[MisterSambo]

First of all you got to learn the techniques. For every submission there are escapes and also for every position. What worked well for me was to have several possible escapes for every position and once you're in the position you go from one escape to the other untill one works. What is most important is practice. With the time you will also feel more confident and more confortable even in bad positions. And for info you even got the possibility to sub your opponent when he mounted you or when he is in sidemount on you.

The surviving part I am not sure. In some competitions if it doesn't move ennough they stand you up. So there it's enough to just not move. But escaping is always better.