24 July 2015

24/07/2015 - Teaching | Open Guard | Loop Choke

Teaching #361
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 24/07/2015


From sitting guard, pull down with your collar grip. Break their posture by pulling that collar towards you, while also pushing their head down and to the side with your other hand. You're tucking their head towards your armpit. Raise your collar gripping elbow, creating a window to insert your other hand. Slide your other hand across the back of their head and under your collar gripping elbow. You're looking to hook your elbow with the back of your pushing hand, pointing your fingers up in order to lock it in place. To finish, lift the elbow of the collar gripping hand while dropping the elbow of the other hand.

It also helps if you can get your collar-gripping side leg into the bicep of their same side arm, or even better over the top, putting you into a sort of half-closed guard around their back. Here's my first ever instructor Oli Geddes showing the technique from half guard:


Oli mentioned when he taught it in a class a few years back that this choke is sufficiently versatile to function from various positions. For example, butterfly guard, half guard and also when they're trying to establish double underhooks on your legs in order to pass. Even if you don't get the choke, you're likely to still manage a sweep, as in order to avoid getting submitted they'll probably have to roll out. You can simply follow them and end up in mount.
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Teaching Notes: For emphasis next time, first point to note is getting your grip in the right place, so you're not thrusting into their windpipe. Also, exactly where to tuck their head: some people were pushing too far, others not far enough. Also, I should add that it's ok if you end up sweeping them instead. Obviously it's nice to get the choke, but if you get a sweep, that's cool too.

Limited sparring for me as I jacked something in my finger on Wednesday. It meant I could try and practice grips with other hand a bit, then stuck to answering questions in open mat afterwards. Most people stayed for the open mat upstairs, meaning it was busy this Friday. :)

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