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Escaping One of the Worst Positions for Ground and Pound

March 17, 2018 By Stephan Kesting

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The ground and pound strategy in MMA is one that relies on getting on top, staying on top, and then beating your opponent into unconsciousness with your fists, forearms and elbows.

In other words, it’s a slightly more sophisticated version of your basic street fighter’s approach to groundfighting…

One of the worst ground and pound positions is the so-called ‘giftwrap’ position – this is where your opponent is on top of you in a modified form of mount, has wrapped your own forearm around your neck, and is pulling on your wrist to control your body.

escaping from giftwrap ground and pound

In the giftware you’re in a terrible dilemma – stay there and block strikes with your face, or turn away and give your opponent the opportunity to take your back.

In an MMA situation you might be willing to risk turning away and then trying to escape the (inevitable) rearmount, but without a referee there to stop you from dying that might not be the best strategy in the street.

There are no great options if you’re caught in this awful position, but in the video below I share 3 not-so-great-but-better-than-nothing ways to escape the giftwrap.

Oh, and the same karate sensei who was in this episode of martial arts myth busting makes another appearance at the beginning.  I’m looking for a name for this fellow – the best suggestion so far has been ‘Stephan Seagal’…

Anyway, check out the video below with 3 of your best options for getting out of the giftwrap…

Filed Under: Featured, Grappling, Self Defense Basics, Striking Tagged With: BJJ, grappling, ground and pound, mma, mount escape, rear naked choke, self defense basics, striking, technique, video

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