Gi chokes reference video

This summer, I have gotten a renewed interested in gi chokes. For many years, I have basically ignored them because I wanted my game to work just as well in no-gi, but at the moment, I am in a period, where I am finding the details of gi training very fascinating.

Gi chokes is one area, where you will find literally thousands of techniques and variations for finishing the opponent. I have boiled my own game down to what I can make work really well in sparring under full resistance. I hope to try it out more in competition in the future, but for now I have only tested them in that arena through my kids team, who have been doing extremely well with gi chokes last season. I recommend scrolling through my archives and checking out some of the videos with them.

Anyways, I shot a quick little video with a reference of which gi chokes I use in my game at the moment. Maybe you can catch a detail or two you can use yourself. In that case, I am always glad to hear about it :)

Enjoy!

Baseball Choke a la Graugardo

Here are a few details on how I like to set up and finish the Baseball Choke. I really like this submission, because it can be set up from many positions almost without notice. Also, it works like a charm both with and without the gi.

Notice how I again utilize the principle of weight placement when I set up the submission from mount and sidecontrol. Weight is on my hands while the legs are moving into position, then the weight transfers to the legs so I can finish the choke using my arms.

Please don't mind that small part of the video that I forgot to edit out LOL ;)


Next tutorial coming up: Double under pass stiffarm counter setup.

Sidechoke from backmount escape

Here is another old series I have shot with my friend Kári. Sidechoke counter when opponent tries to roll out of the backmount position.


Start with the backmount, with the over/under grip (or harness as it's often called).


A common escape from the backmount is to fall to your side, and then using the floor to keep your opponent in place while you circle to face him (ending up in guard). If your opponent tries this, and falls to the side shown in the picture, then this is one possible counter.


As he starts turning into you, you put your left foot on the floor, taking the hook out, and throw your left arm over his arm to set up the sidechoke.


Doing this with the right timing, you should be able to pull your right foot from under him and securing the sidechoke grip.


From there simply finish the sidechoke whichever way you prefer. I prefer this method, but trying to maintain a 90° angle with his body and to keep my weight lower then in this pic.

Keylock position mount attack combination

Attack combination we came up with in class today using the inquiry method. We were working on the armbar from mount and ran into the classic problem when the opponent just locks his arms tight not allowing you to get up under his elbows to setup the armbar. This is what we came up with to counter that.


I start off in the mounted position and. My opponent locks his hands together and keeps his elbows tight to prevent me from getting the armbar.


I wriggle my left forearm in under his fists to lift them up. By lifting my elbow a little I can kind of use my arm as a crowbar and it is easy to lift his fists just enough without need of using power.


When I've created a little space, I insert my right arm and grab his shoulder.


Now I must immediately put my weight on his right arm so he can't just rotate it free. Also I lean to my left and has my left arm ready to post in case he would try to bridge me over here. My right foot is aware of not getting caught so I can post with it.


Ok next three pics is one quick motion. I have split it up so you can see the details.

First I straighten my right arm and put all my weight on it. Again, without using too much power, this will force his fists to move to his right side of the body.


I then put my left hand on his right forearm by his shoulder.


And finally control his arm with both my hands. Important here that my arms are stretched and I curve my back to put all my weight on them.


Now he probably rolls to his side because he thinks the keylock is coming and wanna get his elbow under himself. That is what I want him to do. When he is up on his side, I pull my left heel up in his armpit for the sidemount position which I keep as thight as possible to prevent him from rolling back towards me.

If he doesn't roll away from you, try go for the keylock or do something else :)


Now, initially I don't want him to roll any further, so I stop that by controlling his bottom elbow with my left hand.

This is the position I am working from. From here I have several options, I'll go through them one at a time.


First thing is obvious. If he grabs his right hand with his left to defend the keylock, I underhook his left arm with my left and grab my shoulder.


Then swing my leg over his head.


And finish the armbar.


Sometimes his left elbow is too close to his ribcage to hook that arm, so I can try something else.


I reach under his head with my right arm and grab his collar.


Then grab the pants by the knee.


Lean back and tighten the gi choke.

If he rolls away from you when you try to do this - no problem, just roll with him one round, it's really easy and you will end up in the exact same position.


Last thing I can do is taking the back. This can be done in two ways.


With my right hand I reach under his head and grab his left wrist.


I keep my grip on his right elbow, then hold him tight to me and roll back towards my left side.


My left foot will be "pointing out" and I aim to triangle that with my right leg right away.


When I got the back I will immediately go for on of two things.


Either the harness position.


Or sink my left arm in under his chin (the grip on his left wrist will make space for that for a second).


Then close in the rear naked choke.


So the other way to take his back is like this. I let go of his bottom elbow to bait him into rolling away from me.


As soon as he starts to roll, I put my right hand out on the floor to keep my weight on the mat and not him. That makes it easier for me to move "light".


With my left hand I grab his left wrist, then insert my right hook (the left one is already there) and I got the back.

Striking and triangle counter to double under pass

This is how I normally try to counter the double under guardpass when striking is allowed. It sets up a nice triangel choke.


Opponent starts out in my open guard.


He grabs under both my legs for the double under pass.


I immediately underhook one arm to block the pass.


From here I have a great position to strike him.


If he don't want to keep getting hit in the head, he will have to take his free arm out to block my strikes.


That is my clue to let go of my underhook, hold him close (e.g. behind his neck as on the picture) and throw my right leg over.


Then close in the triangle as I normally would.

Tshirt choke from guard 2

Another tshirt choke from guard, this time combining it with strikes. Always ask your training partner if it is ok you rip his tshirt before doing these moves :)


Starting out with my opponent in my closed guard, I grip his tshirt with my left hand and pull it out.


I reach around his neck with my right hand.


Then feeding with cloth with my left hand to my right hand. Notice the position of my grip with my right hand.


I lay back and stretch my right arm to thighten the choke. This is also a good position for striking.

Tshirt choke from guard 1

Easy to pull of tshirt choke from the guard position.


Starting out with my opponent in my closed guard.


With my left hand I grab his tshirt around the middle and pull it towards me to free it. "Shaking" it a little may make this easier.


I push the cloth up on to the side of his throat. In sparring/fighting he would ofcourse be fighting back and probably be leaned more forward.


I reach around his neck and with my left hand I feed the tshirt to my right. The little finger of my right hand should be positioned next to my right thumb.


I let go with my left hand and grab my right wrist.


Pulling my right hand down and pushing my left elbow up in a circular motion thightens the choke.

Attacks from backmount position using the gi

Different basic gi chokes plus an armbar setup from the backmount position.


Starting out by me having the back of my opponent.


First I try to get the regular rear naked choke. I slide one arm under my opponents chin to set it up


He knows what I'm up to, so he is defending by controlling my right arm so I can't lock it in.


So instead I reach behind my neck with my left hand and use my head and left arm to apply pressure for the choke. One arm RNC! :)


Next one. I am holding having my opponents back again.


I use my left hand to turn and grab my opponents near collar. Turning it makes it easier to grip.


I pull down the collar with my right hand and feed it to my left hand with which I grab high.


I now put my left hand behind his neck and there you have the submission.


Here is another common choke I can do when I have the collar grip as above. This time I throw my right leg over my opponents hips.


I grab his pants by the knee.


Turn to the side and apply this very effective choke.


If he won't tap, I can switch to an armbar. I let go of the pants and grab his arm instead.


Throw my left leg over his head.


And apply the armbar.