Submission Grappling Lesson Eight Pins, Back Mount and Rear Naked Choke

Submission Grappling

Lesson eight showed clear progress. The client’s top control is becoming smoother. His transitions between pins are less forced. His escapes are also improving because he is starting to recognise pressure, frames, and timing earlier.

That matters. In grappling, control comes before submission. A choke or lock is hard to apply if the position is loose. This session kept that order: hold the position, move between pins, isolate the back, then attack the choke.

The pinning work is starting to connect

We began by revisiting pins from top position. This was not a new topic. It was a return to core material with more movement and more pressure.

A pin in grappling is a position where the top player limits the bottom player’s hips, shoulders, or head movement. The exact pin can change. Side control, mount, and chest-to-chest controls all work in different ways. The common point is simple: the top player must stop the bottom player from turning freely.

The client has been working on these ideas across the course. In this lesson, the biggest change was fluidity. He was not freezing once he reached a good position. He began moving from one control to another without giving away large gaps.

That is a key stage in learning. Beginners often treat each position as separate. They get to side control, then stop. They get to mount, then stop. More experienced grapplers link positions together because the person underneath keeps moving.

For example, when the bottom player turns in, the top player may need to switch hip pressure. When the bottom player turns away, the top player may need to follow and block the far hip. If the top player stays still, the escape becomes easier.

In many grappling rulesets, dominant positions score because they show control and create attacks. Mount and back control are valued for this reason. They restrict the opponent’s defensive choices. They also put the top player closer to submissions.

The lesson focused on this principle rather than chasing taps.

Good top control should feel heavy without using strength alone. The weight must go through useful points. Chest pressure, head position, hip control, and hand placement all matter. If the pressure sits in the wrong place, the bottom player can bridge, turn, or slide a knee through.

We looked at three practical details:

• Keeping chest pressure connected while moving

• Blocking the hips before changing position

• Moving around the opponent rather than lifting away from them

  
  

The final point made the biggest difference. Lifting off during a transition gives the bottom player space. Space is where escapes begin.

Specific sparring made the pins more honest

After drilling, we moved into specific sparring. This means the round starts in a set position with a clear goal. It is not a full sparring round from standing or open movement.

This method works well in private training because it gives immediate feedback. A drill can look clean when the partner offers no resistance. Specific sparring tests whether the movement survives against a real attempt to escape.

The goals were clear.

Top player	Bottom player
Hold the pin and transition when needed	Create space and recover a safer position
Stay connected during movement	Build frames and turn to a side
Control hips and shoulders	Escape without giving the back

This kind of round exposes details fast. If the top player places their hands too far forward, they may get rolled. If they allow the bottom player’s elbow inside, the bottom player can build a frame. If the top player changes position without controlling the hips, the bottom player can recover guard or come up to their knees.

The client handled these rounds better than in earlier sessions. He still made mistakes, which is normal. The progress was in how quickly he adjusted. He did not rely only on squeezing. He began to follow the escape and change control.

That is a better long-term habit.

Strength can hide technical errors in the short term. It does not scale well. Against a larger person, or someone with better timing, strength alone breaks down. Strong structure lasts longer.

A useful coaching cue here was: win the next inch before changing the whole position.

That means the top player does not need a dramatic movement. They need small wins. Flatten the shoulders. Move the knees closer. Block the hip. Clear an elbow. Each small improvement reduces the bottom player’s options.

The same idea helped his escapes. His bottom game is coming on because he is no longer waiting until the pin is fully locked in. He is starting to move earlier.

That point matters. Escapes are much easier before the position is settled. Once the top player has chest pressure, hip control, and head position, the bottom player must work harder. Early frames and hip movement prevent the pin from becoming secure.

The back mount gave the lesson a clear attacking focus

After the pinning rounds, we switched to the back mount. This position is one of the strongest controls in Submission Grappling because the person underneath cannot easily see the attacker and must defend with limited movement.

We began with hooks in.

Hooks are the feet placed inside the opponent’s thighs. They help the top player stay attached when the bottom player turns, crawls, or tries to slide away. Without hooks, back control often becomes loose. With hooks, the top player can follow movement and keep the chest connected to the opponent’s back.

For a beginner, the back mount can feel confusing at first. There are several things happening at once:

• The legs must stay active

• The chest must stay close

• The hands must control safely

• The head must stay in a strong position

• The attacker must avoid being shaken too far over the top

  
  

We kept the first objective simple. The top player had to maintain control and begin attacking from the seatbelt hold.

The seatbelt hold is named because one arm goes over the shoulder and the other goes under the opposite armpit, like a diagonal belt across the body. The hands then connect. This gives the attacker control over the upper body and places one arm close to the neck for choking attacks.

The position also teaches an important defensive lesson. The bottom player must learn which hand is dangerous.

In back control, the arm over the shoulder is often the choking arm. That means the defender should recognise it early and start fighting the hands. Waiting until the choke is tight gives the attacker too much time.

Submission Grappling