Brazilian Jiu Jitsu employs two distinct submission mechanisms: chokes and strangles. Chokes target the trachea to restrict airflow, while strangles compress carotid arteries to cut blood flow. Strangles work faster, often causing unconsciousness within 10 seconds, making them preferred in competition. Key techniques include the rear-naked choke, guillotine variations, and the anaconda/D’arce family. Understanding the mechanical differences between these techniques substantially enhances their effectiveness and application in various scenarios.
The Science Behind Choking Techniques & Why It is Effective
Two distinct mechanisms underlie submission techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: chokes and strangles. While often used interchangeably, they operate differently: chokes restrict airflow by compressing the trachea, whereas strangles cut blood flow by applying pressure to carotid arteries.
The effectiveness of these techniques stems from their exploitation of anatomical vulnerabilities. Strangles work remarkably faster—rendering opponents unconscious in approximately 10 seconds compared to several minutes for air chokes. Proper choke intensity control is essential for both effectiveness and safety.
These submissions are particularly valuable because they bypass an opponent’s pain tolerance, making resistance futile once properly applied.
Blood Chokes vs. Air Chokes: Understanding the Difference
Although commonly grouped together as “chokes” in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu terminology, blood chokes and air chokes represent fundamentally different submission mechanisms with distinct physiological effects. Blood chokes (properly called strangles) target carotid arteries, disrupting blood flow to the brain and causing unconsciousness within seconds.
Air chokes, focusing on tracheal compression and airway management, require more force and greatly extended application—several minutes rather than seconds—to be effective. This efficiency difference makes strangles generally preferred in competition settings.
Comprehending these distinctions is indispensable for practitioners developing technical proficiency, as proper identification affects both application strategy and safety awareness in training scenarios.
The Rear-Naked Choke: Mechanics and Application
The rear-naked choke stands as the most revered submission technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s vast arsenal, often referred to as the “king of all chokes” for good reason. This devastating submission operates by compressing the carotid arteries, inducing unconsciousness within approximately 10 seconds by restricting oxygenated blood flow to the brain.
Effective execution requires precise grip adjustments around the opponent’s neck, securing with the opposite hand, and pulling backward to create pressure. Practitioners must master body positioning control to apply sufficient leverage, particularly against stronger opponents.
This fundamental technique remains essential in both competitive grappling and self-defense applications.
Guillotine Variations for Different Scenarios
Several guillotine variations exist within Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s submission catalog, each tailored to specific positional contexts and opponent behaviors. The standing guillotine effectively counters failed takedown attempts, while the guard guillotine utilizes superior hip positioning to maximize leverage against passing opponents.
When executing from closed guard, practitioners can enhance control through subtle angle adjustments that increase pressure on the carotid arteries. The sprawling variation, particularly effective against wrestlers, requires precise body alignment to prevent escape.
Offensive applications involve quickly snapping the opponent’s head downward, while defensive guillotines capitalize on opponents’ postural mistakes. Against larger opponents, proper technique and timing supersede raw strength.
The Anaconda and D’arce Family of Chokes
Within Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s submission arsenal, anaconda and D’arce chokes represent sophisticated arm-triangle variations that extend beyond the guillotine family previously discussed.
The anaconda initiates from side control, encircling the opponent’s neck to compress carotid arteries, while the D’arce (brabo) applies similar pressure from the front headlock position. Practitioners with larger frames often prefer the anaconda, whereas the D’arce proves effective against opponents with strong bases.
Mastering choke shifts between these techniques enhances submission chain sequencing, allowing grapplers to fluidly adapt when resistance is encountered. Both submissions induce rapid unconsciousness through precise arterial compression, making them valuable tools in competition and self-defense scenarios.
The Cross Collar Choke: Gi Fundamentals
Among the most revered techniques in gi-based Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the cross collar choke stands as a cornerstone submission that exemplifies the art’s fundamental principles. This technique utilizes the opponent’s lapel to compress the carotid arteries, restricting blood flow to the brain.
Despite its simplicity, the cross collar choke requires precise gi grip variations and meticulous attention to position control importance. Practitioners must master proper hand placement and body mechanics to execute this submission effectively.
Commonly taught to beginners, this choke remains potent at competition’s highest levels, demonstrating why it’s considered essential in any Jiu-Jitsu practitioner’s arsenal.
Transitioning Between Different Choke Attacks
The ability to flow between different choke techniques represents the evolutionary progression beyond mastering any single submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Advanced practitioners develop the capacity to chain submissions, moving fluidly from one attack to another based on their opponent’s reactions.
When pinching the windpipe fails in a guillotine attempt, skilled grapplers immediately shift to alternate attacks like triangle chokes or rear-naked chokes. Applying gradual pressure during these switches prevents telegraphing intentions while maintaining control.
This seamless flow between techniques keeps opponents defensive and creates multiple submission pathways, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of grappling mechanics rather than relying on isolated techniques.
Competition-Legal vs. Street-Effective Techniques
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners must navigate a critical distinction between techniques designed for regulated competition environments and those intended for real-world self-defense scenarios. Competition rules favor blood chokes targeting carotid arteries, which induce unconsciousness safely while minimizing injury risk.
Conversely, windpipe attacks, though prohibited in tournaments, may prove decisive in self-defense situations.
Ethical considerations extend beyond technical execution to appropriate application contexts. Practitioners must weigh legal implications when employing potentially lethal techniques outside competition settings.
Comprehending this dichotomy guarantees responsible training that respects both sport integrity and the serious nature of combat-oriented submissions.
Training Drills to Improve Your Choking Game
Developing proficiency in choking techniques requires deliberate practice through structured drills that isolate key mechanical components. Practitioners should implement choke grip conditioning exercises to strengthen forearms and wrists, essential for maintaining pressure during submission attempts.
Positional dominance drills focusing on back control, mount, and side control shifts create the foundation for effective choke application. Athletes can practice these sequences with progressive resistance, starting with compliant partners before advancing to full-speed scenarios.
Regular drilling of entry movements, proper hand placement, and pressure application builds muscle memory that translates to competition effectiveness, even under adrenaline-inducing circumstances.
