While it may seem otherwise, moshing is by no means a way to hurt someone. Moshing is about releasing aggression, and having fun while enjoying some awesome music. The 'rules' are mainly common sense.


No karate in the pit - Many newcomers to moshing tend to start flailing their arms and/or feet around, especially in the 'core scene. This is an easy way to hurt someone, and ruins the fun for everyone around you. Don't do it.
Falling - Lift that person back up and make sure they are not hurt. They will probably just laugh and thank you before joining back in or stepping out if they are hurt. This could possibly be the most important rule of all, you must pick up a falling mosher at all times.
Copping a feel - It's wrong. Don't do it. Every female mosher isn't a groupie and if she doesn't get revenge on you, the guy beside you will get it. Not only is it wrong, it's very disturbing to a girl. But, it does happen, and if it does, call out whoever did it. More respectful moshers will usually push him away, or get between you and him.
Hitting - It's not a fight! If you hurt someone it is etiquette to maybe shake their hand or clap their shoulder. Do a friendly gesture and apologize (flashing the 'horns' and mouthing an apology over the music works). Also bear in mind that if you start a fight, you will be surrounded and greatly outnumbered.
The Pull out - When you're standing around an extremely violent/large pit watching the action and you see someone trying unsuccessfully to get out of the pit, if you think you can handle the pit, go and get them. It's always appreciated.
The Lift Up - If someone is hurt but no one will move to let them out of the crowd (which is common at larger festival pit and crowds), ask the people around you to lift the person up and body surf them to the front so security can help them out. Make sure to ask if it's okay first though as getting lifted freaks some people out at first.
Don't Be The Jerk. People on the sidelines are on the sidelines for a reason...They Don't want to mosh right now. Of course some will very soon others don't. Don't force anyone to mosh by grabbing them and throwing them in to the pit if they really don't want to. Sometimes this is a great way to start a pit but if a pit is already going and someone's on the sideline don't force it. Also if they are holding a fist out in front of them they don't even want to be touched.;
, Be objective and recognize that you may get hurt, and you're definitely going to get covered in sweat (and maybe even saliva or blood) of complete strangers. While the objective of a mosh pit is to make physical contact without getting hurt, there is a good degree of unpredictability and risk. Much of the risk comes from the type of music playing. Ska will be more relaxed, while metal and some punk will be rougher. If you're considering making your debut in a mosh pit, be aware of the potential consequences and make sure that they're worth the thrill.
 Wear clothes that you don't mind getting stained or even ruined. Your outfit should also be comfortable and light, since it will get hot in the pit.


Make sure your shoes fit tightly and lace them well, because if a shoe falls off, you'll have a hard time getting it back and your unprotected foot will suffer in the meantime. Boots or chucks are recommended.
Remove any spiked wristbands or other dangerous accessories, as they could injure a fellow mosher (or even yourself). Avoid anything that can be grabbed (i.e. chains, chained wallets, long necklaces and dangling earrings). Unusual and easily injured piercings may look cool, but will be a liability in the pit.
Never take bags or backpacks into the pit as they are a liability to you and the people around you. Give any loose articles to a trustworthy friend. Do not keep anything in your pockets in a pit! They will most likely fall out.
If you can see reasonably well without your glasses, take them off and leave them with a friend who is not moshing. Better yet, wear contacts to the show.
Your shirt will most likely be grabbed and pulled, so it is best to get a shirt with good coverage. If you are female, it is best to wear a sleeved shirt, not a tank top.
 Whether in the mosh pit or out, you need to keep your hands and more specifically, your arms prepared. Don't look like you're ready to strike someone, but certainly don't put yourself in a position where your hands are going to be stuck to your sides, you may accidentally get your face knocked by someone's skull flying at you and you weren't ready for it.
 How brutal are the individuals bouncing around this particular pit? Are people just having fun, or are they going for blood? Know the difference between those who are "slam dancing" and the idiot high school jock who's running around smashing people in the face with his knuckles. There are many different types of moshing, and adapting to these is an important step if you want to enjoy it.
 There are going to be people flying back and forth, side to side, up and down and all over the place.
 You're going to continue pushing, bouncing, and slamming off of other people in the pit. Eventually you're going to be able to control your direction and choose your hits, maybe even on your first night. Go at the speed of the crowd. Watch out for pauses, though. Typically, all moshers who know when a pause in the song is coming will clear the pit and start after the pause. Be sure to either know the music or be ready for pauses to occur if you don't know how to mosh yet.


The dropper (or breakdown) is the violent outburst that many metal, hardcore, alternative bands, punk rock, and similar types of music have that goes from normal lyrical music to a crashing point which will set off the adrenaline of every kid around you and is virtually the "go" sound or green light that it is time to smash and slam again. If you're unfamiliar with the music, this is going to be hard to spot, but if you see it coming, you won't be caught off guard by the sudden outburst.
 Sometimes mosh pits occur in very crowded places. When this happens, there will be a natural tendency of the crowd to push the outer rim of the pit towards the center. Eventually this will close the pit unless the crowd is continually pushed back. Seasoned moshers will typically counteract this by launching themselves into the sides of the pit in various ways. Basically, if the people on the cusp of the pit have more incentive to stay out of your way than to let the crowd push them into the pit, the pit will stay open. Some strategies for doing this include...


"Crack back" by having several people lean back onto the walls of the pit with their arms outstretched
"Cluster" a bunch of people with their arms over each others' shoulders and have them bounce around the walls of the pit
"Slingshot" into the sides by using another person's momentum to launch you.
"Circle pit" by creating a whirlpool of people running around the outside of the pit.
Anything that involves flailing limbs that looks like it will hurt if someone gets too close. There are numerous hardcore dances that can facilitate this. Look to the crowd for inspiration.



Pogoing. Basically just jumping up and down, usually at punk shows.
The Cyclone. Cross your arms over your chest to form an "x" and clasp hands with a fellow mosher in the same position, facing you. Then spin around each other, using your weight to gain momentum. This is a good way of widening a small pit or making space to perform further moves in a crowded pit. You can let go when you are spinning fast, but this will likely result in a hard landing and possible injury, or slamming into and thus annoying another mosher.
Stage dive. Push your way past the crowd and the bouncers if you can so that you can get on stage. Without disrupting the band or any of their equipment, dive into the crowd (make sure they see you coming) and tense up when you land so that you're easier to catch. Be warned: Many venues will eject you from the concert for stage diving. Make sure you know the rules of the club.

Crowd surf. You can start off either by stage diving or by hoisting yourself up on two (taller) people's shoulders. Having somebody lift you up by the foot with their hands is risky because odds are, the people around you won't have enough time to see you coming and somebody (including but not limited to you) will get hurt, extremely hurt! If you do get boosted make sure the people around you see you coming before you actually land on them.
The anaconda - a two person move that is best done with lots of space. Put one person's legs around the other person's waist so that their hands are on the ground and legs elevated. The standing person holds on to their quads and lifts bringing their entire torso up. The person with their hands on the ground should push up to help the lifting person. Doing this repeatedly is a lot of fun and will get a lot of laughs.
Know protocol and unwritten rules.
Know what you're getting into.
Wear the right gear.
Brace yourself.
Watch and observe from the side.
Participate on the side line by pushing people back in the pit and embracing mosh pit kids from falling as they circulate the rim.
Circle the circle pit.
Open up the pit.
Switch things up.
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