The Ultimate Guide to Finishing the Guillotine Choke in Jiu Jitsu

The guillotine choke is a highly effective submission in jiu jitsu that can be used from a variety of positions. It involves wrapping your arm around your opponent’s neck and applying pressure to cut off their blood supply or air flow, forcing them to tap out. In this article, we will explore six key techniques for finishing the guillotine choke.

Getting the Proper Grip

To set up the guillotine choke, you need to start by getting the proper grip on your opponent’s neck. This grip will depend on the type of guillotine you want to execute. For the standard guillotine, you want to get a high elbow grip, where you wrap your arm around your opponent’s neck and then grab your own bicep with your other hand. For the arm-in guillotine, you need to get an underhook grip on your opponent’s arm, which will be trapped between your chest and their neck.

Wrapping Your Arm Around Your Opponent’s Neck

Once you have the proper grip, you need to wrap your arm around your opponent’s neck. This is where you’ll apply the pressure to finish the choke. When wrapping your arm, be sure to get your forearm deep into their neck, so that you can apply pressure to their windpipe or carotid artery. If you’re having trouble wrapping your arm, try jumping guard, which we’ll discuss in the next section.

Jumping Guard for the Guillotine

Jumping guard is a great way to set up the guillotine choke, especially if you’re having trouble wrapping your arm around your opponent’s neck. To jump guard, you need to step one foot in front of your opponent and the other behind them, then jump up and wrap your legs around their waist. From there, you can use your legs to pull your opponent into your guillotine, making it easier to wrap your arm around their neck.

Finishing the Guillotine from the Guard

If you’re already in guard, you can finish the guillotine choke by using your legs to apply pressure to your opponent’s neck while pulling up on their head. To do this, wrap your legs around their waist, then use your feet to push their hips away while pulling up on their head with your arm. This will create the leverage you need to finish the choke.

Finishing the Guillotine from Top Position

If you’re in top position, you can still finish the guillotine choke by wrapping your arm around your opponent’s neck and then walking your legs up towards their head. This will create the necessary leverage to apply pressure to their neck and finish the choke. Be sure to keep your weight heavy on top of them to prevent them from escaping.

Defending Against the Guillotine

Finally, it’s important to know how to defend against the guillotine choke. If your opponent is attempting the guillotine, try to keep your chin down to protect your neck. You can also try to grab their arm and pull it off of your neck. If you’re caught in the choke, try to posture up and create space between you and your opponent to relieve the pressure.