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Closed GuardBottom
BeginnerTriangle
Sankaku Jime
Taught by:Adam FarnslerAndre GalvaoBernardo FariaCraig JonesGordon RyanJohn DanaherKeenan CorneliusLachlan GilesMarcelo GarciaMikey MusumeciNathan MerkleRob ShifflerRoger Gracie
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About This Technique
Triangle Choke (Triangle) - Step-by-step Technique
The Triangle Choke, a cornerstone submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is famously executed from the guard position, predominantly the Closed Guard or Open Guard. Here's a comprehensive guide to performing the Triangle Choke:
Starting Position: Closed Guard
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Setup the Guard:
- Begin with your opponent in your Closed Guard. Your legs should be locked around their waist while you control their posture with your hands.
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Control the Arm:
- Choose an arm to trap. Use one hand to secure your opponent's wrist while using your opposite hand to control behind their tricep. Gently pull the arm across your body.
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Create an Angle:
- Use your legs to break your opponent's posture. Grab behind their neck or the back of their head, pulling them down.
- Simultaneously, open your guard and plant one foot on your opponent's hip.
- Pivot your hips to create a sharper angle, facing to the opposite side of the trapped arm.
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Lock the Triangle:
- Swing the leg that was on the hip toward their neck and shoulder area, laying it across their back.
- Lock the leg over your opposite knee—forming a shape resembling a triangle.
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Control and Tighten:
- Secure your grip by pulling your opponent's head downwards, deepening the choke as you tighten your triangle lock by lifting your hips.
- Squeeze your legs together and ensure your foot is hooked behind your knee, minimizing any space.
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Complete the Submission:
- Continue applying pressure by pulling the head downward and simultaneously squeezing your legs together with tension.
- Adjust the lock if necessary, ensuring the calf of your top leg is against your opponent’s neck.
Key Details:
- Angle is crucial. The better the angle, the tighter the choke.
- Maintain grip control while transitioning to ensure the opponent doesn’t escape.
- Foot placement behind the knee should be quick to prevent any counter.
Troubleshooting:
- If your opponent postures up, use your grip on the head to pull them back down.
- If their shoulder slips out, adjust the angle and re-tighten the lock.
This technique blends strategic positioning with effective control and execution, making it a staple submission move for practitioners at any skill level.
How to Execute
# Triangle from Closed Guard
## Setup
- **Initial Position Details**: Start in the closed guard position, where you have your legs wrapped around your opponent's waist. Your opponent is in your guard, with their posture upright.
- **Grips and Controls Needed**: Control one of your opponent's wrists with your same-side hand (e.g., your right hand controls their right wrist). Use your other hand to grip behind their neck or to control their opposite sleeve, depending on your preference and opponent's posture.
## Steps
1. **Break Down Their Posture**: Use your legs and grips to pull your opponent forward, breaking their posture. This makes it easier to manipulate their arms and creates space for the next steps.
2. **Control the Arm**: Push your opponent's controlled wrist across their body toward your opposite hip. This positions their arm in front of their throat, setting up the choke.
3. **Open Your Guard**: Open your guard by releasing the grip with your legs, keeping control of their posture with your grips.
4. **Create an Angle**: Place your foot on their hip on the same side as the arm you are controlling. Use this foot to pivot your body, creating an angle. This angle is crucial for a tight triangle.
5. **Shoot the Leg Over**: As you create the angle, shoot your opposite leg (the one not on the hip) over your opponent’s shoulder and neck. Your calf should rest across their neck.
6. **Lock the Triangle**: Bring your foot that was on the hip across your opponent's back to form a figure-four lock with your legs. Cross your ankle over the back of the knee of your leg that is over your opponent's neck.
7. **Adjust and Tighten**: Grab your shin (not your foot) to adjust and tighten the triangle by pulling it tighter against their neck. Ensure your opponent’s trapped arm is across their throat.
8. **Finish the Choke**: Squeeze your legs together, pull your opponent's head down with your hands, and lift your hips to apply pressure, completing the choke.
## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember**:
- Ensure you have a strong angle by pivoting your body; the more perpendicular you are to your opponent, the tighter the triangle.
- Keep your opponent's arm across their throat to prevent them from defending effectively.
- **Common Mistakes to Avoid**:
- Not adjusting the angle: A common mistake is trying to finish the triangle while facing your opponent directly, which reduces the choke's effectiveness.
- Crossing your feet incorrectly: Always cross your legs in a figure-four lock to prevent your opponent from posturing up and escaping.
- Forgetting to pull the head down: This is crucial for securing the choke and preventing any escape attempts.
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