Adult Jiu Jitsu in Miramar Beach | Keep Your Head Free & Escape Side Mount

Adult Jiu Jitsu at Coastal Jiu Jitsu in Miramar Beach, Florida gives adults a place to get better at the positions that give them the most trouble. In this gi class, students keep working on the bottom of side mount: protecting the head, building elbow frames, getting a knee back inside, and turning a defensive spot into a chance to attack.

For busy adults, professionals, and parents looking for a challenge that works the body and the mind, this is a real look at how we train.

Inside this class

The coach reviews last class and explains why one try at a technique isn't enough. The demonstration starts with elbow placement under side mount and using the feet to move the body into position instead of pushing a partner away with the arms. From there, the class looks at the three places a hand can go, including the underhook, and adds the missing piece from last time: don't let your partner hold your head.

Students drill with partners while the coach works through a real question on the mat: is it more important to keep the hand off the head or keep the elbow on the hip? The answer that comes out of it is clear. Keep the head free first, use the feet to come up, and once the knee is inside, move to your side and start your offense, including pulling the arm across and taking the back.

The class finishes with competitive escape rounds. The person on the bottom wins by getting back to full guard or coming up on top, and the person on top tries to submit, mount, or take the back. Winners stay on the bottom, so the best escapers get the most practice. Along the way the coach shows how to stay calm when a collar grip or head hold is locked in, wait for the opening, and then move.

Video timestamps

00:00 Turning weak spots into the focus
02:15 Elbow placement and using your feet to adjust
04:11 Three places for your hand, including the underhook
05:01 Don't let them control your head
06:15 Partner drilling: frames and shrimping
12:46 Order of operations: hand off the head first
14:20 Knee inside, then get to your side
16:54 Pull the arm across and take the back
20:45 Stuck in a head hold: wait for the opening
24:03 Escape, then chain the next attack
29:03 Escape rounds: get guard back or come up on top
53:10 Keep the tension, breathe, and wait for the grip to break
57:43 Class review: progress through repetition

Key technical concepts

Keep your head free. Once your partner controls your head, everything gets heavier. Stopping that grip early makes the rest of the escape much easier.

Use your feet, not your arms. Instead of pushing your partner away, move your own body with your feet so your elbows and knees end up where they belong.

Escape, then keep going. Getting out from under side mount is only the start. The goal is to chain the escape into guard, the top position, or the back.

Why this work matters

Everyone ends up on the bottom sometimes. Practicing it on purpose teaches adults to stay patient under pressure, solve problems one step at a time, and keep showing up even when a position feels hard. In the rounds, students who couldn't escape at first started finding their way out.

The class also shows how we look after each other. Partners rotate, the pace stays controlled, and people at every level can train hard and keep coming back.

New to Jiu Jitsu?

You don't need any wrestling or Jiu Jitsu background to start. Beginners learn the basics first, drill at a controlled pace, and build up to live training with coaching along the way. Questions are always welcome.

Train with us

Coastal Jiu Jitsu is located in Miramar Beach, Florida, serving adults from Destin, Sandestin, Santa Rosa Beach, 30A, Freeport, Inlet Beach, and surrounding Northwest Florida communities. Drop-ins are welcome in any class, whether you live here or are visiting the area.

Your first class is free. Looking for a challenge, a skill to work on, and good people to train with? Contact us with your questions or book your free first class.

Website: https://www.coastaljiujitsu.us
Phone: 850-866-2861
Address: 10859 Emerald Coast Pkwy W Unit 403, Miramar Beach, FL 32550
Book a class: https://book.squareup.com/appointments/uuwnvg15zeylf9/location/LB8NT9SDM4ESA/services

When someone has you pinned, do you fight to get out right away or wait for them to make the first move?