Move of the Day
Americana from Mount
Part of the white belt survival hub.
A high-percentage shoulder lock when they turn to their side to escape.
When you have mount and they start framing or turning to their side, their far arm often becomes isolated on the mat. The Americana (ude-garami) uses that pinned arm: figure-four the grip, walk their elbow above the shoulder line, and paint the mat with their thumb.
White belts who finally get mount often freeze: they sit up, they hunt a collar they cannot reach, or they try to punch an armbar against a tucked elbow. Meanwhile the person on bottom turns to their side — the same turn they use to shrimp — and plants a forearm on the floor. That planted arm is the Americana. You are not inventing a submission. You are finishing the escape they already started.
This is a control problem before it is a crank. If you lose the mount while you fish for the figure-four, you do not have an Americana; you have a scramble. Wide base, chest on their face or far shoulder, then isolate the wrist. The finish is slow on purpose. Shoulders tap quieter than elbows.
The steps
- 01From mount, keep a wide base and chest pressure. Do not sit up tall; your weight stays on their upper body.
- 02Pin their far wrist to the mat with your same-side hand (thumb toward their head, not toward their hips).
- 03Thread your other arm under their biceps and grab your own wrist — a figure-four. Their elbow should still be on the mat.
- 04Walk their elbow up toward their ear, sliding your knees if you need to, so the upper arm is above the shoulder line.
- 05Keep their wrist glued down and lift the elbow as you slide your hips slightly toward the trapped arm. Stop when they tap — do not bounce.
Details that matter
- If they hide the arm, switch to an arm triangle or S-mount. Do not force a dead Americana.
- Control the head with your chest so they cannot roll into you.
- Apply slowly. Shoulders do not tap as loudly as elbows — give them time.
- Paint the mat with their thumb. If the palm faces the ceiling, you do not have the shoulder isolated yet.
Common mistakes
Sitting up to “finish”
The moment you sit tall, they bridge and you are back in closed guard. Stay heavy on the chest. The figure-four is a low move, not a celebration.
Figure-four with their elbow still by their ribs
If the elbow is below the shoulder line, you are twisting a bent arm with no isolation. Walk the elbow toward their ear first. The lift comes last.
Cranking fast
This is a shoulder lock. Fast cranks are how training partners get hurt and how you get a reputation. Slow pressure, eyes on their face, release on the tap or the wince.
Forcing it when they hide the arm
If the wrist disappears under their back, the Americana is gone. Take the arm triangle, switch to S-mount, or go to a technical mount and hunt the back. One submission family, several exits.
60 seconds drill
Pin, figure-four, walk
Start in mount. Bottom player turns to their side and plants the far wrist on the mat — a cooperative Americana shape, not a fight.
- 01Pin the wrist. Thread the figure-four. Walk the elbow to the ear. Stop before the tap.
- 02Reset the arm to the ribs and repeat. Count clean figure-fours with the elbow above the shoulder line.
- 03Last ten seconds: bottom player may hide the arm once. Practice the switch (stop hunting, improve the mount) instead of ripping.
- 04Switch roles. Remind each other this is a slow lock.
Phone walkthroughs will land on the BJJ Everyday YouTube when they are filmed. The written steps above are the complete drill.
FAQ
- Americana or kimura from mount?
- Americana is the wrist pinned above their shoulder (thumb toward their head). Kimura is the other direction (wrist toward their hip). When they turn and plant the arm by their head, Americana. When they reach past their hip or you catch the wrist sitting up, kimura. Same figure-four, opposite paint.
- Can I do this from side control?
- Yes — it is a common side-control finish. The mechanics are the same: pin the wrist, figure-four, walk the elbow. Mount is the cleaner teaching position because your hips already isolate their torso.
- Why do they keep rolling me when I attack it?
- Your base is too narrow or your chest came off their face. Spread the knees, keep the head controlled, and slide toward the trapped arm instead of leaning away from it.
- Is this legal in kids class?
- Depends on the gym and the age group. Many kids programs delay straight shoulder locks. If you are an adult on the White list, this is a standard gi and no-gi submission. If you train with kids, follow the instructor’s rules — the Kids / Gray emails stay in games and positional control.
Related moves
- Scissor Sweep from Closed Guard
The first sweep that teaches you to knock a post and ride to mount.
- Hip Escape to Recover Guard
The shrimp that keeps you from getting flattened — and puts you back on offense.
- Closed Guard Posture Break
Break their spine, own their hands, and start attacking instead of holding on.
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White-belt letters stay on survival and first attacks — hip escapes, posture breaks, and the finishes that actually show up in class.
Prefers the White list. Same form, belt already selected.