Tag: jiu-jitsu

Getting front headlock control on your opponent opens a lot of possibilities to get different types of chokes. Guillotine chokes, darce chokes, and the one we’re here to talk about anaconda chokes.

The anaconda choke is an extremely tight choke that every grappler must know to have a complete game. Since being introduced into BJJ it has proven to be one of the most effective front headlock chokes. Along with the darce and guillotine.

Below is everything you need to know about the anaconda choke. Everything from how it was invented, how it chokes the opponent, various techniques, and tips.

When was the anaconda choke invented?

The anaconda choke was invented in the late 90s, early 2000s by a Brazilian fighter named Milton Vieira. Milton is a luta livre practitioner and BJJ black belt is UFC veteran that has been fighting for 2 decades.

He is also known for being a respected trainer and among them is the Nogueira brothers. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira actually won two fights in Pride FC using his instructor’s move.

Vieira did an interview with us in 2012 and spoke to us about coming up with anaconda choke.

 “Before I started using the position, I had never had any experience with it.  I started working with the position a little more than 13 years ago in training.  Since that time, I have put a lot of energy into the position.  Now I feel very good with it because I know many different ways to apply the position from different situations.  It is a submission I believe in a lot.”

Since Vieira invented the submission it has become a must know technique in Jiu Jitsu. Grapplers are still coming up with new entries into the anaconda, which proves how effective Vieira’s technique is.

How does the anaconda choke work

Just like with the darce choke, the anaconda choke works like a reverse arm triangle choke. Your forearm and the opponent’s own arm to cut off blood flow to their brain.

The move was dubbed the anaconda choke, because it works in the same way an anaconda strangles its prey. Once you lock it in, you take a deep breath squeeze with your whole body. Their only options are to submit or go to sleep.

Basic anaconda choke

The basic setup for an anaconda choke comes from when the opponent is on all fours in turtle. You can get them here by either defending their takedown attempt by sprawling on them or dragging them down. 

You’re going to want to keep your chest on top of them to keep them from moving as you set up your grips.

With your hands, one is going to be around the opponent’s neck and the other wraps around their arm. This initial grip is to just hold them in place as you set up your choke grip.

The choke arm under their neck shoots under their arm until you can see your hand. If you need to make adjustments to get your hand through, there’s a number of options. 

You can grab your choke arm and pull it until it passes the opponent’s arm. The other option is push their arm in with your grip arm to make it easier to pass your arm through. It also makes the anaconda choke tighter.

Use a reverse RNC grip grabbing your bicep and have your forearm under their neck for the tightest choke. It looks similar to a darce, but your grips are reversed.

To get them in position to finish them you can either turn them on their side or use a roll. The roll is more forceful and how the choke got its name.

Once you get them on their side, there’s only a few steps to finish them. With your chest on top of their head, walk yourself into them, and slowly squeeze with your body. Just like an anaconda. 

Secondary finishing option

To go along with the basic anaconda choke, there’s a tight finishing option you can also do. Sometimes, when you get an opponent on their side, they defend by putting their hands on your hips. This makes space for them to defend your choke.

To counter this, once you get them on their side you can hook their leg with your legs. Essentially putting them in half guard to take away the space as you lock in the anaconda.

Counter anaconda choke

If you’re going against someone with good defense, they’ll defend the roll by basing their foot out. The counter for this is really easy.

When they base their foot out just slightly lift them up and turn them the other direction. If they defend that way go back to the traditional anaconda roll.

Marcelo Garcia perfectly demonstrates these techniques in this video.

Anaconda from cradle position

An anaconda choke from a cradle in top side control is a great option to try. Start with your cradle with one arm around the opponent’s head and the other between their legs. You’re going to lock your hands together with an S grip to keep them in place.

With the cradle, you just keep them in position and eventually they’ll give you your anaconda setup. Once their top arm crosses if that is the signal to set up your anaconda.

Drop your hips toward the opponent’s head as you shoot your choke hand under their arm. Lock your grips and walk yourself into the opponent to lock in the pressure.

Anaconda choke variation

There is another variation of the anaconda choke you can do that is a little different than the traditional finish. In the traditional way you roll to get the finish, but you’re not doing that with this variation.

There is only one step different that you’re going to do to get the finish. Instead of rolling them, you’re going to bring your foot up next to the opponent’s knee and turn the opposite way.

Blocking the opponent’s leg with your foot cuts off their balance as you turn them on their side. It enables them from defending like they could when you do the traditional anaconda roll.

Anaconda variation #2

This variation offers a little different set up to get your opponent in position for the choke. With the opponent in turtle position, you’re going to take gable grip with a little twist.

Your grip hand is going to be palm up and you’re going to bring your elbow inward to turn them. As you turn them, put your head next to their side doing the roll through.

After the roll, you’re right in position to get your choke grips for the finish.

Tips for doing the anaconda choke

The anaconda choke is a powerful submission that will do wonders for your game. Learning this along with a guillotine and darce will make you a triple threat if you get head control. 

Although there are specific details you need to do in order to lock on the anaconda properly. Here are some tips for doing the anaconda choke to give you more success hitting this submission.

• Choke hand placement: Remember your choke hand placement is the opposite to a darce choke. Your hand goes around their neck and comes out from under their arm.
• Chest on top of their head and neck: To control your opponent and keep them in place lay your chest on top of their head and spine. Laying this pressure down on them will keep them from moving while you set up your anaconda.
• Forearm under the throat: To get the tightest choke you need to have the blade of your forearm under the opponent’s throat. The bicep can choke them, but it leaves space for them to escape, where the blade of your forearm doesn’t.
• Reverse RNC grip: The grip you use for an anaconda choke is a reverse RNC grip. Hand on your bicep and your other arm grabbing the opponent’s back.
• Bend their neck: For any front headlock choke to work, you need bend the opponent’s neck downard. If their neck is straight, they aren’t being choked and can defend easier.
• Push their arm inward: If you need more space to put your arm through push the opponent’s arm inward. It also makes your anaconda way tighter.
• Put your opponent on their side: For the anaconda choke to work, you have to put the opponent on their side. Turn them and put them on their side opposite of the arm you have in the choke.
• Roll them: If your opponent is tough and defending well, you’ll need to roll like an anaconda to put them down.
• Hook a leg: To keep the opponent from making space, you can use your leg to hook their leg. This keeps them close and makes the choke harder to defend.
• Squeeze with your body: Don’t just squeeze them with your arms. Be like an anaconda and use your whole body to get them to submit.

To have a top notch guard game in Jiu Jitsu one of the must know submissions is the Omoplata. It is one of the core basic submissions you must know, but it’s more than just a submission. The Omoplata is also a great technique to sweep opponents with, as well.

But the Omoplata wasn’t always given its proper respect for its effectiveness. This technique wasn’t universally taught in every academy until a little over 25 years ago.

It took time for the Omoplata to get its respect, but the technique continues to be revolutionized in modern BJJ. Below we detail everything you need to know about the Omoplata. Everything from when it was created, how it works, and detail a few of the many Omoplata techniques.

When was the Omoplata created?

Before Jiu Jitsu started practicing the Omoplata it was practiced within Judo and Submission wrestling. In Judo, the technique is called the ashi-sankaku-garami and the coil lock in submission wrestling.

In the Portuguese, the word Omoplata is scapula and they used this word because the submission attacks your scapula.

Though the submission has been around a long time it wasn’t universally taught in Jiu Jitsu schools. For many years, the Omoplata was considered a low percentage submission. 

For almost 70 years, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation of Brazil(CBJJ) only recognized the Omoplata as a submission. It wasn’t until 1994 did they start awarding sweeps from the Omoplata position.

Since then and thanks to innovators of the position like Nino Schembri, grapplers saw the Omoplatas’s potential. The submission is now taught in all Jiu Jitsu academies and considered a must know technique.

How does the Omoplata work?

How the mechanics of the Omoplata works are very simple and straightforward. The key to the Omoplata is weight placement and control.

Once you isolate an opponent’s arm and establish control over them is when you start distributing your weight on them. As you lean in to the opponent, you’re putting downward pressure onto their shoulder forcing them to defend or submit.

Basic No-Gi Omoplata

A No-Gi is pretty simple to do with only a few steps to complete. You start this technique from closed guard.

Take wrist control on one of the opponent’s arms and push it against your hip. Your other hand reaches over and grabs hold of their shoulder. 

After you have control of their arm with both hands, pull them down as you kick your leg through. Then rotate your hips 180 degrees to where you are parallel with your opponent facing the same way. 

Next drop your leg down on the opponent’s arm with force in order to establish control. This keeps them in place along with hugging their hips to prevent them from rolling out of the position.

Now that you have the opponent in position and established control, you can lock in the pressure. With one leg around their arm and with their hips controlled, lean into them slowly to get the tap.

Basic Gi Omoplata

A basic Gi setup is similar to the No-Gi setup, but it involves using the opponent’s gi for control. On the same side of your opponent take sleeve grip with one hand and a collar grip with the other.

Use that sleeve grip to pull them down, hooking their arm around your hip. At the same time you kick your leg through just like in the basic No-Gi technique.

Turn your hips 180 degrees facing the same way as your opponent and control their hips. In Gi, you can use their pants and to belt to hold them in place or just hug their hips. 

The finishing steps are also about the same as with a No-Gi Omoplata. Lean in to them for the finish and if you want to keep your sleeve grip for control you can.

Lasso guard Omoplata

Doing an Omoplata from lasso guard is a really easy and fluid technique to do. To get your lasso guard have one grip on their collar and a sleeve grip on the arm you’re attacking. Loop your leg in and connect your leg to the opponent’s armpit.

From there, let go of the sleeve grip and begin turning on your shoulders inward towards your opponent. You naturally roll right into position for the Omoplata.

For the finish hug your opponent’s hips and submit them.

Rubber Guard Omoplata

If you’re flexible and like to play rubber guard, there are numerous Omoplata options available. One of the most easy is this one.

Get to New York position, where you’re holding your leg behind the opponent’s head. Their arm is already on the mat in this position, so it makes going to an Omoplata really easy.

Just push their head and pull your leg over to get right into position for the Omo.

Omoplata from side control

You can even hit an Omoplata from side control. A really cool way to do it is from reverse kesa gatame. This type of side control  is where you turn on your side and are facing the opponent’s feet.

You step your top leg over the opponent’s arm that is behind you and grab a sleeve grip. With your other arm, you’re reaching over and controlling the opponent’s hips keeping them in place.

To get in position for the Omo, move your hand to the other side of their hip for a base. Now hook under their arm with your near leg and grab their elbow to begin turning over your opponent. 

To turn them over do a back step over there to start the movement as you go over their body. They end up right on their stomach for you to finish your Omo.

Omoplata from mount

When you have an opponent in mount they try a bridge and roll escape, you can catch them with an Omo. As they turn on their side take an overhook and bring your foot up next to their shoulder.

If they turn, they’ll naturally go to the position, but if not grab their arm and pull them into the Omo.

Omoplata Sweep

When you get to the Omoplata position, a common defense is for the opponent to posture up. Usually when you try to kick your leg down, they’ll react by posturing up.

If they do this it opens them up for an easy sweep. So let’s say you already got to the Omo position and they’re defending.

Fake like you want the Omoplata and kick your legs down to knock their base forward. Naturally, they will react by sitting up and as they do this is when you sweep them.

As they posture up, immediately do a back roll to sweep them over using their own energy against them.

Tips for doing the Omoplata

For as diverse of a technique as the Omoplata is the submission has details that you cannot forget. Remember these tips below for the next time you go for your Omoplata.

• Control The Arm: Before you can go for the Omoplata, you must establish control of the arm you want to attack. Without proper arm control, there is no Omoplata.
• Turn Your Hips: To get into position for the Omoplata, you have to turn your hips as you control the arm. Turn 180 degrees to get into position for your submission.
• Hips Parallel: After you turn your hips, they must be parallel with your opponents facing the same way. 
• Control The Opponent’s Hips: Controlling the opponent’s hips keeps them in place and defending your Omoplata attempt. Either hug around their hips with your arm or grab their belt/pants if you’re in a Gi.
• Heavy Leg: For the Omoplata to work, you have to drop your leg down on their arm with force. This keeps them in place and helps stop them from posturing up.
• Control Their Arm Above The Elbow: For the Omoplata to work, you have to be controlling the opponent above their elbow and right below the shoulder. When you control below the elbow, the opponent can just push your leg down and escape.
• Hook With One Leg: Some teach triangling your legs when doing the Omoplata, but you really only need one leg hooking the arm. You’ll be able to put down even more pressure and not limit your movement.
• Flatten Them Out: To ensure you get the submission make sure to flatten out your opponent. This gives you optimal control and enables you lock in your Omoplata.
• Lean In: Once you establish control lean in to put downward pressure on their shoulder forcing them to submit.
• Watch Your Base: Be sure to keep your weight centered when doing the Omoplata.  If you lean your head too far over, your opponent will easily sweep you.

There’s a series of front headlock chokes with numerous entries you need to know. One that is a phenomenal submission to add to your BJJ game is the darce choke.

This is a highly effective choke that you can set up from numerous positions. Whether you’re on top controlling an opponent or on bottom setting a trap, the darce choke is there.

If you are thinking about learning a darce choke, then you definitely need to read everything about the darce below. We’re going to cover when it was created, how it works, and numerous entries into the darce choke.

When was the darce choke created?

The name darce came from American wrestler Joe D’arce that trains at Renzo Gracie’s NYC school. Although a German luta livre fighter named Björn Dag Lagerström may have done it first. But the technique may also precede him since humans have been grappling for centuries.

Either way, a wrestler named Joe D’arce learned the technique from John Danaher at Renzo’s NYC school. At a tournament, BJJ coach Marc Laimon saw D’arce do the technique and dubbed it “the darce choke” The name stuck and most everyone in Jiu Jitsu now refers to the move as the darce choke.

There is another technique called the brabo choke that Checkmat BJJ founder Leo Vieira created using the Gi. It is the exact same mechanics as the darce choke, but you use the opponent’s lapel to choke them.

How does the darce choke work?

The darce choke works using a mix of your force and your opponent’s own body against them. Much like an arm triangle, where you push the opponent’s arm into their neck to choke them.  While at the same time you arm cuts off blood flow to the other side of their neck.

But with the darce choke, the grip is reversed and you choke the opponent on their side. Opposite to the arm triangle, where the opponent is choked flat on their back.

As you get control of the opponent’s head and arm, you bend their neck down. Then you lock your grips, get the opponent on their side, and set in the pressure of the choke.

Basic darce choke setup

The darce choke originally came from the front headlock position with the opponent in turtle. You can get here by either dragging your opponent down or defending their takedown attempt by sprawling.

One you’ve established control of your opponent, you can begin setting up your darce. First step is you need to have your chest pressed down on the opponent’s spine. This keeps them in place and puts pressure down on their neck.

Your choke hand is going to go under the opponent’s arm and come out on the other side of their neck. If you need to go deeper, you can do a palm on palm grip to push your arm further out.

You can use this grip to turn the opponent or roll to their side to get in position. Next is the grip setup.

Some schools teach to have your bicep under the opponent’s chin, but the blade of your forearm is better. It is a tighter choke and gives the opponent less space, where they could escape.

With your forearm under their neck, lock your arms together by grabbing your bicep like an RNC grip. Now if you haven’t already got the opponent on their side, put them there to finish the choke.

Squeeze with your body as you push their neck down with your chest. The choke should come on quick and your opponent will either tap or go to sleep.

Darce choke from sidemount

There’s a really easy darce choke setup from top side control with only a few steps. It starts when the opponent goes to recover guard by getting on their side.

When they do this, they bring their arm up in an attempt to get an underhook. This opens themselves up for you to lock in a darce choke.

Hook your inside arm under the opponent’s arm until your arm is next to their neck. With your forearm under their chin, get your grips, drop your chest on their head to bend their neck, and squeeze.

Also a little extra tip for all darce choke setups. If you want to keep the opponent in place and stop their defense, hook their leg with your leg.

Darce choke from bottom side control

From bottom side control, there is another darce choke you can do. It’s actually a trap, where you fake a side control escape and go for a darce.

You start out with framing with your forearm against the opponent’s neck and the other against their hip. With your frames set, you’re going to bait your opponent by bridging into them like you’re trying to recover guard.

Naturally, they’ll push back and when they do hook your inside arm on the other side of their hip. This hook gives you momentum to turn away from the opponent and in place to set up the darce.

From here, lock your grips, walk your hips into your opponent, and get the submission.

Darce choke top half guard

There’s a nice darce choke setup from when you’re in top half guard and your opponent is trying to recover. Usually to recover guard, the reach up to take an underhook.

When they do this, you let them have it and counter with a deep underhook and frame on their head. With the opponent already bent and on their side, you just have to get your grips.

Push their head down, then sink your arm deep under their neck, and get your grips for your darce.

Darce choke open guard

Jeff Glover is a master of the darce choke and he has a sneaky setup from open guard.  What he does is bait his opponent by turning away from them exposing his side.

If the opponent takes the bait, they will bodylock you and put you on your back. When they do this extend your near arm to the sky and rotate it around their arm. Your other arm is basing on the mat to prevent you from getting tackled to your back.

With your deep underhook, you throw yourself to your back, hook your arm under the opponent’s neck. Just take your grips and finish the darce.

Rolling darce choke

When you’re on top of your opponent in turtle position, you can roll to multiple front headlock chokes. One in particular is the darce choke.

It works really well, when the opponent is tight and you can’t get your arm in. You’re basically going to do a barrel roll to get your choke arm in place for the darce.

Dive and roll under your opponent hooking their neck and rolling them to their back or side. It’s a very slick way of setting up your darce.

Tips for doing the darce choke

The darce is a dynamic choke, but if one details is off the whole submission falls apart. Here are the tips you need to know to be successful with the darce choke.

• Hand Next To The Neck: Remember that a darce is opposite of an anaconda choke. Your arm goes under their arm and comes out against their neck.
• Choke With Your Forearm: Use the blade of your forearm to choke your opponent. Your bicep can choke them, but the blade of your forearm makes the choke more powerful.
• Chest On Opponent’s Spine: You need to have you chest on top of the opponent’s spine for the darce to work. Doing this establishes control over the opponent and adds more pressure on their neck..
• Bend The Neck: Just like with any front headlock choke, you need to bend their neck down. The darce won’t work if you don’t do this.
• Control Opponent’s Arm: You need to control the arm you have in your darce choke and push it under their neck. Their own arm actually chokes them when you lock on pressure. Pulling it across will also keep them from defending the choke by basing.
• Hand On Bicep Grip: Your grip for the darce is the exact same as an RNC grip just from the opposite side.
• Put The Opponent On Their Side: For the darce to work, you need to put the opponent on their side. If they stay on all fours it is just a controlling position and won’t choke them. You can get them on their side by either turning them or rolling them.
• Hook Their Leg: This tip is optional, but you can hook the opponent’s leg to keep them in place. It will also close space and give them less room to defend.

An armbar is one of the most basic submissions you must know how to do. It’s one of the 5 basic submissions you learn in your first few classes at jiu jitsu school.

Although you do learn an armbar early in your Jiu Jitsu journey it takes years to perfect. There are always new armbar techniques to learn and tweaks to make your technique better.

Even if you’re a seasoned grappler, you can always do something to make your armbar better. This article is everything your need to know about the armbar. We’re going to tell you when they were invented, how they work, and a handful of the numerous techniques.

When was the armbar created?

The armbar is another one of these submissions that was created thousands of years ago. No one knows exactly who or when it was created, because every ancient culture that grappled did an armbar.

For as long as humans have tried to hurt each other, they study the physics of the human body. They figured it out pretty early if you bend an arm at an angle with enough pressure that they will break it.

Every modern form of grappling practices armbars from BJJ, submission wrestling, and Judo. The name for an arm-lock in Judo is juji-gatame. It is a submission that never stops being revolutionized. 

How does an armbar work?

An armbar works in the same way you would pull a lever. When you go through the steps of controlling the opponent’s arm it looks exactly like a lever.

As you bridge your hips up it puts pressure on the opponent’s elbow joint. If you did all of the steps correct, then they should submit pretty quick.

Armbar from guard

A basic armbar from guard is tight and always a great go to move. But there are specific steps that have to be exactly in order for the armbar to work.

Pick the arm you want to attack and cross grab it at the tricep. With your other hand cross grab their shoulder to hold them in place and stop them from posturing up.

Your foot goes on the opponent’s hip and connects to their side next to the arm you’re attacking. After this step, you use your other leg to hook across their back. The reason for this is to break their posture further and hold them in place for the armbar.

Now that you’ve established control, you can do the last steps to get your armbar. Use your legs and hips to turn and get an angle for the submission.

For the last step pass your leg over their head, keep your knees tight, and bridge your hips up. Be sure to keep your leg heavy on their neck to keep them in place while you crank their arm. 

Speed armbar from guard

If you have good hip mobility this is a good technique for you. It isn’t as tight as a traditional armbar set up, but it’s the fastest option.

All you do is control the opponent’s arm with your arm that’s on the same side. After this all you have to do is hook under their leg with your free hand.

This underhook allows your hips to turn and kick your leg over their head. When you get in position be sure to attack their arm with two hands behind you out the pressure on.

Armbar from mount

Here are the details for a basic armbar from mount. If your opponent sticks his arms out to defend this makes it easy for you to choose an arm. 

Have your arms over and over the one you want to attack and grab at their tricep. Use this grip to pull their shoulder off the mat.

Next rotate your hips/legs around your opponent’s arm and step over their head. Be sure to keep your hips low when you do this.

After step over, establish control of their arm by squeezing your legs around it and hugging it to your chest. For the finishing step fall back slowly until your back touches the mat and bridge your hips for the tap.

Knee on belly armbar

When you have your opponent in knee on belly and they commonly defend by trying to push your knee. This opens them up to be put in an armbar when they do this.

Hook under their arm grabbing at the tricep and pull the opponent’s shoulder off the mat. Next lift your hips up and rotate around the opponent’s head.

The next step is similar to the finishing sequence of a mounted armbar. Hug their arm to your chest, pinch your knees around their arm, and fall back for the submission.

Reverse armbar from guard

A reverse armbar is an armlock, where you attack the opponent’s arm from an opposite angle. Using your arm to put downward pressure on their elbow joint.

Start by underhooking the arm that you want to attack. Then hip escape your hips out and attach your top leg to the opponent’s shoulder. Your inside leg attaches under their elbow locking them in place.

For the finish grip your hands together, put the blade of your wrist above their elbow to put pressure down.

Armbar from spider guard

There’s a tight armbar from the spider guard that is really easy to pull off. But first you have to get to the normal spider guard position.

Get sleeve grips on your opponent and put both of your feet. Straight the leg on the arm that you attack and turn your hips.

Then kick off your foot as you pull their arm into you. There’s already tension on their arm, so just bring your leg back over to get your armbar.

Armbar counter to lasso guard

When your opponent has you in lasso guard, there is a possible armbar counter available. The opportunity opens up if they have their outside leg too close to your body.

Grab a pant grip on their outside leg and pass it over to your arm they have in a lasso. Then immediately grab the sleeve of their free arm.

From there all you have to do is turn your opponent like a wheel. Turn them until their arm is between their leg, grab it with two arms, and take your armbar.

Tips for doing an armbar

When you do armbars everything has to be in line in order for it to work properly. If one detail is off, then you’re not going to get the armbar. Remember all of these tips for you to be more successful with your armbars.

• Turn And Angle: When doing an armbar from guard, you have to turn your body and make an angle. The reason you turn your body is because it makes it easier to get your leg over the opponent’s head. Once you clear the head and angle it allows you to be able to apply pressure on the arm.
• Break Their Posture: To get your opponent in place for an armbar, you have to break their posture. You do this by doing two movements. First grabbing their shoulder to keep them in position, then hooking your leg behind tier back.
• Arm Control: Make sure that you’re controlling the opponent’s above their elbow before attempting an armbar. Need to to establish good control to be able to attack their elbow joint.
• Heavy Leg: You need to make sure that you make your leg over the opponent’s head heavy. If you don’t do this, they can easily posture up and defend. This tip goes for armbars from top and bottom positions.
• Pinch Your Knees Together: Whenever you try for an armbar, you must pinch your knees together. Doing this keeps them in place and enables you to put pressure on the arm.
• Always Use Two Arms: Always use two arms against one when going for an armbar. 
• Hug The Arm: On top of using two arms, you must hug the arm to your body. This allows you to use your whole body when you’re attacking an armbar.
• Thumb Up: Your opponent’s thumb must always be pointing up or aligned with your hips. This enables you to be able to apply pressure to the arm.
• Bridge Your Hips: Anytime you go to apply pressure on an armbar, you have to bridge your hips up. This motion puts the pressure on the arm.
• Stay Low: When you go for armbars from top positions be  sure to keep your hips low. If your hips are high this either gives them space to escape and the armbar won’t be tight.

They were considered the forbidden technique for years in Jiu Jitsu, but today heel hooks are among the most popular techniques to learn.

Instructors in the past refused to teach heel hooks to their students, because of how potentially dangerous they can be. Also since they were banned in most every competition, they weren’t taught in many Jiu Jitsu schools.

But now they’re gaining popularity thanks to professional grappling competitions like Polaris, EBI, and ADCC. Specifically from grapplers like members of the Danaher Death Squad, Craig Jones, and Lachlan Giles. Their proficiency with heel hooks is superb and shows their effectiveness.

In modern day Jiu Jitsu, you can’t afford to ignore 50% of the human body anymore. So we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about heel hooks. Everything from when they were developed, their mechanics, and various different entries into them.

When was the heel hook created?

This is another submission you’d have to go back centuries. For centuries people have been aware of the power of heel hooks. They knew that if locked on to a person’s heel and turned it, you could cripple them.

In modern times, the martial arts more credited to evolutionizing the heel hook was sambo and submission wrestling. Jiu Jitsu and Judo knew the techniques, but for the most part they were forbidden due to them being dangerous.

It wasn’t until the last 20 years that Jiu Jitsu practitioners have been adopting heel hooks into their games. Many credit Dean Lister with being the grappler with first popularizing them and later John Danaher with his system.

How does a heel hook work?

The way a heel hook works is like a basic lever system. You take control of the opponent’s leg and force it into an angle.  When you force the opponent’s leg at an angle this creates your lever. 

Also there is a common misconception about the heel hook among those new to grappling. A heel hook doesn’t put pressure on the opponent’s heel. It is actually the knee that absorbs the pressure of the leglock.

This is due to the lever system of the submission. Once you lock in the submission, your opponent only has less of a second to tap or damage your knee.

We on the website will say be careful when you train heel hooks with your training partners. You need to know them for your game to be well rounded, but don’t hurt your training partners. Cranking too hard on a teammates knee could put them off the mat from 6 weeks to years.

Basic heel hook

We’re going to cover heel hook set ups with leg control later. For this section, we’re just going to cover the steps of locking in a basic heel hook.

Before  you can even think about getting the heel hook, you have to control the opponent’s leg. If you don’t establish control of the leg, then you have no chance of getting the submission.

There’s numerous methods to control an opponent’s leg, but they all share the same principle. Control your opponent’s leg above their knee.  

You have to do this along with keeping your hips aligned with your opponent. The other thing is get their leg to bend at an angle to be able to get the heel hook.

So after getting control of the opponent’s leg, you can now go for their heel. Turn your body towards the opponent’s heel. Hook it using the blade of your forearm, so it’s tight and won’t slip out.

Once you secure their heel, turn towards your back shoulder to apply the pressure.

Inside heel hook

There is a heel that is even more dangerous and vicious than a normal heel hook. That submission is the inside heel hook. It comes on fast and can tear a knee in less than a second.

The main differences with an inside heel hook is you attack the inside of the opponent’s heel. Their heel is also tucked on your inside heel, whereas a normal heel hook is done on the outside hip.

One of the most common and easiest leg control to get an inside heel hook is from the saddle position. This is where you triangle your legs around the leg you’re attacking and hook their outside leg with your foot.

Once you establish control of the leg, getting the heel is the same concept as a normal heel hook. Turn your body into the hook and control it with the blade of your wrist.

From there turn slowly towards your other shoulder and they should tap rather quickly.

Craig Jones heel hook setup

Craig Jones has a rather interesting heel hook set up he does from a modified position. It is sort of a mix of butterfly and single leg x guard. 

His legs are hooking the opponent’s leg above their knee with his legs off the ground. Jones takes an underhook and scoots himself toward the leg he’s controlling.

He then reaches under the opponent to grab the other opponent’s foot and elevates them. Bringing his bottom leg through, brings his knee in, and taking his opponent over.

Craig ends up in a saddle position, where he has the option of attacking an inside or outside heel hook.

Simple heel hook setup from half guard

When you’re on top in half guard, there is a really easy heel hook setup you can do. If the opponent is doing a knee shield half guard even better, because their leg is already bent.

From here all you do is put your free knee on their belly and fall back towards their heel. Lock your grip and take their heel.

If they defend by rolling just roll with them and finish the submission.

Half guard to ashi-garami heel hook

Now for the other side here is a heel hook setup from bottom half guard. It starts from a knee shield, where you put the foot of your knee shield leg between the opponent’s legs.

For the next step you reach over with both arms and grab behind the opponent’s arm and knee. Use these grips to pull yourself into your opponent and rotate into ashi-garami.

From here you have your choice of an ankle lock, toe hold, or heel hook.

Backstep to heel hook

There’s a nice setup from when you fake a standing guard pass and do a back step for their heel. Take head control on your opponent and grab hold of their ankle with your other hand.

When you get these grips, you just step your lead leg between their legs and backstep with your back leg. Your back leg goes on the outside of their other leg.

For the last steps take your hand off their head and grip under the opponent’s knee. Then just slide in and take their heel.

Tips for doing the heel hook

When you go for a heel hook, your technique needs to be perfect. Any flaw in your technique and it won’t be likely that you’ll be able to get your submission. Remember these tips to make sure your heel hook is picture perfect.

• Turn Into The Heel: To get control of your opponent’s foot, you first have to fall back and turn into their heel. This is to establish control of their foot before you go for the heel hook. If you just grab their heel and turn, your grip will come off.
• Control The Top Of Their Foot: Before you hook around the opponent’s heel, you have to control the top of their foot. Use the back of your tricep/armpit to control their foot before getting your grip on their heel.
• Control Above The Knee: Just as important as your grip is your control of the opponent’s leg. To get any type of leglock, you need to establish control above the opponents knee. This will ensure a heel hook is possible.
• No Space: For the heel hook to work, you can’t have any open space. If there is free space this will give the opponent opportunity to escape.
• Use The Blade Of Your Wrist: The best way to hook the heel is by using the blade of your wrist. Using the blade of your wrist makes the heel hook as tight as possible with no open space.
• Have Your Hips Aligned: Keeps your hips aligned with your opponents in order to make the heel hook possible. When your hips aren’t aligned, there is space available for your opponent to escape.
• Bend Their Leg: To get any leglock outside of a kneebar, you have to bend the opponent’s knee and make an angle. The the angle needs to be around 90 degrees with your hips aligned with your opponent’s hips.

The guillotine choke seems pretty simple enough. You wrap your arm around an opponent’s neck, lock your hands, and strangle.

It’s simplicity is why it is a basic move that is taught to beginners when they’re first starting out. But not only is it seemingly simple to do, but it is also extremely effective. This is why it is a go to move for many grapplers.

You can get a guillotine from nearly every and there are numerous technique variations to learn. Get ready as we let you know everything about the guillotine choke. Below is a detailed history of the move, how to do it, details on various techniques, and tips.

When was the guillotine choke created?

Before Jiu Jitsu the guillotine choke was practiced in Judo and submission wrestling.  In Judo it is called mae hadaka jime that translates to front naked choke opposite the rear naked choke.

For amateur wrestling the guillotine is used more for control and pinning, but submission wrestling uses the choke frequently.

How does a guillotine choke work?

The guillotine gets its name, because it looks exactly as if you’re stuck in a guillotine. Although the choke administered in a guillotine, the choke is more like being hung with a noose.

It’s a basic blood choke, where you put pressure on the carotid arteries shutting off blood flow to the brain. Your hands wrap around the opponent’s neck, close your elbows and apply the pressure. 

There’s a variety of different guillotine chokes and they’re all really effective. If you do them right, the opponent has one a few seconds to submit or go to sleep.

Guillotine choke from guard

There’s only a few steps to do the guillotine choke from guard. First if your guard is closed, you’re going to need to open it to do the movements.

Then you sit up, loop one around around your opponent’s neck, and under their chin. Next bring your other hand towards your choke hand and work to get a grip.

For a basic guillotine, grab the wrist of your choke hand. After you establish a grip turn your arm clockwise bringing your elbow into your body to close space.

To finish the choke drop back, turn your hips at a slight angle, and hook a leg over their back. You angle your hips to get the most pressure on the choke and hook your leg to block their defense.

Guillotine from standing

The guillotine is so diverse that you can set it up and finish it all from standing. Your set up to get it will come from when you’re hand fighting with your opponent from standing.

Act like your going for another technique before going for the clinch. This will get them thinking about something else and forget to defend the clinch.

When they’re relaxed snatch their head with a clinch to break their posture. Use that clinch to pass their head under your other arm.

From here you can either get your grips and try to finish it standing or get them to the ground. You can get them to the ground by either dragging them down or jumping guard.

Guillotine from side control

There’s a few different guillotine choke setups from side control, but this is one of the best and easiest. It comes from when the opponent is in side control and attempts to escape.

What they try to do is turn on their side to elbow escape and try to recover guard. When they do this, their neck is exposed for just a moment.

You turn quickly and hook your arm around their neck and grab the wrist of your choke hand. As you go to squeeze, you’re going to drop your hip near the opponent’s head to get the maximum pressure.

Guillotine from mount

A guillotine is a great choice from mount and is very tight. Before you go for it remember to watch your base and keep your weight down.

The setup starts with you controlling the opponent’s head and arm. Cup their head bringing it off the mat and walk your hand under their arm to control it. When you walk your hand up to control the arm make sure you’re trapping the opponent’s elbow.

Instinctively, they are going to want to take their arm back. As they do this pass their head to your now free hand and hook under their neck. 

Set the grip, arch your back, and squeeze to get the submission.

Arm in guillotine

Arm in guillotines are also a great type of guillotine to know and they’re easy to get. One of the usual ways of getting an arm in guillotine is when an opponent tries to take you down. They are so focused on the takedown that they leave their head exposed.

As the opponent comes in to grab you take your grips. The arm that goes around the arm grabs the wrist of your choke hand just like a normal guillotine choke.

Now that you have your grips, there are 3 specific details to be successful at the arm in guillotine. First is to control their arm by pushing it close to their body with your arm. This prevents them from being able to defend.

The next two details are to bend their neck down and turn your lat into them. Doing these will insure the choke is tight as you fall back into guard and finish it.

High elbow guillotine

Probably one of the tightest guillotines and hardest to defend is the high elbow guillotine. This is the counter to a defense against a normal guillotine.

In a normal guillotine choke, the opponent can prevent you from locking your grip. With a high elbow guillotine you bypass the opponent’s defense by going over their arm.

As you’re controlling their head with one arm you bring the other arm between their shoulder and neck Bypassing their arm to get a really tight grip to finish the choke.

One arm guillotine

For most guillotine chokes you need two arms to perform the choke. But if your arm is deep enough and you stay tight a one arm guillotine is very possible and effective.

One of the most common places to hit the one arm guillotine is from mount. Luke Rockhold and Nate Diaz have hit this type of choke before in fights.

When you’re in mount base both hands out to one side of your opponent. Keep one arm there to block a reversal attempt as the other moves toward their neck.

As you hook your arm under the opponent’s neck loop it deep towards their arm before going around the neck.  At the same time you walk your other hand basing more towards the centerline.

Hook your arm under the opponent’s chin and place your hand on your chest to ensure it’s tight. Arch your back as you bend their neck and start the squeeze to get the submission.

Tips for doing a guillotine choke

As you read, there are a variety of different guillotine chokes, but details for the choke are about the same. Remember all of these tips if you want to have more success with your guillotine chokes.

• Arm Under The Chin: For any choke, your hand needs to be under the chin. Make sure to slide your hand under the chin to get a proper strangle on your opponent.
• Arm Over The Neck: Make sure your arm loops over the opponent’s neck. If you can see the back of their neck when you attempt the choke, there’s space for them to escape.
• Bend Their Neck: For every headlock choke you have to bend the opponent’s neck to get a proper strangle. When the opponent’s neck is straight it isn’t choking them and they can easily defend.
• Fall At An Angle: Don’t fall straight back when you lock your grip. Fall at an angle to make the choke tighter and have less chance of the opponent escaping. 
• Do A Side Crunch: To lock in the pressure remember to bring the elbow of your choke hand in and do a side crunch. This side crunch with bringing your elbow in closes space and locks in the pressure.
• Hook Your Leg Around Their Body: A common defense for the guillotine choke is jumping over to side control to take the pressure off. To avoid your opponent from doing this hook your leg around their body to keep them in place.
• Hand On Your Chest: When you go for the one armed guillotine make sure to place your hand on your chest. You can’t give up any space and you need to stay tight.