Unorthodox Gi Chokes From Every BJJ Position

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi is a mighty weapon for those that understand it as such. The Gi is a medium that allows a grappler to obtain dominant control over another grappler. In order to achieve this control, one must know how to correctly position their grips. Not all surfaces of the Gi are equally efficient in terms of gripping efficacy. The sleeves (at their ends and behind the elbows) and collars (between collarbone and neck) are the two favorite spots. Closely behind are bottom-of-the-pants grips. Every once in awhile, gripping the belt also helps in controlling an opponent. However, the Gi is not just a tool for control, it is also a powerful tool for submitting. While armlocks and leglocks with the Gi are a scarce and low percentage, Gi chokes are a huge category of submissions that all grapplers need to have at their disposal.

Gi chokes have been around since the inception of BJJ. They’re not uncommon in other grappling martial arts that utilize the Gi too. Some of the Gi chokes used in BJJ today have deep Judo origins. Some of them are still in active use in Judo competitions today. Gi chokes come in all varieties and work at all levels of the Gentle Art. They can be done with virtually every part of the Gi and are extremely tight, due to the material Gis are made of. Wrapping a lapel around someone’s neck is a foolproof way of getting a tap.

Gi Chokes Explained

Lapel chokes (and all Gi chokes for that matter) are effective on even the best martial artists. However, most newcomers to the world of Brazilian BJJ often perform Gi chokes using the incorrect technique.

For example, If you have a shallow grip on your opponent ’s lapels, you should not try to pull on their them. This will most likely not work and it will use up your grip strength, leaving you vulnerable to counterattacks. A better method is to get just one hand deep into your opponent’s collar. Look to grab the Gi material on the back of their neck. If you do this, the sharp part of your forearm and wrist will be on the neck of your opponent and you’ll be in a great position to cut off his circulation.

When it comes to using a lapel choke, the tighter your hands are and the deeper the grip, the better. If both of your grips are shallow, you will be unable to do much to your opponent. If both grips are deep, though, you have a great chance of finishing the choke and the match.

Gi Chokes From Side Control:

Attacking with Gi chokes can be done from virtually anywhere. There are a few positions, although, that offer the best advantage. From these few select positions, it doesn’t take much time to sneak a lapel through and set up a tight choke. Furthermore, you’re not limited to using only your opponent’s lapel. When in the correct position, you can easily alternate between your own lapel and that of your opponent, confusing them as to what your next move might be.

Side control is one of the top positions for hunting gi chokes. What many people fail to comprehend at the beginning is that side control is an extremely volatile and active position. In side-control, you need to be able to switch between a number of positions, from Kesa Gatame to North-South in order to control your opponent. All these transitions open up plentiful opportunities to finish the match with a Gi choke.

The Baseball Choke

When your opponent sets up their frames from the bottom of side control, use the newly created space to free their far-side lapel. Pass the lapel to the cross face hand and transfer your weight to knee on belly. From there, you grab the lapel with your front side hand and slide your hands together. Switchback your hips and circle to apply the baseball choke. This is a great high percentage set up, but the finish is a bit difficult to get. Well, at least until you get the hang of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIprvyBWLus

The Brabo Choke

This choke is especially useful when your opponent defends the baseball choke. The set up starts from the top side control. You then pass your opponent’s far side lapel under their far side arm and grab with the near side hand. Then, like with the baseball choke, you switch grips. This time, however, your opponent defends the baseball choke by pushing up. You then grab your opponents posting hand and pull it across to secure the choke. You can either finish with a one-handed Brabo or you can re-secure the baseball choke. Both the setup and the finish are a high percentage. You can even fake the baseball choke just to get your opponent to post and sink in the Brabo.

The Punch Choke

The first step is to isolate and secure the opponent’s near side arm. Next, you take their near side lapel and “punch” it across their body through to the hand you have under the neck. For this choke, your opponent manages to get their hand trapped when defending the punch-through. So, you go to knee on their belly and push forward so that they are facing away from you a bit. Then, with your opponent’s head and shoulders elevated, take your free hand and push your first into their neck. To finish, you need to pull their lapel with your other hand.

The Samurai Choke

Start in top side control. Your opponent is keeping their arms in very tight. So, you pass the far side lapel over (rather than under) their far side arm and grab it with the hand you have under the neck. Get a good grip and with your free hand, keep your opponent’s trapped arm attached to his side. Having secured your opponent’s far side arm, you are going to use your hips and legs to isolate their near side arm as well. With both arms secured, you go to knee-on-belly while posting your front foot by their head. Now, you can apply the samurai choke. Since both their arms are trapped, your opponent can’t defend. This is one of the highest percentage Gi chokes you can pull off.

A Lapel-Choking Game From The Back

Back control is the traditional choking position in BJJ. The Rear Naked Choke is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classic and is the first attack you think of from the back. There are, however, numerous other attacking options in terms of choking. And, a lot of them include the use of the Gi. So without further ado, let’s take a look at some classical and some unorthodox Gi choke options from the back.

Bow And Arrow Choke

Starting off with the classics, there’s nothing that screams Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu more than the bow and arrow choke. From seatbelt and hooks back control you first look to thread your arm inside the opponent’s lapel. The deep the better. You need to look to keep the elbow of the choking arm back sot hat there’s constant pressure. In order to get into finishing position, you need to tilt the opponent completely to the choking side. This is going to allow you to pull your bottom leg out and get into a chair-sit position. From there you grab the opponent’s pants with your free arm and sit back. Before you think about finishing you need to get your bottom leg over their shoulder, so that you kill all defensive grips they might have. From there on just spread your opponent like firing a bow and you get an instant tap.

Chilean Necktie

This is a quite unexpected one. Set up from back control with seatbelt grip. You pass your own Gi under the opponent’s arm and to the hand, you have over your their other shoulder. You then fall to the same side where you’ve passed your lapel under your opponent’s arm. Finally, use your leg to apply pressure to the opponent’s neck while pulling grip tight.

The Murder Choke

Set up from back control when the opponent is doing a good job of defending his neck. You sneak your own lapel over your opponent’s shoulder and pass it to the hand you have across their neck. You then thread your own arm through the grip and grab your opposite bicep. To finish you fall to the side you have the lapel grip and slide your hand down to your other hand. This is a really sneaky and high percentage choke. The key is not letting your opponent see what you’re doing when you make the first lapel pass.

Attacking The Turtle:

The turtle is an old extremely defensive position that comes from Judo. There’s really not much you can do against an opponent that knows how to defend from the turtle position. However, if you know the basic concepts of creating openings, even the smallest space can help you go for undefendable Gi chokes.

The Gerbi Choke

This one is similar to the Chilean necktie except you set it up from top turtle position. It’s helpful if you thread your arm from outside in and secure you opponent’s cross side lapel. Then you simply pass your own Gi over the top and switch grips from the opponent’s lapel to your own. Then, much like the Chilean necktie, you use your own leg to pressure the back of opponent’s head/neck while pulling grip tight. This is a high percentage choke with a really sneaky setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRGRfscQNa8

The Rolling Choke

ThIn some sense, the set up here is like a reverse Gerbi. To start, you pass your own backside lapel under your opponent’s arm and secure it with your free far side hand. this, in turn, goes over your opponent’s far side shoulder to secure the grip underneath. Once you’ve secured the grip with your far side hand, you use your free hand to underhook your opponent’s near side arm. Then, your roll under your opponent on the near side. Once you land, you slide the free hand down to their neck for the finish.

When we talk about unorthodox chokes there’s probably the best instructional out there by Travis Stevens. Named, Chokes By Travis Stevens. It’s showing chokes as you probably never seen them before. It’s a mix of Judo and BJJ chokes and there is no better guy to show it than Travis Stevens is.

Travis Stevens is John Danaher’s Black Belt and Olympic Judoka, 2x Us Olympian in Judo and also BJJ 2x Copa Podio Finalist. In this Instructional he’s showing his best chokes and also the most common places that people get stuck in. It’s one of the easiest Instructionals to follow and It’s a very quick way to improve your BJJ choking game.

Check out this Instructional and the list of techniques here: “CHOKES” BY TRAVIS STEVENS

How To Develop Crushing Grip Strength For BJJ

https://bjj-world.com/killer-ezekiel-choke-details/

The Easiest North South Choke Setup

A Few Very Nasty Submissions From Side Control

Stop Blaming Your Defeats On The Jiu-Jitsu Referee

BJJ World

People competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are never short of a way in which to win a match. Of course, the most sought after the manner of victory is via submission. Nothing makes you feel better than making your opponent give up completely. In most competition formats there is also a point system included. This point system comes into play in the event that no submission attempt ends up successfully. Furthermore, in the majority of tournaments, there’s the highly controversial advantage system that accounts for successful attempts and activity. Finally, there’s the referee’s decision, the final manner of concluding who won a match. And this is the main source of hatred that a Jiu-jitsu referee experiences at every tournament.

Being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu referee is no easy task. To begin with, you are solely responsible for the well-being of the athletes companioning under your supervision. Next, you’re required to pay close attention to every little detail happening. During the match you’re also tasked with awarding points, deducting them, awarding negative points and or warnings and stopping and restarting the match. At an IBJJF tournament, a referee is going to have an upwards of 60 matches like this during the day. Imagine the level of focus required. It is no wonder that they sometimes make mistakes. but the fact is that the Jiu-jitsu referee is not the reason someone lost as often as people might think.

How referees Can Save Careers: https://bjj-world.com/guy-refuses-tap-getting-injured-referee-saves-damage/

What Is a Referee’s Decision?

The most common phrase heard after a grappling tournament is usually not “great job,” “congratulations,” or “awesome performance.” Unfortunately, it was not any form of encouragement whatsoever. The most-used phrase is “the referee got it wrong again.” But the question is, did you really get robbed? Or was it just a really close match that could have gone either way?

It is called a “referee decision” for a reason – because it is subjective. A Jiu-Jitsu Referee can choose a winner based on, but not limited to, your takedown style, your submission attacks, your position control, your aggressiveness, or your strategic performance.

This does not mean that the referee has to choose the athlete who was most aggressive or the athlete who attacked for the most submissions. Referees do not have to choose the athlete who controlled the majority of the match. Neither do they have to choose the athlete who ended the match with a balls-deep triangle locked and loaded just as time expires.

The point is, if the score is tied, it is no one’s fault except the athletes’ for forcing the referee to choose a winner and a loser.

Don’t Blame It On The Jiu-Jitsu Referee

The problem with the over usage of the word “robbery” is that if an actual robbery was to occur, the statement carries no weight. In all fairness, there probably were some legitimate robberies that have occurred over the years at various tournaments.

No one Jiu-Jitsu referee is perfect. But when someone is telling a story about how referees robbed them of victory because of points or advantages, it’s best to stop listening. The smartest thing to do is to get as further as possible from the conversation. Is that rude? Maybe. But the fact is that your perceived robbery is in the past. It doesn’t matter anymore. Leave the past behind you, learn from it, and move on.

In many of the cases, people are actually mistaking “a wrong decision” for inconsistency. In the case of a robbery, the meaning is to take something from someone while knowing that what you are doing is wrong. What takes place more often, in reality, is the inconsistent application of the rules based on the referees’ interpretation.

For example, in 2013, Ary Farias lost his black belt world title just seconds after the finals match ended due to a penalty for stepping outside of the competition mat area as he celebrated his victory. This match has been infamously referred to as a “robbery.” As much as it might seem wrong, the penalty was correctly given based on the way the rules are written. The IBJJF has made the match unavailable on YouTube since. However, many grapplers often step outside of the competition mat area without receiving a penalty. It is hard to say that it was a wrong decision when ta referee just follows the rulebook. The problem is inconsistent rule enforcement, not a mistake per say.

Understanding The System

This may sound stupid and cliché, but Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art. And like all art, it is up for interpretation. That is the very nature of art. Everyone can look at a painting or sculpture and describe what he or she sees, and surely no one will see the same thing. Jiu-jitsu is art that is in motion. Surely everyone will see individual performances differently.

At the end of the day if the athletes were unable to, at a minimum, secure a solid positional advancement and consequently the match ends in a tie score, then the athlete has no room to argue that he or she “should have” won. And by solid position, we’re talking about one from which the athlete has complete control. That means that they can literally look up at the referee and watch him or her award undeniable points. If you cannot take your opponents down and keep them down, or pass their guards and control them for five to 10 seconds, then you don’t deserve points. It’s as simple as that.

The Advantages Controversy

Another important point to remember is that advantages are not points. They are nothing. They are meager little assistants that help determine tied matches. It seems ridiculous to try and rely on an advantage to win a match. So, if you don’t get the win because you were trying to game the advantage system, that’s your own fault for not securing the position. If you let the match go the referee decision, then you should just plan on losing, because you certainly did not do enough to deserve a win.

There is nothing awesome about squeaking out a win by an advantage. Advantages are helpful because they act as a form of transparency for decision making in the event of a tie. They keep the coaches and athletes informed and motivated to push the pace. When the score is tied but one athlete is being more aggressive they, therefore, get a victory by advantages.

The problem is that athletes have begun relying on advantages to win when they can’t actually do anything of significance to their opponents. The reality is that if you did not outscore or submit your opponent, then you didn’t deserve to win. Don’t complain about the system like you are a victim. And certainly, do not blame it on the Jiu-jitsu referee. Take your loss like an adult and work to improve yourself. Stop whining about how the referees get it wrong all the time. You’ll only progress if you know how to move on.

REVIEW: Tom DeBlass DVD: High Tech BJJ In The Gi

BJJ World

Ladies and gentlemen, he is back! Not only is he back but he is back with a GI! People’s favorite coach, Tom DeBlass certainly knows how to keep his fans happy. The New Jersey-based Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt doesn’t sit still. He is enormously active on social media, runs a Jiu-Jitsu Academy and manages to corner and train the Ryan brothers and Gary Tonon at every opportunity. Yet, the 35-year old still manages to find the time to issue DVD instructionals on a regular basis. This time around, though, it is a whole different Tom DeBlass DVD. This time, it is a highly technical Gi instructional.

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Tom DeBlass High Tech BJJ in The Gi COMBO (DVD+DIGITAL)

So far all Tom DeBlass DVD instructionals have been No-Gi ones. Seriously, even in his “Ripped In 12 Weeks” DVD, he doesn’t wear a Gi. Although many people might make him out to be a No-Gi guy, he most certainly is not. He is a highly accomplished Gi practitioner and instructor. Actually, he is the guy that gave both Gordon Ryan and Gary Tonnon their black belts in the Gi. He goes over to train with the Danaher Death Squad at Renzo Gracie’s academy on a regular basis.

Previous Tom DeBlass DVD Releases

Who wouldn’t want to train with Tom DeBlass? I mean, really, the guy is arguably the most famous Jiu-Jitsu coach in the world today, bar John Danaher. He is also a very active competitor in every competition format available. If you take into account his MMA background a well, you have as well rounded a coach as you can imagine. Well, learning in the flesh means that you need to be able to visit the Ocean County BJJ Academy. The next best thing is booking him for a seminar, but that’s unlikely as he is booked more than 2 years in advance. Thankfully, he is as active in releasing DVD instructionals as he is in all other areas of grappling.

On a couple of previous occasions, DeBlass issued digital releases on various subjects. His trademark position is the half guard, so it is not surprising that he recorded a release on that. The Half Domination Tom DeBlass DVD is probably the most complete No-Gi half guard instructional you can get. Across 4 volumes Tom shares his comprehensive expertise on the position, sparing no details on groundbreaking techniques.

Staying the No-Gi course, DeBlass’ next release was a submission-related one. However, it’s not a submission hunting DVD, but rather an escape blueprint. DeBlass has not been submitted in the last decade, if not longer. Now, he brings all his Submission Escapes in a well organized digital release.

If you’re looking to complete a Tom DeBlass DVD collection, the only missing piece is his intermittent fasting release. In it, you get a complete guide on healthy eating, weight cutting and strength and conditioning for grappling martial arts. A DVD well worth your while.

High Tech BJJ In The Gi DVD

Now, the collection has grown by one more release. DeBlass just released the latest title and surprised most of us by showing up in a Gi in front of the camera. What you can expect is a high level of Jiu-Jitsu presented in Tom’s unique style. His larger than life personality is as apparent as always, finely complementing his immense technical knowledge. Once again, it is 4 DVD volumes lasting in excess of 1 hour per DVD.

ON SALE:
Tom DeBlass High Tech BJJ in The Gi COMBO (DVD+DIGITAL)

Volume 1

It all starts with passing the guard. If you’ve ever trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the Gi, you know how hard it could be to pass the guard. There are countless guard variations that employ the Gi to great effect. Tom DeBlass addresses all of the situations in which you might find yourself when passing a Gi based guard player.

First on the plate is a concept for passing the De La Riva Guard. For the impatient submission hunters there’s a really tight toe hold available that’s going to become your go-to move instantly. Moreover, there are great never-before-seen passing variations for one of the most annoying Gi guards in Jiu-Jitsu – the spider guard. It is actually a mini-seminar on spider guard passing. Oh, and he also demonstrates the Sao Paolo pass. If you have no idea what it is, it is only the best-closed guard passing system available.

Volume 2

In the second volume, passing continues, addressing the butterfly guard. This dynamic guard variation can be a true nuisance in Gi Jiu-Jitsu due to grips on the lapels. DeBlass offers options to pass the bodylock, z-guard, and half guard as well.

Once done with passing, it is all about how to get the back. Marcelo Garcia’s signature crucifix is one of the first subjects Tom addresses in this DVD. He then moves on to the mechanics of rolling back takes. After demonstrating how to become a human backpack, he doubles back to passing. This time though, instead of techniques he offers a complete chain of passing along with appropriate tactics for certain situations. This, for me, was the true masterpiece of this volume.

Volume 3

The last two volumes are dedicated to playing the bottom Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game. Of course, Tom’s signature half guard is the starting point. he is as well versed in this position in the Gi as he is without it. The sweeps he uses to open the bottom game chapter are effective, easy and unexpected.

Going forward, Tom transitions into X guard territory. This remains the subject of the disc for a while, with a few easily connectable techniques presented by DeBlass. After the X guard, it’s all about my personal favorite half guard variation – the butterfly half. I must admit, I found a few brand new things to do from this hybrid guard position. Some Gi specific work rounds off the volume, mainly regarding the lasso guard.

Volume 4

The final DVD in this set is a counter-attacking one, again, from the bottom. Some shin-on-shin guard fundamentals kick the volume off. Then, it is all about lapel drags to plant your opponent flat on the ground. I also loved the kneebar setup against a standing closed guard pass.

The real cherry on the cake is the end itself. Tom goes into a long-winded elaboration of his principles of grappling. He also shares his competition mindset, outlining the most important concepts. DeBlass is regarded as one of the JIu-JItsu people with a deeply philosophical approach, so every advice he shares is worth his weight in gold. Get the DVD to complete your collection and become a Jiu-JItsu beast like DeBlass himself!

ON SALE:
Tom DeBlass High Tech BJJ in The Gi COMBO (DVD+DIGITAL)

How To Develop Crushing Grip Strength For BJJ

BJJ World

BJJ is an athletically unique discipline. A very common complaint among new students is feeling fatigued in muscles they didn’t know they have. The fact that BJJ takes place on the ground for 90% of the time is enough to guess that you’ll need a different type of strength than that required to lift weights, for example. First, you’ll discover that your body has stabilizing muscles apart from the pushing and pulling muscles. They’re going to take some time to get used to the new movement patterns you expose your body to. Next, and much more important, is the realization that your arms have more than just deltoid, biceps, and triceps muscles. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is going to make your forearms burn like never before. Only after your first class in Gi, you’ll realize how important grip strength is. And you’ll also realize how much you lack in this department.

There is not much you can’t do in most grappling martial arts if you have a strong grip. This holds especially true for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, even knowing this, many BJJ athletes choose to focus their training more on other things. When training strength and conditioning for grappling people tend to train for overall instead of specific strength. While this type of training has its place, completely ignoring their grips is a big mistake. Grip strength can be the difference between winning and losing a match. Anyone who has ever comped knows how “dead” your arms can feel in between fights. Why would you ignore the, arguably, most important body part for grappling when training to be better in grappling?

The Importance Of Grip Strength In Gi BJJ

Why do you need grip strength in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? This is an easy one. If you have a strong grip, you’ll find that you can basically ‘ragdoll’ your opponent around the mat. Having such dominance makes getting a submission hold or a sweep a fairly easy task. The most beautiful thing is that there is not much they can do about it.

Now, this is an overgeneralization of why we need strong grips, but it is a real one. Let’s look at BJJ as the art of controlling another human being. This has been my favorite depiction of the Gentle Art for a while now. Whenever we look to control something, we need to have mechanical leverage over it. When you drive the car, the steering wheel, along with an elaborate system of levers, allows you to control the direction of the vehicle. In today’s modern vehicles this is an effortless task. Take an old truck though, and you’ll soon discover that it takes huge forearm strength to control the stirring wheel.

It is pretty much the same in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Gi provides indirect control over the most important levers of the body. Those are the legs, arms, and head. All of them are much more easily controlled by way of proxy, which is the Gi. However, in order to control the Gi, you need to be able to grasp it tightly and maintain the grip as long as possible. To do so, you need to have forearms capable of the task. In short, stronger grips translate to stronger control.

Grip Strength For No-Gi Grappling

All those that think grips only matter when training in a Gi, is severely mistaking. Actually, it takes way more effort to hold someone when rolling in No-Gi. The slippery surface of the skin on the neck, arms, and legs means there’s way less traction. Without a Gi to help you, you need direct control over levers that are difficult to hold on to. Grip strength is a huge factor here, often underestimated by grapplers.

Imagine a front headlock scenario. Let’s say that you have an s-grip on your opponent, with one of their arms trapped. How long are you going to be able to hold on to the grip? What if your opponent starts tugging on your arms? From a position like the front headlock, body positioning and your grips are the only things keeping you in control. Whether you look to transition to another position, toss them to their side, or go for a choke, you’ll need to maintain, or change, your grip.

Grip-fighting from back control is another instance of grip strength importance. Granted, grip fighting is primarily a strategic and tactical en devour, but what happens once you sneak an arm through? An often seen scenario is having an arm around the neck, but now the opponent is holding your free arm with both of his. That first arm needs to stay in place while you win the grip fight and get the second arm in for a figure four. Again, as technical as it may be, it all comes down to grip strength.

Best Methods For Training Grip Strength for BJJ

Free Hanging
Pulling Strength
Rope Climbs

The muscles that control the motion of our fingers are primarily situated in the forearms. Unlike hamstrings or back muscles, these are thin muscles that fatigue quite easily. The good news is that they can be trained to be stronger and last longer. However, there are specific methods that need to be applied for maximum success. Squeezing on grippers all day long won’t do much for grip strength that translates to grappling. Things like climbing ropes, on the other hand, are going to do wonders. This is mainly due to the fact that we use grips along with other muscle groups when rolling, as opposed to isolating them.

Free Hanging

For this, all you need is a vertical bar suspended between two walls or horizontal bars. Jump up and grab the bar with both of your hands and just hang there for 60+ seconds. Sound easy? Trust me it isn’t. By 30-40 seconds, your hands will be burning. However, if you manage to keep hanging, you’ll eventually build an iron grip your opponent can’t get out of. Wanna go even further? Trow a Gi top over the bar and hang by holding the collars. Once you master the collars, start holding the sleeves above the elbow. For true mastery, go for the bottom of the sleeve grips.

What you gain by this is an isometric strength. The more you keep a muscle under tension, the more resistant it will get to fatigue. You have to be careful to start easy and build yourself up. there’s a huge difference between the positive adaptation of specific muscles due to training and burning a body part out. If you can’t hold on to a grip in class the day after then you need to scale it down. Just take it easy and progress is sure to follow.

Pulling Strength

This is another great way to boost the strength of your grips. The primary idea of pulling is not so much to build grip strength, but other parts of your body. That said, exercises like rows, deadlifts and pull-ups are still very useful for the grips. Do you think you’re an experienced lifter? Wrap a couple of towels around the bar and let’s see how much you can deadlift.

What you get from this type of training is to teach your muscles to work in coordination. Have you ever noticed the wraps that powerlifters use when they deadlift insane amounts? Well, those are there to aid their grip, since grip strength is the limiting factor for the deadlift. Because you can’t use such aids in BJJ, you’ll need to load your deadlift appropriate to your grip strength. The towel method is very specific for grappling that is insanely effective. Give it a try next time you hit the iron. You can also use the same approach with pull-ups, and even add weight if it’s too easy.

The One Grip Exercise To Rule Them All – Rope Climbs

Rope climbing is one of the best ways to get a really strong grappling grip. The basic high-school PE class method of using your feet in climbing is great to start with. Alternatively, what you can also do is just hold the rope with your hands. Whatever you choose will greatly improve your grip for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. With rope climbing, you get both dynamic and static training of the muscles, while the rest of your body gets a workout as well.

There are, of course, other ways to improve your grip strength, such as rock climbing for example. There are also some other “specific” tools that you can find all over the Internet. If you really want to have Rodolfo Vieira grip strength though, stick to what we recommend above. These are all classic methods that have been proven to work. Just keep in mind to take things slow and methodical.

How To Train Outside Of Jiu-Jitsu To Get In Fighting Shape

BJJ World

The moment you enter a Brazilian Jiu-JItsu academy you’re going to realize how out of shape you are. I don’t care if you can run Spartan races in record time or swim for miles. Once you attempt grappling you’ll be in a whole new world of movement. As such, only grappling is going to get you in fighting shape for grappling. However, if you’ve never trained grappling before, there are certain athletic disciplines that can help you improve your conditioning. Keep in mind, though that Jiu-Jitsu legend Marcelo Garcia had it right all along. the only way to get in top Jiu-Jitsu fighting shape is to do Jiu-Jitsu.

One thing that is always helpful is cross training in other grappling martial arts. Different arts require different body parts and energy systems that are helpful to Jiu-Jitsu training. Also, it is not just about having the cardio to endure rolling. For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu you need flexibility, strength, mobility, agility, power… The list just goes on. All of these athletic capabilities can be developed, but it takes time to devote attention to each one separately. Luckily, in order to obtain top fighting shape for grappling, there are some disciplines that provide the best bang for your buck.

Grappling Specific Cross-Training

Cross-training in other grappling martial arts, such as Judo, Wrestling, Sambo, Luta Livre or Catch-Wrestling to name just a few, will directly impact and improve your Jiu-Jitsu. Even the greatest grapplers often choose to cross train for added benefits. For example, Roger Gracie trained Judo at London’s mythical Judo dojo “The Budokwai”. He also trains wrestling on a weekly basis. Some of the Gracies (Rolls, Rickson, Igor, Rolles, and Gregor) have quite a long love affair with Olympic wrestling. The Ribeiro brothers, on the other hand, have long been training with Judo star Flavio Canto. In turn, they’ve helped Canto perfect his ground fighting skills.

The main emphasis in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the ground game. That’s why some gyms, especially those competition oriented ones, don’t put enough emphasis on the stand-up portion. Some judo or wrestling training will open your eyes to a different aspect of grappling. And not only in a technical manner. Yes, you’ll learn how to throw somebody and instantly apply an armbar in Judo. But, you’ll also get a real forearm battering due to the grips and looser design of the Gi. Judokas are also notorious for their strength, which is a direct byproduct of training modalities. Do Judo. Become better at Jiu-Jitsu. Easy, right?

Sambo, on the other hand, is great for including a nasty leg lock or two in your game. Catch wrestling and Luta-livre offer a variety of cranks and heel hooks that you may never learn in Jiu-Jitsu because they are illegal. What you can take away from wrestling in a conditioning sense is drilling. Wrestlers are in amazing fighting shape, with matches every weekend during the season. Their philosophy of constant drilling is the backbone of their shape.

Getting In Fighting Shape For Jiu-Jitsu

Apart from other grappling martial arts, which bring the added benefit of increased technical prowess, some athletic disciplines are just tailor-made to complement Jiu-Jitsu training. If you’re short on time you can always go for the Marcel oaapproachWhen you go for a roll, find a willing partner and go 10 0%. That’s a 100 % effort, not mindless cranking on arms or legs. The idea is that 5 minutes can look and feel very differently in Jiu-Jitsu. You can take things slow and steady, or put in some cardio work along with the technical stuff.

For those that like doing athletic “homework” to get in fighting shape, here are your top options:

Free Movement For A Huge Gas Tank

If you train Jiu-Jitsu, then you have most probably heard of or have seen some videos of your favorite fighters training natural movement. But how can you define this type of workout? Connor McGreggor’s movement coach, Ido Portal calls this natural movement. In a more Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu friendly context, there’s Ginastica Natural.

Ginastica Natural is a complete bodyweight training method that develops physical qualities like strength, power, endurance, mobility, durability, balance, flexibility, coordination. Some of the benefits include increased muscle tone, weight-loss, and core stability. Ginastica Natural is also heavy on breathing techniques, providing the practitioner with great progress in both mental and motor control.

Ginastica Natural was developed in the heart of Brazil, 25 years ago by fitness trainer and black belt Alvaro Romano. Romano adapted ancient techniques, modern and natural in a completely unique manner. Master Romano has been around the Gracie family for years and his training techniques have been used widely by the Jiu-Jitsu community. Some famous practitioners of Ginastica Natural include Rickson Gracie, Saulo, and Xande Ribeiro, Vitor Belfort, Georges St Pierre, Anderson Silva, Minotauro, Roger Gracie etc…

The movements of Ginastica very closely resemble those of Jiu-Jitsu, and as such create familiar motor patterns. You won’t really get used to technical standups while running. However, integrating them into a free-flowing routine along with bodyweight moves, you get a great workout while getting in specific fighting shape.

Limber Up With Yoga

Yoga is a great complement to Jiu-Jitsu since it stretches your muscle fibers giving you much more flexibility. This will automatically translate into fewer injuries. The benefits are so many that it leaves no doubts why many top athletes choose to use it as a tool in their arsenal.

Apart from preventing injuries, which is already a great plus, it will also help you strengthen your joints. It also helps you concentrate more on your breathing patterns. This really helps to keep you calm during a fight a. Yoga also helps in avoiding losing positions often, since some kinds of Yoga will work on your isometric strength a lot. Once more, we can mention the name of Rickson Gracie, who used Yoga and breathing exercises to complement his training routine.

Some of the major benefits of doing Yoga for Jiu-Jitsu include fewer injuries, better breathing, and increased flexibility. You also get a stronger core, smoother movements, energy conservation and improved balance. Perfect for grapplers.

Incorporating Gymnastic Strength Training Into Your Routine: https://bjj-world.com/use-gymnastics-to-become-strong/

Surfs Up

It’s already well known that many Jiu-Jitsu practitioners also surf. Grappling legends from Rickson Gracie to Marcus “Buchecha” have been known to enjoy the waves. Even major apparel brands like RVCA and Red Nose are connected to both sports. The reason isn’t only because Jiu-Jitsu actually started and got greatly developed in Rio. It is also because surfing demands a lot from both the body and mind. You need to have very good physical attributes and balance. You also need that special instinct that tells you where to go and what to do while surfing a massive and dangerous wave. It is exactly the same as during a tough Jiu-Jitsu fight.

Surf and Jiu-Jitsu have a lot in common as both are a lifestyle. Many surfers train Jiu-Jitsu. Some of the most famous ones are Joel Tudor (a Jiu-Jitsu black belt) and the Michael Jordan of Surfing: Kelly Slater.

Lifting Weights

This is a no-brainer and most of us probably already do some kind of strength and conditioning training. This is actually a very broad term because different forms of weight training can vary drastically. Some might go for a powerlifting style of training, focusing more on pure strength. Others might choose a cross-training approach more connected to conditioning and explosive strength, making the options almost infinite. Weight training can also help with rehab prior to returning to training after an injury.

To get into top fighting shape, you can also include running into your conditioning plan. However, for most grappling-related benefits ditch the slow and long duration work. Instead, go for sprints or HIIT intervals. That way, you’ll both be done faster and increase your gas tank fast!

The Leg Lasso Guard – A Masterclass On Playing And Passing

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The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guard is one of the unique aspects of the Gentle Art. Other grappling martial arts usually consider being on the back as an inferior position. The evolution of Jiu-Jitsu has seen the guard develop into many branches. Today, both the open and closed guards have numerous variations. it is doubtful that any grappler alive has mastery over all of these variations. From the De La Riva Guard to Worm Guard inversions, the open guard is a vast territory that still has more unexplained areas than familiar ones. One of those fairly known territories in the area of sleeve and lapel guards. While there are many variations of this variation of the open guard (confusing, I know), one has been battle tested over and over again and has come out on top regardless. It is the very effective (and annoying to be in) LEG LASSO GUARD.

Gi based guards keep growing in popularity in modern Jiu-Jitsu. While most innovative concepts, like Keenan’s animal guards, are still infants, the lasso guard is a very well developed position. Despite the fact that it is not a concept for beginners, it is fairly easy to understand. As such, it doesn’t take long to master it sufficiently to be able to frustrate opponents of all levels. Due to its structure, it is one of the most frustrating open guards to pass, often leading opponents to give away sweeps or submissions out of pure desperation. If you haven’t used this open guard before it’s time to add it to your toolbox, the sooner the better.

Attacking Combinations From The Lasso Guard

The main reason why the lasso guard is such a dominant position is that of control. Once you manage to get into the lasso guard it is going to be extremely difficult for an opponent to pass. It is also a great gateway into other open guards and can be used back and forth. Easy guard retention is another very important aspect of this guard.

One of the best options to enter the lasso guard is via the Spider guard. The spider guard consists of double sleeve grips on your opponent. At the same time, both your legs are positioned on their biceps, severely restricting movement. In order to get the leg lasso, you need to get one of your legs off of the biceps control and take it to the outside of your opponent’s arm. From there, the leg goes over the opponent’s biceps from the outside in and continues past the armpit. This gives you one point of control over the arm, via your leg. The other control on the same arm is with the initial grip you have on the sleeve.

When in a correct lasso guard structural position, it is safe to let go of the Spider control on the opposite side. Keeping this control, however, means that you’re in an effective hybrid guard that offers plenty of attacking opportunities.

Attacking from the leg lasso guard is simple, which makes it very effective. All it takes is a slight change of angle and you can sweep an opponent of any size. Preventing the guard pass causes imbalances in itself, and pass attempts only make sweeps easier. The Omoplata is right there, along with all other submission chains that derive from it, like armbars and triangles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8E_3XQvtpA

The Reverse Triangle Decoded: https://bjj-world.com/reverse-triangle-choke/

Dealing With The Leg Lasso Guard

In the lasso guard, both your arms are trapped so you won’t be able to make effective grips. Due to the tremendous leverage of the position, you’ll be off balance all the time. Conversely, it is very difficult to maintain your posture. That is without even mentioning the continuous threat of sweeps, triangle chokes, and Omoplata attacks. All in all, if you have no idea how to behave in the lasso guard you’re going to be very frustrated.

To pass the leg lasso you’ve first got to use technique and positioning to unravel and neutralize the position. Once control over you is diminished, then you can start using a wide variety of guard passes to effectively pass the legs.

What you’ve got to do in leg lasso guard control is turn one of his frames into a lever and use that against him. The only such opportunity you have is with the leg that’s trapping your arm. There are two main methods to help you achieve the frames-into-levers concept. First, you’ll need immaculate timing. You need to make your move just as your opponent is swinging their leg into position. As they bring it outside, up and over, you have to re-pummel your hand. This effectively brings it to the outside where you can get a dominant hand position and nullify much of the power of the lasso.

The second method is used if you’re already caught in the full-on leg lasso. In this case, you maintain your base, your posture, and your structure as best as you can. Only then you’ll access a lever (his lower leg) by using your knee right at the tip of his foot. Both methods are very effective as long as you use them in the right context and moment.

The Leg Lasso DVD by Samir Chantre

Check out the masterpiece DVD Instructional By Samir Chantre. Lasso Guard by Samir Chantre. Samir is the 9 time American National Champion. He was using the leg lasso guard since he started competing and made it a perfect guard. From his lasso guard, you’ll be able to dominate beginners and advanced students with ease. With all the grips, guards and positions it’s really hard to defend it as it’s very specific BJJ game.

In his Instructional you’ll be able to find out everything about the leg lasso guard. He’ll get you through the basic lasso, lapel grip lasso, de la Riva lasso, x-guard lasso, and half guard lasso.

Through Samir’s instructional, you will get a thorough overview of the basic lasso, the spider lasso, the lasso with lapel grip, De La Riva lasso, half guard lasso, and x-guard lasso. In this instructional, you will get all Samir’s knowledge and years of competing. The DVD Leg Lasso has 32 chapters very well explained with so many details and it is definitely the best instructional ever that broke down lasso guard system. Check The Lasso Guard DVD and the list of Techniques

If you’re interested in Buying Samir Chantre’s Lasso guard you can but it HERE as it’s on sale at the moment.

Neil Melanson DVD – Headhunter Guillotine Series REVIEW

BJJ World

Heeadhunter Guillotine Neil Melanson DVD

Neil Melanson DVD, Head Hunter Guillotine series finally hit the daylight. It is all about front headlock attacks and vicious catch wrestling-style chokes that’ll tap any opponent in any grappling martial art and BJJ is not an exception.

Back when I was a newly promoted BJJ blue belt I came to a realization. I had a lot of trouble with a more experienced blue belt who kept sweeping me from bottom half guard. He had and still has a very slick underhook game from the half guard. What I discovered, purely by chance, was that his underhook could be my gain instead of my downfall. The D’arce choke came about quite naturally and I haven’t looked back since. It not just solved my half guard conundrum, but it opened my eyes to the power of the front headlock position in Jiu-Jitsu. Once hooked on the front headlock I scoured the internet for every instructional that could further my progress. Lately, I came across a certain Neil Melanson DVD on the subject and I struck gold. The Headhunter Guillotine Series is the ultimate front headlock learning tool for grapplers.

ON SALE:
Neil Melanson Head Hunter Guillotine Series DVD

Don’t be fooled by the name of this Neil Melanson DVD. It’s not all about guillotines. D’arce chokes, guillotines, neckties anacondas, powerful control, and a smooth transition are all there. Neil has a very rich grappling and particularly catch wrestling pedigree, which makes him the top person to demonstrate such moves. Up to this point, I always believed that Mark Schultz was the go-to man for front headlocks in grappling martial arts. Well, I guess that mantle now goes to Neil Melanson. Get the DVD and decide for yourself.

The Front Headlock In Grappling

The front headlock position is one of the fundamental positions of wrestling. It is a very versatile position that’s easy to acquire from both standing and ground fighting positions. The point of the position in wrestling is to take a person to the ground when standing. The front-headlock opens up an amazing array of takedowns while keeping you fairly safe. When on the ground, the front headlock offers wrestlers a great way to transition to pinning positions.

In catch wrestling, submission grappling and BJJ, the front headlock opens up plenty more opportunities compared to wrestling. The presence of submissions changes the game significantly. The front-headlock offers a number of different chokes that take very little effort to obtain. The great thing is that since all these chokes can be done from the front headlock, they connect with each other perfectly. So, the front headlock is a very versatile attacking system for Jiu-Jitsu practitioners.

In a front headlock, you find yourself in front of your opponent, whether standing or on the ground. The basic concept of the position is to get your chest over the head of the opponent. Your arms need to control the neck, either directly or with one arm going around one of the opponent’s arms. From there it is all about angles and subtle details to remain in control and open up attacks. It is a very uncomfortable position to be in which is one of the basic topics in this Neil Melanson DVD. After all, he is a catch wrestler.

A Neil Melanson DVD: Headhunter Guillotine Series

Neil Melanson is a renowned grappler and MMA coach who has a very original approach to grappling. When we take into account that his original coaches were Gene LeBell and Gokor Chivichyan this is easily understandable. His grappling background is in catch wrestling, Judo, and Sambo, which resulted in his unique style of grappling. He is very aggressive and unorthodox and favors the concept of taking your soul through discomfort before finishing a submission. It wouldn’t be a true Neil Melanson DVD without his “sadistic” approach to strangling people from the front headlock.

In terms of content quality, you can’t really ask for more. Neil has a very distinct style of teaching as well as grappling. He doesn’t show a dozen moves per chapter, as is the case with plenty of other BJJ instructionals out there. Instead, he focuses on just a handful of moves but goes deep. In fact, I think that he is the only one who doesn’t spare details when demonstrating techniques. On the subject of structure, Neil has a systematic approach that thoroughly connects everything he shows in cohesive sequences.

DVD 1 – Arm In Guillotine And Control

It all begins in a typical Neil Melanson DVD style – slow and methodical with control in the forefront. Remember my underhook issues? Well, Melanson addresses precisely those to begin with. He also offers invaluable advice on how to protect your hands in the front headlock, preventing the opponent from getting out.

Neil’s unmistakable aggressiveness is present even when demonstrating control, but it goes off when he starts with the submissions. His concept of the arm in guillotine is by far the clearest oneа I’ve heard in all my years in grappling. Watch out for the elbow position tip- it’s going to completely change your guillotines! OF course, it wouldn’t be Neil Melanson if there’ weren’t a terrific variation on how to strangle people to finish the DVD.

DVD 2 – D’arce And Neckties

I have to admit – when I got the DVD this was the first volume I saw. I know, is should’ve kept the order but I had to check out the D’arce details. Well, it turned out to be the right move. I’ve been known as a D’arce guy for a while now, but this DVD has made people tap before I even try to choke them.

The reverse half approach that Melanson demonstrates is pure genius and I loved the fact that he didn’t stop at the D’arce. Since neckties of all varieties are right there, Neil has come up with a very good submission system. The Japanese necktie is a natural continuation of the D’arce but the German necktie is an added option off of both. It is such a powerful position that you’ll get the tap in an instant. On the subject of the Nelson necktie, I’m just going to say it’s unlike any other front headlock choke you’ll ever learn.

DVD 3 – Guillotine Variations

As the name of the DVD suggests, Neil loves guillotines. That love of his comes apparent in the third volume of the series. In all honesty, he keeps things interesting by starting off with the Boa choke, an improved variation of the anaconda.

The guillotine variations he demonstrates are three in total and that’s two too many. They’re astonishingly effective both on their own and as a system. The scoop guillotine is the simplest of the bunch but it is brutal when done right. The front face lock guillotine is a true catch wrestling submission that will have your opponents screaming in pain.

DVD 4 – Choke Galore Catch-Wrestling-Style

The final part of the Neil Melanson DVD series on front headlock chokes is a real cherry on the top of the cake. This is where Neil goes off to demonstrate his trademark chokes which most of us never heard of before. Two things really stand out when you see the principles of strangling people he employs. First, he likes to keep things simple. All of his chokes use the positioning you have to get a tap as easily as possible.

Secondly, they’re more brutal than they are simple. It takes almost no strength to get taps with the handgun choke. The cement mixer is a really useful move whenever an opponent attempts to get out of your front headlock. And, if you’ve never tried a cow catcher before, you’ll be able to learn everything you need with this DVD.

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Neil Melanson Head Hunter Guillotine Series DVD

https://bjj-world.com/neil-melanson-dvd-collection-review/

Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals By The King, Roger Gracie

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Roger Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals King

When we talk about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors, there’s no way we can skip over Roger Gracie. the esteemed Gracie black belt was an accomplished competitor both in BJJ and MMA. He is a multiple-time World champion and has beaten some of the best black belts ever. The most interesting aspect of Roger’s game is that everybody knew what was coming. Even then, only a few could do anything about it and none were effective. Much of this is due to the fact that Roger Gracie always focused on the Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals when competing.

Today, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has evolved into a very complicated competitive sport. The general approach is that of innovation and figuring out how to surprise your opponents. In that sense, people tend to move further and further away from the Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals. AS groundbreaking and, at the same time, obvious, it may seem, going back to fundamentals can be an innovative approach in its own. Roger Gracie never went away from the fundamental principles and go the highest accolades of the sport. But how did he manage to use the Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals to such great success?

Roger Gracie – King Of The Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals

Roger Gracie is a Carlos Gracie Jr. black belt that is arguably the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor of all times. He won the World title an incredible 14 times to date. What’s more impressive is that 10 of those titles are at a black belt level.

Roger was born in Rio as the son of Carlos Gracie’s daughter Reila Gracie. much like the other members of the Gracie family, Roger started training Jiu-Jitsu at a very young age. By the time he became a teenager, Roger was already a great grappler. he moved to London when he was a blue belt and reinvented himself there. His uncle, Carlos Gracie Jr. awarded Roger with his black belt in 2004.

Roger (now retired) was an amazing competitor at every belt level. he is a true representative of the Gracie Jiu-jitsu style. As a “fresh’ black belt he won the ADCC, submitting all 8 of his opponents. his high submission rate is a constant across all his competitive outings. After conquering the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Roger moved on to MMA, signing with Strikeforce. He had a very successful MMA career in the organization, despite a short and less rememberable stint in the UFC. Today, he runs the Roger Gracie Academy out of London, with affiliates all over the world.

The Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida Fights

In a debate as to who was the greatest heavyweight grappler of all times, Roger went against young gun Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida on two occasions. The first took place under the Metamoris banner in 2012. Their second encounter took place just last year.

In a clash of old school vs. the new, Roger put his Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals to a stern testa gainst up and comers Buchecha at Metamoris in 2012. After a hard-fought 20-minute round, the match was declared a draw. Even then, it was an amazing accomplishment for young Marcus, who went on to dominate the heavyweight scene while Roger went on with his MMA career. The opinion of the masses was that in a point-based system, Buchecha would’ve won.

N their second match, Roger appeared to have taken things way more seriously from the get-go. As far as Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals go, this was a clinic. Roger demonstrated a masterclass of Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals, ultimately finishing Buchecha from the back. Later, the GOAT explained qhat he was doing during the match and how he choked out one of the world’s toughest grapplers.

Right after the win, Gracie announced his retirement from the sport. He left Jiu-Jitsu without a single submission defeat in his record and now focuses on his return to MMA inside the ONE Championship cage. Gracie, the ONE Championship light heavyweight titleholder, has an MMA record of 8-2.

Roger Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals – The Cross Collar Choke

Roger Gracie is perhaps most famous for his mount and finishing opponents with the most basic cross collar choke from the top. It is a technique that a beginner might learn in a Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals class, yet Roger submitted world-class level black belts in competition using that same basic choke. His tips on the position are as follows:

“After I get the first hand in the opponent’s collar, that’s when I get the most vulnerable for the bump. So, what I do? I use my other arm to defend the bump and then I use the top of my head. That’s when I put the second hand in. If the opponent is defending well the collar, I go around his head and put only my thumb inside his collar before I go for the choke.”

Roger uses his leverage advantage and weight to apply big pressure to his opponent from the mount. Starting with the hand in the collar grip, Roger puts the opponent on the defense immediately. In the following video Roger explains an important gripping detail that makes his choke really tight:

Roger’s answer to submitting elite level black belts and the reason his “basic” techniques are so difficult to stop is that he attacks in combination. Which attack does the opponent defend? The choke or the armlock?

The opponent on the bottom fatigues due to the pressure from the top. That creates an opening for an arm lock when they defend the choke. If they do not defend the choke, the tap is soon to follow.

Best BJJ Closed Guard Instructionals – The Ultimate Guide

The Highest Percentage No-Gi Chokes

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No Gi Chokes Gordon Ryan Chokes Romulo Barral on ADCC 2017 — Picture Owned by ADCC

No-Gi BJJ is a far more challenging discipline than it’s the counterpart, Gi Jiu-Jitsu. With the Gi, people have the opportunity to stay in control much more efficiently. Even people that have no idea how to use it, can just cling on for dear life and get a result. Moreover, it is of real help in setting up and finishing submissions. Whether it is your own or your opponent’s Gi, you can use it to choke people out or even do armlocks. No wonder wrestlers and No-Gi people that give the Gi a try are usually lost for a few sessions before they get the hang of it. On the other hand, in No-Gi you need to know how to be dynamic and which moves work. The submission rate in No-Gi is way different than in Gi due to the smaller number of opportunistic submissions available.

So, whenever rolling or fighting in No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu, the submissions of choice are chokes. Yes, it may seem contrary to the No-Gi leg locking trend of today but bear with me. One major reason why chokes are on the top of the pile in terms of No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu submissions is positioning. Most chokes, or at least those that work, are done from very dominant positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The mount, back or front headlock are amazing controlling positions that offer a huge variety of chokes. Furthermore, another reason why chokes are optimal for No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu is safety. Executing a Rear Naked Choke poses absolutely no threat to you while giving you total control and high efficiency.

The Ultimate No-Gi Chokes

When talking about the potentially most devastating submissions in grappling martial arts, people tend to overlook chokes. Yes, a kneebar or an Armbar might seem to be more horrible than just putting someone to sleep, but the truth is very different. When you cut off the flow of blood or air the body goes straight into panic mode. The reason is that it is trying to protect its most vital asset – the brain. Now imagine that you’re just sticking with a choke for a couple of minutes. That’s a couple of minutes too long for the brain to be deprived of oxygen. The result is inevitable brain damage and certain death if a choke is kept long enough. As peaceful as it may seem, a choke is the most lethal weapon in a grappler’s arsenal.

When it comes to No-Gi BJJ chokes are the best way to finish a particularly strong and tenacious opponent. Some people have freakish flexibility and simply refuse to tap to joint locks on the arms or legs. Some are just explosive and very well versed at using the slippery environment in No-Gi BJJ to slip out of holds. In that sense, no neck flexibility is going to get you out of a choke. Neck strength is also not a factor, given that positioning and choke mechanics are in order. In terms of slipping out, it is a possibility with chokes, but to a far lesser extent than with joint locks. Chokes are also moves that don’t just work in a flash but can be applied over a longer period. That way you get both complete control and submission that slowly clamps around your opponent.

Let’s look at the highest percentage No-Gi BJJ chokes to increase your submission rate without the Gi.

Rear Naked Choke

The staple of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the proverbial king of chokes, the Rear Naked Choke is by far the highest percentage choke in the sport. While also applicable in the Gi, it is tailor-made for No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or MMA conditions. It is only fitting that the king of submissions is done by the king of positions – back control.

The Rear Naked Choke is the choke you see in movies that instantly puts people to sleep. While it is effective things do not work like that in real life, especially against a resisting opponent. You need to be in a perfect back position in order to get a Rear Naked Choke. The main control points are having two hooks that control the opponent’s hips, as well as a tight Seat Belt grip. The next thing to consider is your head. It has to be over the opponent’s shoulder and next to their ear as much as possible.

There are numerous ways in which you can thread the arms through to the figure 4 position which are beyond the scope of this article. Also, expect to grip fight for a while before you’re able to get into a choking position. As far as mechanics go, your forearm should be on one side of your opponent’s neck, and your upper arm on the other. The rule of thumb is having your elbow right below their chin. From there, it’s all about staying tight, squeezing, and pulling back. A real Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classic.

High Percentage No Gi Chokes — Photo Taken by ADCC

Guillotine

The Guillotine choke is one of those chokes that people either love or hate. Very few people usually change their mind about it once they decide they like or hate it. I was one of the lucky ones in giving it a second chance. Now, it’s one of my top weapons.

The front headlock position is one that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu borrowed from wrestling. In No-Gi BJJ, when Gi grips are not a factor, it is a great position to be in. It is attainable from the first contact and can take a fight from standing all the way to a submission very easily. The guillotine is almost a given submission from this position.

There are plenty of Guillotine choke variations available out there, but only a couple are used on a regular basis. The arm-in guillotine and the Marcelotine or high elbow guillotine are the most effective variations of the choke out there. For a guillotine, you need your forearm (near your wrist) under the opponent’s neck. The other arm grips either directly on the other side (Marcelotine) or under the opposite side arm (arm-in guillotine). From there, it’s BJJ basics for the finish – elbows in, crunch to the side and twist. The guillotine is one of those slow chokes, where you need to count at least to ten before considering letting go or re-adjusting. it also has the added benefit of being either blood or an air choke.

D’arce / Anaconda Chokes

The D’arce and Anaconda choke are not only similar in terms of execution but are also very compatible with each other. Whenever you have an Anaconda choke on one side, the D’arce is there on the opposite. And vice-versa, of course. Both these chokes are an arm triangle choke variation, with one arm trapped and one directly across the neck. The only difference is in the direction the arm goes through.

For the D’arce choke, you thread your choking arm under the opponent’s armpit first, and then across the neck. For the Anaconda, you start with the neck and end across through the opposite armpit. A figure 4 structure is the finishing touch. For No-Gi BJJ, the guillotine choke is exactly halfway between these two front headlock chokes. That is a complete choke based submission system right there.

Triangle Choke Variations

The triangle choke is the only leg chokes contender here. Another symbol of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, its effectiveness has been proven across all combat sport competition formats. The beauty of the triangle choke is that has plenty of variations that increase control and/or the finishing rate.

The basic concept behind the triangle is having your opponent’s head in a triangle structure created by your legs. The crucial point is including one of their arms into the triangle since you need the opponent’s shoulder to finish the choke. It is one of the best options when you are attacking from your back. Apart from the fundamental variation, the inverted triangle and reverse triangle are also very high percentage chokes. They work wonderfully in No-Gi BJJ.

Neckties

Neckties might not be considered to be very high percentage chokes, but this is not due to lack of effectiveness. They’re one of those moves, that for an inexplicable reason are bang in the middle of the fringe moves category. Given their efficiency and the tendency to work great with one another this is surprising, to say the least.

First, let’s get the nomenclature right. There are about as many necktie variations in the world as there are countries. Given his huge number of variations, we selected the two that have the greatest No-Gi BJJ potential. Those are the Peruvian and Japanese Necktie.

Both of these chokes can double down as neck cranks as well, with slight adjustments. The Japanese necktie is very similar to the D’arce choke with just slight grip variations and different positioning. The Peruvian necktie ist he ultimate turtle guard killer submissions. It is particularly useful against extremely defensive players stuck in turtle.

You can Check all Necktie Variations on THIS LINK.

Arm Triangle Choke

To cap things off, there’s no way we can skip over the arm triangle. It is another submission grappling classic, effective in any format. As the name suggests, the arm triangle choke is very much like the triangle choke, only done with the arms. In terms of positioning, it can be set up from mount or top half guard but is the best finished from side control.

For this choke, you trap your opponent’s arm with your arm, that then goes all the way around their neck and back towards you. The other arm has the role of tightening up the choke and holding the opponent in place. The main difference with the D’arce and Anaconda chokes is in positioning. While these are done from the front headlock, the arm triangle is done with our body almost parallel to our opponent’s. The choking principles are pretty much the same. The arm triangle choke, like the guillotine, is a slow choke that needs a countdown. Make sure you do not give up on it too soon.

If you’re interested in every little nuance of No-Gi BJJ chokes make sure you pick up Neil Melanson‘s DVD releases. The Catch Wrestling Formula along with his Headhunter Guillotine Series are both amazing resources on the subject. And an added bonus, you get to learn Neil’s very own chokes that are invented exclusively for No-Gi.
There’s also another Digital and DVD Instructional coming from Lachal Giles. It’s called High Percentage No Gi Chokes. It’s exactly what you’re looking for if you’re into No-GI chokes of any kind.

Peruvian Necktie – A Tight Choke And A Brutal Neck Crank

A Collection Of The Best No-Gi BJJ DVD Instructionals

Darce Choke Encyclopedia – Origins, Mechanics and Variations [2024]

Peruvian Necktie – A Tight Choke And A Brutal Neck Crank

All The BJJ Necktie Variations You Need To Choke Everyone!

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