How to Do the Americana From Mount and Side Control

The Americana is one of the first submissions most BJJ students learn, and one of the most reliable. Here's how to do it from mount and from side control, as taught at Mindset Martial Arts & Fitness in Hayward.

The Americana From Mount

1. From mount, pin one of your opponent's arms to the mat, using the same arm to the same arm (your left to their left).
2. Slide your other hand under their arm and grab your own wrist.
3. Keep their elbow bent at about 90 degrees.
4. Gently slide their wrist back toward their hips, like you're painting the floor with it, while lifting the elbow slightly until they tap.

The Americana From Side Control

1. From side control, bring the near arm over and pin it to the mat.
2. Bring their elbow up toward their ear.
3. Thread your other arm under and grab your own wrist.
4. Use the same painting motion, sliding the wrist and lifting the elbow until the tap.

Tips for Beginners

• Go slow. Shoulder locks come on fast, so apply pressure gradually in training.
• Keep your weight on their chest so they can't bridge you off.
• Keep their wrist pinned to the mat the whole time.

Related Techniques

The Americana pairs well with the kimura, which attacks the same shoulder in the opposite direction. Also see the most important BJJ moves for beginners.

Train BJJ in Hayward

Mindset Martial Arts & Fitness is at 24249 Hesperian Blvd in Hayward, CA, next to Southland Mall, and has been teaching in Hayward for about 16 years. We're a short drive from San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley and Union City. Our adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes are beginner-friendly, and we also offer kids BJJ and fitness kickboxing.

Check the class schedule or reserve your first class.