Guillotine Choke
Submission · Butterfly Guard
A blood choke on both carotids with one arm wrapped around his neck, done from butterfly guard. It is there when he drives forward and keeps his head low. Wrap the neck with the bony edge of your wrist under his chin, the wrist reaching past his far jaw, and clasp your hands. Rest the wrapping elbow high on his trapezius so the pressure lands on the sides of the neck, not the windpipe. Fall back onto your side, not flat, and lift with your hooks: they raise his hips, so his neck stretches toward you. Finish by curling your knees toward your chest rather than leaning further back. Without the hooks he simply lands on you. If he hides the chin, switch to the arm drag to the back. Squeeze slowly and stop at the tap.
How to do it
- When their head comes down, wrap the neck with one arm, the bony edge of your wrist under the chin and the wrist reaching past the far jaw.
- Clasp the hands and keep the wrapping elbow high and tight, resting up on their trapezius, so the choke is on the carotids, not the windpipe.
- Fall back onto your side, not flat on your back, and lift with the hooks: the hooks raise their hips so the neck stretches toward you.
- Pull the elbow down to finish, finishing with the body rather than the arms: curl your knees in toward your chest instead of leaning further back.
Key details
- The hooks lift their hips so the neck stretches; without them they land on you.
- Choke with the bony edge of the wrist under the chin, not the fleshy forearm.
- Grip both elbows near the triceps and lift with the hooks: they extend the neck and arms, setting up the wrap.
- From a collar tie, shrimp back and pull the head under your armpit.
- If they drive the head to the mat, sweep with a hook and finish from mount.
- Do not bicep-curl the neck. Pull their head up past your ribs so your elbow goes deeper and your hands come high on your chest, then close the elbow and shoulder down and curl up.
- Throw a leg over their back to the far hip, or close the guard, so they cannot roll or front-flip out of the choke.
Common mistakes
- Falling back with no hooks. — Nothing holds their hips, so they land on you and pass. — Keep the hooks active or close the guard.
- The arm is too shallow. — A shallow arm presses the jaw, which hurts but does not choke. — Reach until the wrist is past the far jaw.
- Pulling with the arms only. — The arms tire and the neck stays safe. — Fall to your side, lift with the hooks and crunch your knees in, so the whole body works.
If they defend
- They walk around the arm. → Follow with the hips so the angle stays with you.
How to drill it
Butterfly: the partner drops the head, you catch and fall to your side, 10 reps; finish only on the last 3.
Safety
Squeeze slowly, stop at the tap.
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