Side control
Grappling position
- Type
- Grappling positions
- Martial arts
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Classified as
- judo technique, martial arts
- Listed in
- Positional grappling (Brazilian jiu-jitsu)
- Learning path
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu: step 9 of 39 (beginner)
In grappling, side control, often also called side mount or cross mount, is a dominant ground grappling position where the top combatant is lying perpendicularly over the face-up bottom combatant in such a way that the legs are free and they exert no control over the combatant on the bottom. The top combatant is referred to as having side control, and is in a stable position, with the other combatant pinned beneath them. From there the top combatant can proceed with elbows, knees, various submissions, or transition into a mounted position. It is high priority for the bottom combatant to sweep the top combatant or otherwise escape the position, for instance by entangling the opponent's free legs and trying to obtain the half guard or guard.
Other Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling positions
- Ashi garami
- Back mount
- Guard
- Half guard
- Mount
- North–south position
- Overhook
- Rear naked choke
- Rubber guard
- Sprawl
- Triangle choke
- Wristlock
- Underhook
- Knee-on-stomach
- North–south choke
- Guillotine choke
- Collar tie
- Hooks
- Gogoplata
Japanese terms for grappling positions
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 下手 | shitate | humble position; inferior |
| 前捌き | maesabaki | battling to knock away the hands of one's opponent, in order to achieve an advantageous position |
| 死に体 | shinitai | losing posture; falling position from which it is impossible to recover |
| 変わり身 | kawarimi | change of attitude (stance, position) |
| 座り相撲 | suwarizumou | wrestling performed in a sitting position |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q8217659 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0); Subskills sports technique taxonomy (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.