Cross-Collar Choke
- BJJ
- Submissions
- intermediate
- Closed guard
- 4 steps
Feed both hands deep into the collars and flare the elbows to strangle from guard. Also known as the X-choke or the Cross-collar from guard. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 4 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
Step by step
- 01
Control posture in guard
Break them down so you can reach the collar without being posted out of.
- 02
First grip deep
Thread one hand deep into the collar, thumb inside, fingers on the cloth behind the neck.
- 03
Second grip & break down
Feed the second hand under the first into the other collar and pull their posture down to you.
- 04
Flare the elbows & finish
Pull them in, turn the palms and drive the elbows down and out to close the strangle on both sides of the neck.
Key details
- Get the first grip as deep as possible, depth is what makes the choke tight.
- The cutting pressure comes from the blades of the wrists, not crushing with the arms.
- Pull them in and flare the elbows; do not just pull straight back.
Common mistakes
- Shallow grips that put pressure on the jaw instead of the neck.
- Letting the opponent posture up before the second grip is in.
- Pulling with the hands without flaring the elbows to cut.
Related techniques
- Triangle ChokeBJJTrap the head and one arm and strangle with your legs in a figure-four around the neck.
- Armbar from GuardBJJIsolate an arm, swing a leg over the head and extend the hips to attack the elbow.
- Kimura from GuardBJJTrap a posted arm, figure-four the wrist and rotate the shoulder to finish.
- WristlockBJJTrap their hand flat against your body and bend the wrist forward to load the small joint.
- Scissor SweepBJJLoad a shin across the body and scissor the legs to sweep the opponent and come up on top.
- Hip Bump SweepBJJSit up, reach over the shoulder and bump your hips to roll the opponent over into mount.
See it animated in DARCE
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