Submission · Choke · Fundamental
FundamentalChokeGi & no-gi

Guillotine

A submission (choke) you hit from Closed guard, Butterfly guard, Half guard, Standing, Front headlock, Knee shield / Z-guard, Sprawl (shot defense), Clinch (collar tie) and Half butterfly guard. Fundamental level.

Guillotine · 1 of 10

How to Finish the Guillotine Choke

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Starts from

Get to one of these positions first, then look for the guillotine.

Closed guardButterfly guardHalf guardStandingFront headlockKnee shield / Z-guardSprawl (shot defense)Clinch (collar tie)Half butterfly guard

Key steps

Choke. Tap early in training, and let go as soon as your partner taps.

  1. Wrap your arm around their neck
  2. Hand under their chin with the forearm against the throat
  3. Grab your wrist with your other hand
  4. Lift your elbow and squeeze
If they defend it

They walk to your choking-arm side to kill the angle: switch to the arm-in guillotine or a sweep.

Common mistakes

Common mistake

Pulling with the arms instead of hips and shoulders.

Key details
  • Arm-in or high-elbow versions both work
  • Close guard or get to an angle for leverage

How to defend it

Caught in it?
Learn the early defense, the escape and when to tap.
How to escape it

Related positions & techniques

Starts from
Closed guardButterfly guardHalf guardStandingFront headlockKnee shield / Z-guardSprawl (shot defense)
Defend it
How to escape the guillotine
Similar submissions
Rear naked choke (Hadaka Jime)Triangle (Sankaku Jime)Arm triangle (Kata Gatame)D'Arce chokeAnaconda chokeNorth-south choke
Also from Closed guard
Scissor sweepHip bump sweepFlower (pendulum) sweepOmoplata sweepKimura trap back takeArm drag to the back (guard)
In courses
Foundations II: Closed guardFoundations III: Half guardFoundations VI: Standing, front headlock & backOpen guard setHalf guard set
Seminars

Safety and research

Read about itGrapplearts articlesBJJ Heroes

Practice

Quick checkGuillotine quick check4 questions
My notes

Saved automatically.

More from these positionsOther techniques that start where this one does
Scissor sweepSweep → Mount (Tate Shiho Gatame)Hip bump sweepSweep → Mount (Tate Shiho Gatame)Flower (pendulum) sweepSweep → Mount (Tate Shiho Gatame)Butterfly hook sweepSweep → Side control (Yoko Shiho Gatame)Old school sweepSweep → Half guard (top)Knee shield sweepSweep → Half guard (top)Electric chair sweepSweep → Half guard (top)Omoplata sweepSweep → Side control (Yoko Shiho Gatame)
← Arm triangle (Kata Gatame)4 of 44 submissionsD'Arce choke →