Mastering Essential BJJ Chokes: A Comprehensive Guide

BJJ requires understanding the importance of these moves in the overall game. Choke holds are effective in a foil in that they enable the delivery of a blow that is crippling to an opponent and also enable a person to get hold of an opponent with ease and therefore leading to a quick submission.

There are two main types of chokes: The air chokes, where the arteries are constricted, and the second one is the blood chokes, where the arteries are completely blocked to supply blood to the brain. 

Nonetheless, air chokes can sometimes prove potent; however, they may turn lethal if misused. Blood chokes are more secure and effective because their enactment involves carefully exerting pressure on the carotid arteries.

Knowledge of these different forms of chokes and being able to execute them is a critical duty of every BJJ fighter.

BJJ is an exceptional sport that has grown massively over the years due to its various techniques. Among the different methods in  BJJ choke hold are counties at number one, which submit the opponent.

When a chokehold is applied, there are only two outcomes. First, the opponent will tap out due to shortness of breath, and if the player is pushing hard, he can faint due to the pressure on the neck that cuts the blood supply to the brain.

BJJ is an exceptional sport that has grown massively over the years due to its various techniques. Among the different methods in BJJ choke hold are counties at number one, which submit the opponent.

When a chokehold is applied, there are only two outcomes. First, the opponent will tap out due to shortness of breath, and if the player is pushing hard, he can faint due to the pressure on the neck that cuts the blood supply to the brain.

You are using a chokehold while drilling , which allows you to have dominant control over the opponent. There are two types of choke: the air choke, which helps stop the airflow by using direct pressure on the opponent, and the blood choke, which cuts off the blood flow and oxygen.

Blood chokes, primarily used to reduce blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain, are safer and more effective in BJJ.

They involve knowledge of the human body structures, especially the location of carotid arteries, and precise ways of applying pressure on them. Blood choke does not require power but rather the correct application of force on the right parts of the body.

Although air chokes target the windpipe, they could be more effective on the spot since they target the passageway of respiration. However, this is dangerous because it is possible to damage the trachea. Using a technical air choke requires much more than the ability to grab, twist, or choke one; it also involves accountability.

Air chokes constrict the opponent's breath by compressing the airway. Compression of their trachea may be agonizing to the opponent hence the opponent falls unconscious. Such choking is very risky since it may cause damage to the brain as well as shorten the supply of oxygen from the opponent.

These chokes work by exerting a certain amount of pressure on the opponent's windup, which may include proper balancing and applying pressure directly on the neck using arms or legs. Application of this choke requires proper limb positioning and gradual force on the oppoent.

This choking technique depends on the accurate angle of the body and the appropriate practice. Critical knowledge about the safety measures taken while applying this choke during training is required because it may cause destructive damage.

The guillotine choke is a submission hold developed in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu's early years. It is very effective and commonly used by BJJ and MMA players.

The choke targets the carotid arteries. When applied to an opponent in the submission, the opponent's head is placed under the armpit and the forearm under the neck, so the opponent seems caught in this choke.

The final position of the arm is required, mainly when the forearm is used against the opponent's throat, turning the guillotine choke into an air choke. It works incredibly well against attacking opponents who might try to throw you to the ground in any self-defense scenario.

Among all the chocking techniques, the guillotine is perfectly suitable against wrestlers and most opponents prone to hunching over when getting up and fighting.

Execution method

• Pull your opponent's head downwards using their Gi collar with one of your arms standing.

• Loop your Aram around their neck to apply the pressure.

• Hold the grip tightly, hook the arm with your choking arm,

• Put your arm under the opposite arm, and hold your waist in hold for a solid hold.

• Choke the groin and push your hips forward while squeezing your elbow towards your body, pulling your chest towards the opposite side of your waist to increase the pressure.

• Bring the opponent down to the ground and move into a guard position with your opponent's back facing upwards.

• Pull in your arms and push upwards with your legs to stretch the opponent's body and complete the choke.

It generally requires placing one arm behind your opponent's head while another should grip Gi's sleeve. It would help if you immobilized your opponent using your legs so that you could cut off his blood flow.

The GI sleeve is handy as it is utilized as a rope to strangle the choke. This also applies in No-Gi grappling, wherein one holds the opponent's head and the other onto the forearm. No-Gi Ezekiel can easily visualize as you do the rear naked choke and face the opponent.

Execution method

• Use the side control, mount, or back control to establish a dominant position and control over the opponent.

• They should first hold on to their GI sleeves with the dominant hand and then, still holding onto the grip of the biceps, hold onto that.

• Maintain your grip power and forceful thrust in his throat. Thrust them away at the same time.

• Hold the grip on their neck, squeeze your arms, and press the grip.

• The tighter you squeeze your hands, the tighter the choke will become, and without any air circulated to his lungs.

• Hold the choke tight and apply pressure to make them submit or get unconscious.

This cross-collar choke is one of the most basic choking submissions. It is the first GI choke a BJJ practitioner will ever learn in school. It's easy to use and can be applied for most positions.

Cross Choke-crossing the arms and grabbing the collar to squeeze until your opponent tapped out. This type of choke aims to apply pressure on the side of the neck, which tends to interrupt the blood supply to the head.

It explains how to gradually use your grips to move in and threaten a submission. This technique is relatively safe, as the cross choke is applied in the mount and closed guard positions. Even if you cannot get the tap, you will still be in an advantageous position.

Execution method

• Establish a firm grip around the opponent's gi collar where you hand in deep inside the collar.

• Place your fingers and thumbs towards your opponent. This will keep them in place and make it harder for them to escape.

• Get into an open guard position and place your feet on the floor.

• Push your opponent's body side to maintain a stronghold.

• Secure your hand position and use a forearm to push against 6the opponent's neck and jawline.

• Tight the choke by dropping your body weight on their neck and pulling your bespoke near to your rib to increase the pressure and make them tap out.

Another effective submission that uses the opponent's GI is the loop choke. This submission move involves placing the arm around the opponent’s collar, wrapping the hand across the other side, and pulling down the opponent’s head.

It applies uncomfortable pressure that reduces circulation to the brain, and they would have no option but to tap at some point. The loop choke is beneficial and can be applied from side control or half guard, as a pass to the guard, or when defending a takedown.

It is a submission done by taking the opponent's collar and pulling it across the chin as the hand moves to the back side of the neck. This motion cuts off blood circulation to the brain, putting pressure on them to tap.

Execution method

• You get into a close guard position by wrapping your legs around the opponent's waist.

• Control their position with a firm and tightening grip, and use your right hand to get the opponent's arm near you.

• Use a GI sleeve to keep the arm in the proper position.

• For extra force, place your body close to the opponent's head.

• Keep your arm tight so there is no space for escaping.

• Push your body with all your strength to apply a choke around the neck of the opponent and finish the submission.

Blood chokes put pressure around the neck to restrict the blood flow and oxygen, leaving the open unconscious. Blood chokes are comparatively less violent as they lead to an opponent's unconsciousness more effortlessly and with less struggle in the opponent's air choke.

It involves placing either the arm or the leg in a manner that chokes both the carotid arteries but with less force on the trachea. Appropriately positioning, leverage, and timing are required to have an effective shot at this.

Another essential thing to know is how to perform safety measures for a blood choke. These measures involve observing the opponent's signs and being ready to loosen the choke should the opponent surrender.

The rear naked choke is among the most powerful. It is one of the best moves in BJJ that is effective for any grappler. The rear naked choke is also known as the “blood choke technique.”

This is because the move cuts the blood flow between the opponent's heart and brain. The essential reason the blood flow between the heart and brain is restricted is the pressure exerted by the attacker's top arm on the receiver's jugular vein.

The positioning of the arms implies that you are now cutting off the carotid arteries on both sides of the opponent's neck, cutting off the opponent's oxygen supply to the brain, thus allowing the opponent to sleep within seconds.

This artery is responsible for the blood supply to the brain. Therefore, its blockage cuts off the blood supply to the brain. Once this occurs, it will not take more than a few seconds for the brain to cease its activities, and the person will become unconscious.

Execution method

• It starts by controlling the opponent with an under-grip in a rare mount position.

• Ensure your bottom hand grips your top wrist to maintain a stronghold.

• Grab your opponent's shoulder with your left hand like a tiger claw to strengthen the grip.

• Pull your arm from the oppoent back and use the forearm to wrap the opponent's chin.

• Pull your right from under your opponent's armpit and bring your hand closer to go for the palm to palm. This will make the grip more solid.

• Use your left hand to regrip on the oppoent shoulder to isolate them from blocking the choke.

• Place the elbow to the other side of the nose. The noose across your throat pulls the choke tight.

• Reach around and pin it behind the opponent with your head.

• Wrap your arms around downward, pressing in, hooking the motion under the jaw of the oppoent, with the strength of your opponent's body out by stretching out your leg and arching your back to make them submit.

This is also known as the "okuri-eri-jime" in Judo. It is one of the strongest chokes in BJJ, and it also helps illustrate that the bow and arrow choke is one of the techniques in BJJ with the highest submission rate in international tournaments.

It is done by grasping the opponent's collar from behind and choking him with it. The body shifts to the side to get a better position and advantage; ideally, the other hand should grasp the opponent's waist so they cannot twist.

The bow and arrow choke is applied like the rear naked choke. Both these submission deals with the neck , which causes damage to the victim by cutting off the blood supply from the brain and putting one to sleep.

Execution method

• It begins getting into a dominating position like black control.

• Yes, the position by wrapping your legs around the opponent's waist and controlling their position.

• Use the arm to form a loop around the opposite neck of the opponent, holding the collar of your opponent GI simultaneously in the other arm.

• Pull that across their throat once you grab the Gi-collar of the opponent as strongly.

• Create pressure on the opponent by pulling their neck.

• Continue to control the opponent by using your leg to add more pressure on the opponent.

• Position your legs to hook your hips to prevent them from escaping.

• Pull their Gi-collar and hold their leg to set up the choke.

• This would give them pressure on the neck, triggering them to tap out.

One of the most popular submission moves and the first choice of every grappler in BJJ is the triangle choke. It's versatile and practical, and it applies to various positions. The triangle choke is a finishing move that uses a submission hold in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA.

It will hold your opponent's neck between your legs, making it triangle-shaped. This pressure tends to reduce blood to the head, thus forcing a submission.

The triangle choke is a beneficial BJJ technique for combat and self-defense in BJJ and MMA. It is also one of the most successful submission moves.

This choke position allows the practitioner to have a robust and positionally versatile position through which one can control and submit an opponent.

Execution method

• Control his arm; ensure the grip.

• Make a loop around their shoulder by keeping one leg here and putting the other here around the neck.

• Separate the opponent's arm and press down on his neck. Adjust the position of your hips and bring your leg across to his shoulder.

• Then, reach out, grab the opponent's body, and push onto his torso.

• Through a right angle, use the head control, grab down on the opponent's neck, and put your shin in behind to keep him pinned.

• Keep a firm grip so you pin him down, get your opponent in open guard, and toss them into a difficult position.

• Initiate by shifting your position to apply extreme pressure. Squeeze the chock more forcefully using your legs.

• Apply much pressure around the neck to make them tap out.

The north-south choke is one of the most challenging techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is similar to the side-control position, where you align yourself over the opponent instead of the lateral position.

You lay on your opponent, pointing your head at his legs in this position. Your upper body leans toward the opponent, especially around the weak spot of the opponent's chest, to pin down the opponent’s torso.

On the other hand, one can go down to one knee to keep tight control of oneself. The north-south choke is often applied to keep an opponent down for some time; then, the top player can switch to other more secure holds such as side control or scarf hold.

For this reason, many grapplers use the north-south as a transitional position. The north-south position, just like any other technique, will help you consider the worths and demerits of this controlling hook.

 Execution method

• Get in a mount position, bend your body toward the oppoent torso, and get the grip over the hands.

• Keep one arm on the mat to maintain balance while you shift your position to grab the oppoent neck from the other arm.

• Move your head closer to the oppoent chest.

• Place your legs at 90 or 180 degrees, drag the leg to the side, and change the position of the head parallel to the oppoent torso.

• Secure the oppoent arm to restrict their movement.

• Make a loop around the oppoent neck and apply pressure over the torso to make them submit.

Training repetition helps the player apply their submission skillfully without errors. The player needs to practice continually rehearsing to support the finer aspects of both blood chokes and air chokes.

Emphasis on accurately placing the hand, legs, and body, the direction towards which the choke is applied, and how much pressure is required to submit the opposite.

Such practice is repeated techniques under supervision, ensuring that a practitioner can perform them efficiently in sparring or competition.

It is essential to apply chokes in a live training environment. Sparring offers a live atmosphere in which the choke holds used against resisting opponents learned various formations against players of different sizes, heights, and styles.

This diversity in training partners is also beneficial in understanding the practical application of blood chokes vs. air chokes and the process's technical adaptability

Timely invite feedback from instructors and training partners can help you identify mistakes with your technique and give tips for a player to avoid those mistakes. Willing to change your strategy under significant consideration of the coach.

Learning in BJJ is ongoing, and slight changes could result in a considerable difference in the choking process. The right attitude and approach towards the art and practice keep learning about blood and air chokes so that one does not deliberately or inadvertently endanger the training partners.

Analyzing choke techniques is an essential skill in BJJ that, if practiced effectively on the mat, can take your game to the next level. To practice this submission, it is necessary to note the distinctions between air chokes and blood chokes.

As you continue your BJJ practice, be careful and dedicated to these straightforward choke moves. Pay attention to aspects of training such as correct posture and alignment, and ensure that communication and safety are paramount. Of course, as the learner conducts constant practice, they will gain mastery of the techniques and understand the beauty of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Q: What are the dangers of air chokes in BJJ?

Air chokes may cause danger and the possibility of stifling the opponent's breathing, which may cause a fall and potentially suffocate them if applied for an extended period.

Q: How do you prevent the dangers of applying choke techniques during training?

Choke techniques can be applied safely by following specific guidelines, such as proper form, incremental pressure, and good communication with the Training Partners, to avoid any harm during training.

Q: Are there specific protocols for acknowledging when an opponent is in distress while applying a chokehold?

Yes, practitioners should be able to tell when the opponent is tapped, submissive, or complaining, and they should let go immediately, as it’s dangerous to overpower the opponent.