Loop Choke
Chain finish · Closed Guard
A gi blood choke: the collar loops around the neck and their own falling weight closes it. It comes when they tuck the chin against the cross collar choke and their head drives forward. Keep one collar grip shallow, at the collarbone and a little loose: the loop needs slack. Sit up and snap the head down, flare the gripping elbow up and bring it over the back of their neck while the free hand passes behind their head. Push the head down with the forearm, put a leg across their back so they cannot roll out, and roll to the side of the collar grip so their weight falls into the loop. If they pull the head back, attack the armbar from guard; if they posture up with hands on your hips, hit the hip bump sweep.
How to do it
- When they tuck the chin to defend the cross collar choke, keep one collar grip: not deep, at the level of their collarbone and a little loose.
- Sit up and snap their head down, so their posture breaks and the head drives forward.
- Flare the gripping elbow up to open a gap and bring that elbow over the back of their neck, passing the free hand behind their head.
- Push the head down with your forearm so the collar loops around the neck, and put a leg across their back so they cannot roll out.
- Roll to the side of the collar grip and let their weight fall into the loop and tighten it.
Key details
- The loop choke loves a head that drives forward: roll toward the grip and let their own weight close the loop.
- Grip at the collarbone, not deep: the loop needs slack for the head to go through.
- Sit up and snap the head down first: with their posture up there is no loop.
- Flare the gripping elbow up to open a gap, and pass the free hand behind their head.
- Before the finish put a leg across their back so they cannot roll out.
- Bring the gripping forearm across and up onto the side of the neck and flex the wrist: the pressure goes on the carotid, not the windpipe — on the windpipe it is weaker and can injure the partner.
Common mistakes
- Gripping too deep, by the ear. — The loop has no slack and the head cannot pass through it. — Take the grip lower, at the collarbone, and keep it a little loose.
- Pulling with the arms. — The arms tire and the loop stays loose. — Roll toward the grip so their own weight tightens it.
- Rolling the wrong way. — The loop opens and the collar slides off the neck. — Always roll toward the side of the collar grip.
How to drill it
The partner defends the cross choke by pushing forward; you switch to the loop and roll, 8 reps; then they choose when to push.
Safety
Roll slowly; with the partner’s weight on the neck the choke can close very fast.
What comes next
Where it comes from