Arm Triangle
- BJJ
- Mount Attacks
- intermediate
- Mount / side control
- 3 steps
Trap one of the opponent’s arms across their own neck and squeeze with your shoulder to strangle. Also known as the Kata-gatame or the Head-and-arm choke. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 3 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
When to use it
Use the arm triangle from mount or side control when the opponent frames on your neck or chest with a straight arm. Push that arm across their neck and drop your head beside theirs. It works well against an opponent who pushes with one arm to escape.
Step by step
- 01
Establish mount
Control them and free one arm to push across.
- 02
Trap the arm across the neck
Push their arm across their own throat and drop your head beside theirs, shoulder pressing the arm into the neck.
- 03
Lock & squeeze
Lock your hands, slide off to the side and squeeze your shoulder and their own arm into both sides of the neck.
Key details
- Their own shoulder chokes one side; your shoulder/arm the other.
- Drop off to the side to finish. Staying on top loosens it.
- Lock your hands and keep your head tight to theirs.
Common mistakes
- Leaving a gap so they slip the head out.
- Squeezing without coming off to the side.
- Letting them pull the trapped arm back across.
Common counters
Opponents pull the trapped arm back across, turn into you, or push your head away with their other hand. Staying on top loosens the choke. Lock your hands, slide off to the side and squeeze.
How to drill it
From mount, trap the arm across the neck, drop your head beside theirs and slide off to finish, ten reps on each side. Then work three rounds of one minute from side control where your partner frames.
Related techniques
- Armbar from MountBJJIsolate an arm from mount, climb to high mount and swing a leg over the head to attack the elbow.
- Cross-Collar Choke from MountBJJFeed both hands deep into the collars from mount and drop your weight to finish the strangle.
- AmericanaBJJPin a bent arm to the mat, figure-four the wrist and lift the elbow to attack the shoulder.
- Ezekiel ChokeBJJUsing a sleeve grip behind the neck and the other forearm across the throat, saw the choke closed.
Train it with the AI coach