Thursday, August 04, 2005

BJJ Move #46: Triangle Choke Defense and Escape


Here's what you can do when someone's trying to do a triangle choke on you.

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 Defense and Escape:
-defense
-escape

1) Escape from Triangle Choke #1:
If you notice the choke before his legs are clasped, simply stand up and try to shake and pull his legs off your head and free your trapped arm.
Don't fall to your side when caught in this choke: it will only make things worse.
Your right arm is inside his legs.
If you’re caught inside his trapped legs (right arm inside), but your left arm isn’t completely outside, use it to prop a space between his legs and hip so you won't get so compressed.
Posture up-—sit up with your back as straight as possible and do not bend your neck forward; try to look to the ceiling.
Slide your knees deep under his butt / back to get your hips under his hips. This part is critical. You want his hips off the ground and immobilized by your own hips pressing him up in a kind of helpless position where his hips and lower back are resting on the tops of your thighs.
If your left arm is completely outside, grab the top of your right wrist and bring your right elbow in tight to your right hip, making an “L” with your forearms (they meet at 90 degrees); this should stop him from hipping around to tighten the grip he has with his legs.
Draw your right elbow toward your own right hip.
Stand up one leg at a time, back straight, and turn your shoulders and hips (clockwise, and pressing on his left hip) to break his legs open, or shake his legs off.
Thrust your hips forward and pass to cross side.


2) Escape from Triangle Choke #2:
You’re not in such a good position-—your arm that’s “in” (here, right) is trapped by his left shoulder.
Push it deep across his “same-side” shoulder (your right arm reaches across his left shoulder) to grab his trapezius muscle, while your “outside” arm (here, left) arm grabs his right hip/butt; circle on your feet clockwise until you can step your left foot over his head, breaking the triangle open.


3) Escape from Triangle Choke #3:
You’re not in such a good position—-your arm that’s “in” (here, right) is already across the centerline.
Push it deep across his shoulder (your right arm reaches across his right shoulder) to grab his trapezius muscle, while your “outside” arm (here, left) arm grabs his left hip/butt from under his waist; circle on feet counter-clockwise, pressing against his throat with your right forearm and a lot of weight, until his legs break open and you can take cross side.


4) Escape from Triangle Choke #4:
Your right arm is inside, all the way across your face. This is the last-ditch escape.
Grab the top of his right knee with both hands and push forward to the ground, pinning his right leg to the mat with your left shoulder / trapezius.
Press against his knee-crook and calf to pop his legs open, then pull your right arm out and back off (or take cross side if he isn’t paying attention).


5) Escape from Triangle Choke #5:
Your right arm is inside. Clasp your hands on the outside of his left hip, roll onto your right side to pin his left leg to the ground, and push his right leg open with your left arm/shoulder.


Comments? Please feel free to point out mistakes, describe tips on the techniques, suggest ways to make the descriptions clearer, etc.
Click here to go to the list of my BJJ move posts.

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