Flying Triangle
Submission · Standing
A triangle locked in the air: a blood choke where your thigh closes one side of the neck and their own shoulder the other. It starts from a collar tie when you pull the head down and one of their arms ends up inside your arms, the other outside; jump as they move into you or react to the snap-down. The leg on the outside-arm side goes over the shoulder with the shin across the back of the neck, latching over the back to carry your weight; then the other leg comes up under the inside arm, you grab their leg so they cannot lift you, and the ankles cross as soon as you can. On the mat fix the figure-four, foot behind the other knee, adjust the angle and finish by pulling the head down and squeezing the knees. If they pull the inside arm out, switch to the flying armbar. Train only with partners you trust: a reflexive lift and drop is a real risk.
How to do it
- From a collar tie, pull their head down so one of their arms is inside your arms and the other outside. Get this picture before you jump, not during it.
- Jump as they move into you or react to the snap-down, still pulling the head, and put the leg on the outside-arm side over their shoulder and neck, shin across the back of the neck.
- Hook that top leg over their back so it carries your weight, then bring the other leg under their inside arm, the knee inside their elbow, and grab their leg so they cannot lift you; cross the ankles behind their neck as soon as you can.
- Pull the head down: they fall forward or you pull them to the mat. Post a safety hand as you land.
- On the ground fix the figure-four, the foot of the leg across the neck behind the knee of the other leg, adjust the angle and finish by pulling the head down and squeezing the knees.
Key details
- The one-arm-in, one-arm-out picture comes before the jump: the inside arm and the neck together are what the legs squeeze.
- Jump when they move into you or react to a snap-down, not from a dead stop, and pull the head as you jump so they bend, not stand tall.
- The top leg over the back carries your weight first; cross the ankles as soon as you can, post a safety hand as you land and fix the figure-four on the ground.
- Land in a triangle you can finish: adjust the angle on the ground.
- The shin goes across the back of the neck, not the throat: on the throat it is just pressure, across the neck it closes the choke.
Common mistakes
- Jumping with both arms outside. — It is only a headlock with the legs: no choke. — Get one arm inside before the jump.
- Jumping onto an upright opponent. — With a straight back he holds your weight and slams you or steps back. — Pull the head down first, then jump.
- Letting the legs open on landing. — The head slides out and they pass. — Lock the triangle in the air, ankles crossed.
- Trying to lock both feet at the same moment. — Nothing holds your weight while you look for the lock: you slide off and land on your back. — Latch the top leg over their back first, then bring the second leg up.
If they defend
- They posture up and hold you in the air. → Pull the head down and let your weight bring them down.
How to drill it
Triangle entries from closed guard with a kneeling partner, 10; then with the partner standing on crash mats, 5 each side.
Safety
Slams are banned, but a partner may still lift and drop you by reflex: train it only with partners you trust. Squeeze slowly; the choke comes on fast.
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