BJJ Move #40: Triangle Choke (Sankaku Jime) - 5 setups

This is one of the most fundamental chokes in BJJ. It's very powerful, since it uses both of your arms and legs, as well as one of your opponent's arms, against the sides of his throat. When someone does it correctly, you can really feel your eyes start to pop out of your head. It can be applied from a number of positions-- here I'll describe some ways to set it up from the guard.

WARNING! These techniques could result in serious injury or death if practiced incorrectly or even if performed correctly. They should only be practiced with the supervision of an experienced instructor.

Triangle Choke (Sankaku Jime) - 5 setups:

1) Triangle Choke Approach #1:
Opportunities:
If your opponent ever puts only one arm outside your guard.
Or, work your guard up high on his back, then rest your right leg on his left shoulder and trap his right hand on the right side of your chest with both hands.
Now, try to push his left hand between your legs, and toss your right leg across the back of his neck, switching your hips to the left.
With your left hand, grab the top of your right shin, about six inches from your ankle—this helps you’re your legs closed around your opponent until you lock your legs together.
Keep his right hand trapped against your body with your right hand (pulling/pushing it to your right, across his face).
Work your hips around toward his right shoulder (clockwise) until you have enough space, then fold your left leg over your right ankle. You want the crook of your left knee to fold cleanly over your right ankle—don’t just press your left calf over your instep.
Pull his trapped right arm across your body toward your right side.
Arch your back, squeeze your knees together, thrust your knees upwards, and pull his head down with your hands (one crossed over the other on the crown of his head) to strangle him. The pressure comes from his own right upper arm pressing against his right carotid artery, and your right thigh pressing against his left carotid artery.


Approach #2:
Opponent is in your guard with his hands on your chest.
With your left hand, come from under and outside his right wrist, breaking his grip on your chest and raising your shoulder, coming over his right biceps and scooping his right arm into your left armpit and clamping it in tight (a tight overhook).
Now grab his left hand with your right hand and force it down towards your groin.
Plant your left foot on his hip to get room and leverage, and swing your right foot over his left shoulder.
Fold your left leg over your right. Don’t worry about it being tight yet. His left arm will be trapped outside your legs now.
Hip up to weaken his posture, and move his right arm across your body, trapping it across his face by the elbow or wrist with your right hand.
With your left hand, grab your right shin closer to the knee than your left knee is folded over it.
Release your left leg from over your right leg and plant it on his left hip; hip out so your head swivels to his right side (clockwise). You want your hips to face his right ear.
Now re-fold your left leg over your right shin.
Release your right shin with your left hand, and his right hand with your right hand, and use both hands to pull his head down.
Finish as above.

Approach #3 - Surprise Push:
From him in your guard, put your left hand on the back of his neck, and hold onto his left wrist with your right hand, holding it somewhere between his body and your body.
Pull his head down and simultaneously push his arm into him, up towards his chest and through (under your right leg). The combination of pulling down on the head (he thinks you’re going for his head) and pushing up on his arm (which he won’t notice) is confusing and lets you set up the triangle more easily.
Then, don’t try to figure-four your legs right away; instead, re-close your guard over his shoulder so he has one arm in, one out of your guard.
Secure his right wrist, moving it across to your right shoulder/chest.
Grab your right shin inside where your foot will go (closer to the knee) with your left hand, and put your left foot on his right hip to push your hip out to the left (your head swings right, toward his left knee) (or: pull your shin in with your left hand and push your knee out with your right hand).
Now figure four your legs, release your left hand and pull on the back of his head with both hands while thrusting your hips upward and squeezing your knees together.


Approach #4 - “The Lockdown”:
With your opponent in your guard, swim your left arm underneath his right armpit to his shoulder (underhook), push with your right forearm against the right side of his face, and clasp your hands, pulling his shoulder tight down to your chest (“the Lockdown”).
Put your left foot on his right hip and hip out to the left to create space.
Slide your right knee in between opponent’s chin and left arm so it’s by the front of his left shoulder.
Flare your left leg outwards so it circles over his left arm and locks over the back of his left shoulder.
Grab your own right shin with your left hand
Finish the triangle choke as above.

Approach #5 – From Overhook:
Opponent is in your guard with his hands on your chest.
With your left hand, come from under and outside his right wrist, breaking his grip on your chest and raising your shoulder, coming over his right biceps and scooping his right arm into your left armpit and clamping it in tight (a tight overhook).
Maintain tight shoulder pressure and keep your knees tight together throughout this move.
Plant your left foot on the ground, scoot your hips out to the left, and put your right foot in your opponent’s hip.
Squeeze your knees together, knees pointing upwards (do not let opponent push your legs flat to the ground).
Swing your hip so your left leg crosses over opponent’s back and your right leg comes free so it can swivel over opponent's left arm and lock the triangle (you may have to fight for this here as opponent controls your right leg or shin; be sure to maintain the tight grip and you can eventually work your leg free with hip movement, leg pummeling or pushing on opponent’s left biceps with your right foot).


Comments? Please feel free to point out mistakes, describe tips on the techniques, suggest ways to make the descriptions clearer, etc.
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