Positional Control - Side Mount
Your objective in a ground fight should be to neutralize the threat and subdue your opponent with the lowest level of force necessary. To achieve this, you’ll want to rely on one of many fundamental ground control positions, not the least of which is Side Mount. This position gives you unparalleled control of your opponent with the lowest energy expenditure due to the inherently strong base in provides the top person and the rate at which it depletes the bottom person. In this lesson you will start by learning how to counter the most common escape attempts that a larger opponent is likely to use, and then you’ll learn how to transition to the mount position once they have exhausted all their energy.
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Double Leg Takedown (Aggressive Opponent)
The advantage of establishing an upper body clinch is that once you take your opponent down you end up in the very dominant mount position, and you can disengage from the clinch if necessary (e.g., in a multiple attacker situation). If you anticipate difficulty in establishing the clinch, however, the Double Leg Takedown is a great alternative. In this lesson you will learn the basic mechanics of the Double Leg Takedown, and then you will learn how to apply it against opponents of varying levels of aggression.
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Hook Sweep - Guard
If your opponent leans all their weight forward from Stage 4, drop them into Stage 1. If they stand in Stage 4 without leaning any weight, kick them back to Stage 5. If they are leaning forward from Stage 4 but have one leg forward for base, you may have difficulty dropping them back into Stage 1, and this is precisely when you would use the Hook Sweep to reverse the position.
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Guillotine Defense
When you establish the clinch, and your opponent no longer has the space or distance to strike you effectively, they will often wrap your neck in an attempt to submit you. For this reason, the Guillotine Choke is one of the most common techniques used by unskilled individuals because it’s simple and it gives them a feeling of control during the chaos. Although the proper clinch position should prevent the Guillotine Choke, your opponent may surprise you if your head is too low, and in this lesson, you will learn the most important Guillotine Defense principles.
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Reflex Development - Freestyle Focus Class Preview

In this class we'll bring together control, escape, and submission details from various positions you are familiar with and add some extra details, bonus slices, and scripted fight simulation drills that will help prepare you for your transition into Master Cycle!

Gracie Combatives Test - Drill 5: Freestyle Fight Simulation
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Headlock Counters - Mount
The goal in a fight is to achieve the mount where you can control and exhaust your opponent with relative ease. Once you accomplish this, your opponent will panic and desperately attempt to escape. One of the most common escape strategies used by unskilled individuals is to establish a headlock and throw you off of them. The Headlock Counters from the mount will keep you from getting rolled off of a larger opponent, and prepare you to take advantage of the submission opportunities that will inevitably arise. First, you will learn how to prevent the escape attempts, and then you will learn how to finish the fight in two different ways.
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Standing Headlock Defense
Once you establish the clinch on your opponent, there is a good chance that they will get desperate and try to catch you in a headlock. Without the proper escape strategy, the Standing Headlock can be a very painful and demoralizing experience, but with the proper technique you can turn the tables and use their hold to your advantage.
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