Guillotine from Closed Guard
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About This Technique
Guillotine from Closed Guard
The Guillotine choke is a powerful and often unexpected submission technique that can be executed from the closed guard position. It's an effective move to use when your opponent tries to pass your guard by lowering their head or leaving their neck exposed.
Japanese Name
Unknown
Position
- Closed Guard
Step-by-step Instructions for Guillotine from Closed Guard
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Establish Closed Guard
- Begin by ensuring your legs are tightly secured around your opponent's waist with your ankles locked and your hips active in the Closed Guard position.
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Identify the Opportunity
- Wait for your opponent to lower their head while attempting to pass your guard or when they pressure forward.
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Gripping the Neck
- Reach over and around your opponent’s head with one of your arms.
- Aim to get your thumb-side arm deep on the other side of the neck.
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Creating the Choke
- Grab your own wrist with the opposite hand, creating a strong grip with a 'cup and saucer' motion for leverage.
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Setting Up the Legs
- Use your legs to pull the opponent closer, maintaining a strong closed guard.
- Shift your hips slightly out to one side (usually towards your gripping arm).
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Applying the Choke
- Keep your elbows in tight and elevate your wrists to apply pressure to the opponent’s neck.
- Simultaneously, crunch your core and pull their head deeper into the choke.
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Adjust and Refine
- If the choke isn’t deep enough, use your free hand to adjust the grip on your locked hand, securing it further.
- Ensure your choke focuses on cutting off the blood supply through the carotid arteries.
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Finish the Guillotine
- Continue to squeeze and apply pressure until the opponent taps out or you reach a point of submission. Maintain the position but be cautious of the opponent’s reactions or attempts to escape.
Tips for Success
- Arm Position: Make sure your choking arm encircles the neck tightly, with the forearm pressing against one side.
- Leg Engagement: Keep your core active and legs engaged to prevent opponent's escape.
- Timing: Use when the opponent becomes overly aggressive or drops their posture significantly.
- Relax: Conserve energy by breathing and applying steady pressure rather than jerking violently.
Common Mistakes
- Loose Choke: Ensure the grip is tight without unnecessary gaps.
- Improper Hip Position: Don’t forget to move your hips out to the side to create optimal leverage.
- Neglecting Leg Control: Maintain leg engagement throughout to control the opponent’s movement effectively.
Using the Guillotine from Closed Guard can not only secure a submission but also improve positional control and de-escalate aggressive attacks from an opponent attempting to pass guards. Regular practice and precise adjustments make this technique an essential part of your BJJ toolkit.
How to Execute
Guillotine from Closed Guard
The Guillotine Choke is a popular submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that targets the opponent's neck. Here's how to perform the Guillotine from the Closed Guard position.
Step 1: Establish Closed Guard
Start by establishing a solid Closed Guard. This means you have your legs wrapped around your opponent's waist with your ankles crossed. You should be lying on your back with your opponent in between your legs.
Step 2: Grip the Neck
Next, you need to grip your opponent's neck. To do this, open your guard and sit up slightly. Use one hand to reach around the back of your opponent's neck, placing your wrist against their throat. This arm that's gripping the neck is commonly referred to as the "choking arm".
Step 3: Secure the Grip
Secure your grip by placing your free hand on the wrist of your choking arm. Your free hand should be on the outside, not between your bodies. This is often called a "high elbow" guillotine because your elbow will be pointing upwards.
Step 4: Re-Close Guard
After securing the grip, quickly lay back down and re-close your guard. This time, instead of crossing your ankles, you are going to place the foot on the side of the choking arm on your opponent's hip. The other leg goes high on the opponent's back.
Step 5: Perform the Choke
To perform the choke, you need to do two things. First, you need to arch your back and hips upwards, bringing your opponent's head down. Second, you need to pull your choking arm upwards, applying pressure to your opponent's throat.
Remember, the goal is not to crush their windpipe with your arm, but to cut off the blood supply to the brain by applying pressure to the carotid arteries on the sides of the neck.
Step 6: Finish the Submission
Continue to apply pressure until your opponent taps. If they do not tap, maintain your position and pressure, but be mindful not to injure your partner.
Remember, safety is always paramount when practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Always ensure you and your partner are comfortable and understand each movement and technique before practicing it in a live situation.