Triangle Choke
- BJJ
- Submissions
- fundamental
- Closed guard
- 4 steps
Trap the head and one arm and strangle with your legs in a figure-four around the neck. Also known as the Sankaku-jime or the Triangle from guard. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 4 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
When to use it
Go for the triangle when the opponent leaves one arm inside your guard and the other out, often as they posture up or push into your hips. Break their posture first so the head is low enough to reach. It chains with the armbar: when they pull the arm back to defend, your legs are already in place for the triangle.
Step by step
- 01
Manage posture in guard
Feet on the hips, control the sleeves and break the opponent down so they cannot posture up.
- 02
Break posture & isolate one arm
Pull the head down, keep one of their arms inside your hips and push the other arm across to the centre line.
- 03
Shoot the leg over the neck
Angle your hips out and throw your near leg high over the back of their neck, keeping the trapped arm inside.
- 04
Lock the figure-four & squeeze
Tuck the foot behind your other knee, pull the head down and squeeze the knees together to finish the strangle.
Key details
- One arm in, one arm out. The trapped shoulder is what makes the strangle work.
- Angle your hips off to the side; a square triangle is far weaker than an angled one.
- Pull the head down and curl the locking leg. Squeeze the knees, do not just cross the ankles.
Common mistakes
- Leaving both arms in or both out, so the choke never closes.
- Staying square instead of creating the angle.
- Pulling only with the legs and forgetting to break the posture down first.
Common counters
Opponents posture up tall, stack you onto your shoulders, or pull the trapped arm out so both arms are free. Some step around to your side before the lock closes. Keep the angle, pull the head down and lock fast.
How to drill it
From closed guard, your partner places one hand on your chest: shoot the leg over, lock the triangle and release, ten reps on each side. Then do three rounds of two minutes from guard where you hunt it against light resistance.
Related techniques
- Armbar from GuardBJJIsolate an arm, swing a leg over the head and extend the hips to attack the elbow.
- Cross-Collar ChokeBJJFeed both hands deep into the collars and flare the elbows to strangle from guard.
- 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.
Train it with the AI coach