Darren Levine - Krav Maga for Beginners

2-3The attacker may try to trap one of your arms when you base out so be prepared to pop up immediately. To avoid the trap, immediately and swiftly slide your elbow down toward your hip. If you simply lift your arm from the floor, you may find it trapped by his arm.

When in the full mount, a number of strikes are available to you: straight punches, hook punches, hammerfists, elbows from various angles, gouging/scratching/biting, and (possibly) headbutts. Primary target areas are the face and throat. However, the issue is balance. You cannot over-commit your weight so much that you lose your balance, or so that the attacker (on the bottom) is able to reverse you.

Practice left and right straight punches (or palm heel strikes as well), putting just enough weight into the punch so that you can do damage, but keep your back relatively straight and some weight back in your hips.

Drop your elbows down, but keep your weight back in your hips.

Hammerfist punches, like palm heel strikes, are a viable alternative any time you worry about hitting the skull instead of the face.

Always a viable option here, especially when used in conjunction with other strikes. As an example, consider gouging at the eyes then, when the attacker puts his hands to his face to stop your gouging, drop an elbow down on both his hands and face.

Headbutts are less available from the full mount. The attacker’s head will often be below the line of your head, increasing the danger that you’ll strike his skull with your face. However, if your position and body type allow for it, a headbutt to his face is possible.

Training Tips:It’s important to practice this “strike—base out—strike” approach. Vary the rhythm so that you’re not basing out predictably. Pop up immediately so that the attacker cannot trap your arm and roll you.

Side mount is, in many ways, a more advantageous position than full mount. First, it’s somewhat more difficult for the person on the bottom to reverse you. Second, you can add knee strikes to your arsenal. There are two variations of the Side Mount position. One is better for control, and the other for striking.

1With the attacker on the ground, sprawl your upper body over his torso. Put your weight through your chest onto his body, keeping your elbows pressed in against his body and head to keep him tight.

2Pull your bottom knee (the one closest to his hip) up so that it presses tightly against his body, and extend the top leg (the one closest to his head) out so that your hip touches the floor.

1Take a position similar to Variation #1 with your upper body. However, in this variation, both knees come up tightly as your elbows push down and in. This position by its nature takes some of the weight off his chest, meaning he may have a little more room to escape. However, it puts you in a better position to strike. Pinch everything in tightly against the attacker so that he has as little room as possible!

In conjunction with all the strikes listed below, be prepared to drop back into position quickly to keep him trapped.

Practice left and right straight punches (or palm heel strikes as well) to the face, stomach, or groin.

Elbows to the side of his head or downward to his face are very effective.

Hammerfists are a possibility, although from this position elbow strikes may be stronger.

Gouging and scratching at the face may be extremely effective here, especially because one or both of his arms may be trapped away from his face by your body position. If he puts one arm up to push your upper body away, you can bite.

Headbutts are somewhat more available from this position than a full mount because your head will be “lower” relative to his face.

Deliver knees to his head or body by raising your leg away from him and then driving the knee in explosively.

Training Tips:As stated, practice delivering a strike and then immediately reestablishing your position. Any time you raise a limb to strike, you create space that he may use to try an escape.

When you’re on your back with your legs wrapped around the opponent, this is called the “guard” position. While you’re still in a somewhat defensive position, you’re much better off than if the attacker were in the full mount. You can exert some control over him with your legs and, later, learn submission techniques such as arm bars and triangle chokes.

There are two basic choices when it comes to applying a guard position. Closed guardmeans your ankles are crossed and knees are apart. This hold is designed to control your opponent. Open guardinvolves keeping your feet apart and knees closer together. This hold is designed to offer you more options to kick your opponent away or control him.