Guillotine Choke
Submission · Turtle
A front choke from the front headlock: one arm wraps the neck, the hands clasp, and you lift the chin while extending your hips. The moment is when he sprawls and keeps the head low. Slide the forearm under the chin with the blade of the wrist against the throat, wrist past the jaw, and pull the forearm tight to your chest. Fight for a high, tight elbow past his far shoulder: that is the carotid (blood) choke; a low elbow only compresses the windpipe and is easier to outlast. Finish with the hips, not the arms: standing, drive them forward; in guard, push his hips away with your legs. If he drives forward, pull guard with the neck; if he turns toward the arm, switch to the D'Arce. It can crank the neck: squeeze gradually.
How to do it
- From the front headlock, wrap your arm around their neck and slide the forearm under the chin, the blade of your wrist against the throat, deep enough that the wrist is past the jaw.
- Clasp your hands and pull the choking forearm tight to your own chest, so their head is trapped under your armpit.
- Fight to bring your choking elbow high and past their far shoulder: the arm then wraps the side of the neck for a blood choke instead of pressing only the windpipe.
- Stand up if they stay low; if they drive forward into you, sit to guard with the neck and close your legs around their waist.
- Finish by extending your hips while lifting the chin: standing, drive the hips forward; in guard, push their hips away with your legs. The arms only hold the grip.
Key details
- The blade of the wrist goes under the chin: a narrow edge cuts into the neck, a flat forearm only pushes the head.
- Finish by extending the hips, not pulling with the arms: the hips are stronger and the arms stay fresh to hold the grip.
- High elbow past the far shoulder: it chokes the carotids; a low elbow only compresses the windpipe and is easier to outlast.
- Pull guard with the neck if they drive forward: their drive lands them in your guard instead of on top of you.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the head with the arms only. — The arms are weaker than the hips and tire quickly. — Extend your hips to finish while the arms hold the grip.
- The arm is too shallow, the wrist on the jaw. — A shallow arm squeezes the jaw instead of the neck. — Reach deep under the chin until the wrist is past the jaw.
- Staying on the knees while they drive in. — They land their weight on you, flatten you and escape the choke. — Sit to guard with the neck and close the legs around their waist.
- Sitting to guard without closing the legs or blocking his side. — He walks his body around past your legs to the far side; with his body on the other side of his head the choke is gone. — Close your guard as you sit, or put a hook in to stop him walking around.
How to drill it
Front headlock guillotine, 10 reps; then the partner drives forward and you pull guard.
Safety
Can crank the neck: squeeze gradually.
What comes next
Where it comes from