Mastering The Mount by Matt Thornton
33 reviews · 4.85 / 5
Matt Thornton · Combo
Survive and Escape by Matt Thornton reviews
Survive and Escape by Matt Thornton has 43 customer reviews in this archive, averaging 4.95 out of 5. 95% are five-star and 0 are one or two stars. Reviews run from July 10, 2021 to June 24, 2026. All of them are published below in full, unedited.
43
Reviews
4.95 / 5
Average rating
0
1–2 star
100%
Verified buyers
5 star41 (95%)
4 star2 (4.7%)
3 star0 (0%)
2 star0 (0%)
1 star0 (0%)
Who reviewed Survive and Escape by Matt Thornton
12 of these reviewers gave their belt rank when they submitted the review. BJJ Fanatics asks for rank, age and years training at the point of review, so this breakdown is self-reported by the customer.
| Belt | Reviews | Average rating |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 4 | 5.0 |
| Purple | 4 | 5.0 |
| White | 2 | 5.0 |
| Black | 2 | 5.0 |
Where to buy it
Survive and Escape by Matt Thornton is currently listed on the BJJ Fanatics storefront at $159.00 USD. View Survive and Escape by Matt Thornton on BJJ Fanatics
The reviews
Good
Iron pillow saves my sh**ty position
Matt Thornton's Survive and Escape
When I started in Jiu Jitsu the original Gracie Basic series was new and cutting edge. I had a hiatus from the game for several years and had a heart stent in 2021. Following that I began rolling on Saturdays with a friend who is a black belt and I thought "This might **** me". My solution to getting squashed was this instructional video and it made all the difference. Within a month I was able to keep my head above water. Thornton's style of instruction is focused on the absolute more fundamental details of each position, the primary focus of the series is how to maintain safe posture while pinned and develop structure which allows you to get out from under your partner to a top position. It was so useful that I purchased the other instructional videos from Matt Thornton on the platform immediately.
30 minutes in and I have already learned something that can be immediately implremented!
I have watched a fair amount of Matt Thornton's content on YouTube and also content from his coach, Chris Haueter. I am really glad that I bought this instructional as it is a super detailed deep dive and at a rough guess is around 7-8 hours of content! Of what I have watched, it is not so much 'here is a technique now go do it', it is more 'this is why the technique works'. It goes a level deeper. Very happy with this purchase.
A wise investment
Matt hasn't made many videos bjj fanatics but the one's he has are essential. His YouTube channel is priceless and, as a rickson student, he has that slightly different style than the Gracie JJ everyone learned.
Defense Masterclass
Matt provides clear, step-by-step guidance that is easy to follow and apply. The detailed explanations make it an excellent tool for practitioners of all levels.
good solution. for escape.
after start train bjj. i never win guy who big and power. never escaped on big guy side position. this dvd give me some solution
Deep dive on escapes
Primarily bottom side 👍
Great course
The course is great (as expected) it contains fundamentals of both early and late escapes and position improvements. All the techniques are efficient and well explained. Thanks a lot for this great course!
Making jiujitsu effective again
When you're done with your blue belt phase of chasing techniques and counters, start the SBG courses to create your strong fundamentals and principles.
SBGI Rocks!
Matt Thornton gives "real" solutions to grappling positions. Great instructor!
Critical Knowledge Applicable Throughout Your Practice
Thornton illustrates fundamental concepts that will serve as the building blocks of your game if you're a newcomer to the art, and that will strengthen your existing game if you're an advanced practitioner. Chock-full of all-too often ignored essentials beneficial to everyone, regardless of grappling style or level of experience.
Great coaching
This is awesome course, similar to Akins and Whittier.
Pretty good
Pretty good
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗Great detail :100:
Love how detailed this is. very good information to dial in those fundamentals that make us more efficient. 🙏�
Great explanations, but missing what I was hoping to get out of it
I purchased this after watching a youtube video where he was teaching mount escapes. I'm blue, nearing purple, and still get embarrassingly stuck in side control, even by lower belts once they figure out how to control their pressure, and figured based on his ability to explain on youtube and the length of this video that it would be a good library of info in which to find a better solution that what I was currently doing. Like in the youtube videos, he gives a great explanation for each move and there is a tone of info on here. However, for me I couldn't give it 5 stars because it doesn't contain the 2 most common forms of side control I see played and get stuck in so I wasn't able to apply it directly (some you can frame and work your way into positions he shows here).
excellent fundamentals
Absolutely wonderful fundamentals. Even upper belts can learn great things from this.
The Best Content. Period.
This was another fine instructional by Matt Thornton. The thing about him is that he only digs deeply into the fundamentals of jiu jitsu and he DOES NOT go into long winded talks of technique vs technique, counter vs counter. The whole point of good fundamental jiu jitsu is to attack the opponent's base and posture while maintaining the integrity of your own. Using very simple concepts of leverage, angles, connection, and body weight distribution, this greatly simplifies the complex topic know as BJJ and massively slows down the fight. Speaking specifically of closed guard, Thornton shows how you can develop a very legitimate game using very simple concepts. Basically, all you need is a pull to break posture and a hip bump sweep. It's so simple and yet so effective.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗Good stuff
I like this instructional, good concepts on how to apply pressure and how to escape in positions that ****. The audio could be improved sometimes but still a really good one
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗C.J.
Cannot go wrong with this material! Like a good scientific experiment. The techniques repeatedly work!
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗Side Control and Mount Escapes
Coach Matt Thornton offers an excellent strategical and movement based escaping gameplan. Based on the pillar position it is about turteling/dogfight position and shrimping and guard recovery as well as sit outs fro side control and turtle. It is also about defending/escaping armbar and kimura as well as the mount via upa/trap and roll/ elbow escape and how to combine it. There are always three coaches. Thornton explains and shows and the others demonstrating it. Absolute recommendation!!!
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗Excellent as always from Matt Thornton
Great content, very conceptual as always from Matt, will change your game and and vastly increase your ability to escape bad situations as well as the pressure you put on opponents if you take the time to absorb and drill it.
Great. Matt Thornton always has
Great. Matt Thornton always has great content
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗👍🏻Great Course!!!
This is a solid, in depth course with a TON of great info!! I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn and has time to invest in perfecting their craft.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🔥Great instruction
It's a very detailed course. I think the content will satisfy everyone from beginners to skilled people.
Outstanding fundamentals
I have bought a lot of great videos from BJJFANATICS, but this is probably my favorite due to the focus on and explanation of fundamental movements. Like a lot of people, I’ve been guilty of giving up on ‘basic’ techniques that seemingly didn’t work and looking for new options. I’m finally realizing that these fundamentals work well, and it was my understanding and/or execution that was the problem. Matt Thornton’s details on this topic are excellent.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻GOLD
Anything by SBG is top quality... loved it.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻Loved it.. really solid instructional
Loved it.. really solid instructional
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗👍🏻game changing - gi , no-gi, or self defense all the same
This was really a game-changing video . First Matt teaches how to make your pins INCREDIBLY heavy and then he shows how to survive and escape under the worst possible conditions. When i bought this i expected to see escapes but the Top pinning ideas were a huge bonus and worth the price alone. My training partners are SUFFERING :>)
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻So Good!
Matt Thornton is such a good instructor, and this material will make you so much more confident.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻foundation
great goto side and full mount positions
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻Fantastic material
I am a huge fan of Matt Thornton and his delivery of fundamental Jiu Jitsu. This material epitomises the SBG approach to coaching for me and, from an outside perspective, demonstrates why the standard of their athletes and coaches is so high.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻mindblowing
I never followed SBG or their method... until I pick this instructional by chance. simply one of the best instructional i ever seen, everything is perfectly explained and held together. the iron pillow is simply a turning point in your grappling technique.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻Matt Thornton is a great teacher
Its a really good dvd
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗👍🏻Base, Posture, Connection
This instructional opened my eyes to a different level. Thank you very much! Worth it!
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗👍🏻Base, Posture, Connection and Pressure ***(Long review)***
This instructional by Matt Thornton has the aim of making students more comfortable while on the bottom and teaching several fundamental positional and submission escapes. Surprisingly, by default Matt Thornton teaches a lot of material to make your topside control more efficient and effective. The topside instruction covers the more effective use of weight and body position on your training partner. In addition, he teaches several topside submission techniques (i.e., papercutter, shoulder of justice and step over armbar from side control). Positional escapes are covered in real depth and include classic side control where the opponent has one arm passed over your neck (elbow pressing the head and arm covering the shoulder and upper arm) and the other arm next to your hip, modified scarf hold, reverse modified scarf hold and the mount. One notable omission was that escapes from cross face & underhook side control were not covered in the same depth as the other positions, with a reference in the seminar that there was insufficient time to cover this position. However, this position was taught from the top (i.e., shoulder of justice) as a submission and there was instruction how to minimise the pressure from the bottom position when on the receiving end of the shoulder of justice. From my perspective for a fundamental positional escape instructional, this is an important omission. From my experience one important aspect that is worth noting is that Matt Thornton’s positional escaping techniques are effective, even when you are being pinned by a much larger person. As noted previously the instructional covers some submission escape techniques or defences including papercutter escape, darce defence, armbar, kimura from side control and kimura from north-south. As is the norm with a Matt Thornton instructional it is massive totalling 7 hours and 76 chapters. Strangely at least for me I found this instructional more engaging and interesting than many shorter instructionals. The format of the instructional is unusual in that it also includes chapters filmed at a weekend seminar. Importantly the seminar material is just the instruction provided at the seminar and does not include film footage of the participants practicing the material. Not surprising for a 7 hour instructional there is some re-visiting of concepts and techniques, however I found this beneficial in my learning. Matt Thornton speaks clearly, is engaging and his directions are easily understood. He uses his black belts to demonstrate techniques in a live setting so you can see the application of technique against resistance. As part of this demonstration process, he coaches and assists with identifying where improvements should be made in the application of the technique. Most of the material was filmed with a fixed camera and the range was appropriate. There were occasional times I wished that the instructors would change the angle of their demonstrations so for example I could see clearly how they were positioning their feet. Generally, sound was reasonable, however the microphone attached to Matt Thornton would occasionally distort the sound as his neck pressed into it. If you are interested in improving your knowledge of fundamental BJJ with a focus on positional escapes or if currently you are constantly being pinned by larger people or tapping out due to pressure, then this would be a good instructional to add to your library.
Fundamentals Are Everything
Excellent series by Matt Thornton. He has the most thorough understanding of the fundamentals of Jiu Jitsu of any teacher I've observed next to Rickson. Well worth the money, bravo!
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗👍🏻Matt Thornton is a master
Matt Thornton is a master teacher. He always teaches solid fundamentals and keeps the big picture in mind. One of the powerful insights from this video is that to survive is to win! And there are several tools in this video to help you survive.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻Survive and escape Matt Thornton
This product is a must great instruction on how to survive all positions and on how to use your weight correctly
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻Game Changer
Changed the way I use my weight. a great way to use pressure and weight to control my opponents.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻Learn to be more structurally sound when escaping side control and mount
I wish I bought this instructional much earlier. I am still learning to be much more proficient in escaping mount and side control using Mr. Thornton's method and I can say I am getting more success. If I ever have my own students I will definitely teach this first to them so they will have more fun in their Jiujitsu journey.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗Made me better
Summary: The main criteria for me is that this instructional improved my understanding of Jiu Jitsu and made me better. It exceeded my expectations. This is why I give it five stars. I'm planning to get the Matt's Closed Guard instructional next. Good: Sure, I need to work on the moves and the ideas presented here to reliably use them. Still, even without much drilling I already was able to successfully use the ideas provided here. Yesterday after a roll one of my partners came to me saying "What did I do wrong? I felt that I was making a mistake." When he got me into side control I used the "Iron Pillow" position advice to deny him access to my neck and arms. He got frustrated when he could not think of an attack to use on me even though he was on top. Good points: - Matt provides very good advice on the best way to attack and then how to escape these most difficult attack. I like the approach of learning both sides at the same time. I do not think I saw this approach used to this extend in any other instructionals. I learned many important details for attacks as well. - The explanations are very clear - I like the suggestions on how to drill the moves Bad points: - The instructional is a mix of a multiday seminar video with some in-studio footage. I don't have strong objections against using seminar video, however I feel it may be of lower quality. - Pretty frequent audio mishaps when the microphone is hit during the demonstrations. - The instructional structure can be more crisp. Some repetitiveness.
Response from BJJ FanaticsThanks for your review! 🤗Great fundamental info
First thing is first. I purchased several instructional’s from BJJ fanatics and I liked a few and I did not like a few. As soon as I told him I did not like a couple they immediately refund my money so I never hesitate to purchase from these guys. Absolutely first class. I like this DVD because it is not only a great fundamental series but it gives me some insight but I never really Was previously taught. I can see this being an instructional but I go back to you several times. Very good instructional. And once again I give this company double thumbs up for standing by their product. I never hesitate to purchase from these guys.
Response from BJJ Fanatics🤗🤙🏻