sweep Back Control Top

DLR Berimbolo Back Take

De La Riva Guard Berimbolo Entry Back Control

Types of Back Control

Body Triangle

Seatbelt Control

Standing Back Control