Triangle Choke – ALL BJJ

The triangle choke is one of the most easily recognizable choke submissions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and for good reason. The triangle takes what looks like a bad position from the outside (being on the bottom in a fight), ties your body in knots, and the other guy ends up choking.

There’s just one problem with the triangle choke: you have to be on the bottom to do it.

UNLESS you jump and wrap your legs around your opponent’s head and choke them while they’re standing.

When that happens, you really are doing ninja stuff and it’s not only fast and effective but really cool.

Start: Standing with mutual neck tie controls

Step 1: Jump and pull opponent’s neck down

Step 2: Slide the same-side leg as your neck tie perpendicular over opponent’s head, replacing the grip

Step 3: Cross legs

Step 4: Grip behind opponent’s leg with hand that was gripping behind opponent’s neck to prevent a slam

Step 5: Figure-four free leg over choking leg

Step 6: Pull opponent’s head down and turn body towards arm that has leg grip

End: Submission via flying triangle

how to do a bjj triangle choke from guard

The triangle choke is an essential and iconic part of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. If you’re describing BJJ to someone who has never grappled or watched MMA in their life, it’s the perfect place to start. You’re on your back with your opponent over you, a place where to the untrained eye you look like you’re losing the fight. From that position you can use your legs to choke your attacker unconscious, while still staying on your back! The BJJ triangle choke is a great example of the power of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu especially because a much smaller opponent can use it to incapacitate a stronger or larger one, just watch UFC 4 when Royce Gracie at 180 pounds used the triangle to submit the huge 260 pound Dan Severn.

While the BJJ triangle choke is one of the fundamental staples of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is why it is a part of the Gracie BJJ Blue Belt Test. It’s a complicated move that can take hours to understand weeks to get comfortable with, months to feel good about, and years to master.

Rener Gracie, Ryron Gracie, and Reylan Gracie all got together to release this video detailing the finer points of the BJJ triangle choke from guard in this extensive video.

The video is awesome and filled with details that are worth watching over and over, but here are the steps:

Start: Closed guard with one of opponent’s arms inside of closed legs

Step 1: Control opponent’s wrist and pull it across your body

Step 2: Pull down on head

Step 3: Put outside foot on opponent’s hip

Step 4: Bite across person’s neck with top-side leg

Step 5: Grab ahold of your top-side shin to keep opponent in place

Step 6: Figure four bottom leg over top-side leg so that your knee is hooker over your ankle or shin

Step 7: Grip being head with both hands and pull opponent’s head down

Step 8: Squeeze thighs together and lift hips up to complete triangle choke

Tag: Triangle Choke

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How To Do A Triangle Choke From Guard