Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is filled with chokes, amongst other submissions. BJJ chokes can be done from various positions such as the front headlock, back control, mount, guard, side control and other areas. In short, they can be hit from anywhere. With this in mind, it’s important to learn as much about chokes as possible. This is because they are so common and crucial in BJJ. Here is a list of all of the chokes in BJJ with a quick summary.
Rear Naked Choke (RNC, Mata Leao) – This is a strangle from the back and is also referred to as a sleeper hold.
Bow and Arrow Choke – This is a choke that uses the collar of the opponent to cut off their blood supply.
Dragon Sleeper Choke – This is a Guillotine choke whilst on the back of the opponent, it can also be finished as a neck crank.
Guillotine choke – This is done from the front headlock position. Whilst head locking your opponent you squeeze your arms upwards to cut off the air supply. This can also be done via arm-in-guillotine or high elbow guillotine variations. It can also be finished with one arm.
Darce choke – This choke is done by threading your arm through the opponent’s armpit and connecting with your other arm around their head. This works like a Triangle choke.
Triangle choke – This is enabled by connecting your legs around your opponent’s head. By locking in their head and one arm, you squeeze their arteries by crushing their head towards their shoulder simultaneously. Variations include the reverse Triangle which can be hit from different angles.
Ezekiel choke – Mostly done in the Gi, this involves putting an arm behind your opponent’s head and holding your other sleeve. This traps your opponent’s throat in both forearms which create the choke.
Cross Collar choke – Again, this is done in the Gi. The Cross Collar involves gripping the opponent’s collars and squeezing the collars inwards, cutting off the blood supply to the brain.
Baseball choke – Another Gi choke, this is done by getting a baseball grip inside your opponent’s collars and then spinning until the collars cut off the blood supply.
Gogoplata choke – This is done by threading your leg through your opponent’s arm and then putting the shin or foot under their throat. You then grab the leg or shin and hold the choke which puts pressure on the throat of the opponent.
Step over choke (Canto choke) – With one grip in the opponent’s collar, you then step over their head with the nearside leg. This puts pressure on either artery with the grip and leg pressure.
Arm triangle choke (Head and arm triangle) – This acts like a triangle by pinning your head against the opponent’s shoulder, whilst using your other arm to squeeze the other artery of the opponent at the same time.
Anaconda choke – Like the Darce choke, however you enter through the headlock and lock your arms around their armpit instead and finish by crushing the head in to your own chest.
Brabo choke – Again, this is similar to the Darce but uses the lapel under the opponent’s armpit. It chokes using the lapel whilst blocking their shoulder with your body.
Loop choke – This is done by getting a collar grip and grabbing their neck or leg with your other arm, using the lapel to cut off their blood.
Necktie choke – This involves stepping over the opponent’s head whilst having a grip around their neck. Variations include the Peruvian necktie, Japanese necktie and others.
Bulldog choke – This is done from a side headlock position. With your arm around the opponent’s neck, you then squeeze and sprawl your legs out to the front.
Short choke – Like the RNC, this is done on the back and uses your forearm to choke the opponent.
Clock choke – This is done by grabbing your opponent’s lapel and then walking around their head to add pressure against their throat.
Von Flue choke – This is done whilst in a headlock from the top position. You then go up on your toes and apply pressure into the opponent’s neck from a side angle.
Crucifix choke – From the crucifix, you can apply an RNC or short choke whilst controlling the opponent’s arms with your legs
Back Triangle choke – By applying a Triangle lock under your opponent’s ribs from the back, you can squeeze and suffocate the opponent. This can also be a crank.
Kasa Gatame choke (Fishermans choke) – From scarf hold, you then hook the opponent’s leg and head and bring them together. This suffocates the opponent.
Buggy choke – A variation of the Triangle from bottom side control, this traps the opponent from the bottom position.
Head scissors choke – This uses both legs on the opponent’s neck to cut off the blood supply. It acts like scissors closing inwards on the throat.
The mothers milk choke – Done from the mount, this is done by pressing your pecs into the opponent’s mouth and nose to cut off their oxygen supply.
Nutcracker choke (punch choke) – By putting fists into either opponent’s arteries this cuts off their blood supply. It is similar to the Ezekiel choke.
Shoulder pressure choke – From side control, you can force your shoulder into the opponent’s near artery and cut off the blood supply.
North South choke – This is done from North South position. The idea is to get a headlock on the opponent and sprawl out from the top.
Knee on neck choke – Similar to the knee on belly position, the knee is this time applied to the throat of the opponent. Combined with gravity this cuts off their air and blood supply.
Worm hat choke – Similar to the Ezekiel, this uses the opponent’s lapel to choke them whilst threading your hand through the lapel wrap to choke the opponent’s other artery
Paper Cutter choke – Done from side control, this is when you get a collar grip and then a grip under their neck. You then squeeze tight to get the finish.
Overall we have identified 32 different chokes. Of course, there are variations of every choke. For instance, the Triangle can be hit from various angles and positions. Some chokes will also have different terminology depending on what part of the world you are in. However, one thing is for sure – BJJ would be nothing without chokes and they are one of the most important parts of the martial art.
