Submission · Choke · Fundamental
FundamentalChokeGi & no-gi

Triangle (Sankaku Jime)

A submission (choke) you hit from Closed guard, Knee shield / Z-guard, Spider guard, Lasso guard, Collar sleeve guard, Seated open guard, Inverted guard, Rubber guard and De La Riva guard. Fundamental level.

Triangle (Sankaku Jime) · 1 of 35

BJJ for Beginners: Triangle Choke from Guard

Report a problemGlobal Martial Arts University · on YouTube
Your bookmarks

Press Bookmark while a detail you want to rewatch is on screen.

Starts from

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

Closed guardKnee shield / Z-guardSpider guardLasso guardCollar sleeve guardSeated open guardInverted guardRubber guardDe La Riva guard

Key steps

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

  1. Push one of their arms back while keeping the other inside
  2. Swing your leg over their neck
  3. Bring your shin across the back of their neck and lock that ankle behind your other knee
  4. Angle off, pull the head down and squeeze
If they defend it

They stack you: switch to the armbar or omoplata.

Common mistakes

Common mistake

Locking it square without cutting the angle.

Key details
  • One arm in, one arm out
  • Cut the angle to tighten it
In competition

Tied for second most common finish at ADCC 2026, with 6 of 50 submissions.

Source: BJJ Heroes, 2026 ADCC World Championship Results

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 guardKnee shield / Z-guardSpider guardLasso guardCollar sleeve guardSeated open guardInverted guardRubber guard
Defend it
How to escape the triangle
Similar submissions
Rear naked choke (Hadaka Jime)Arm triangle (Kata Gatame)GuillotineD'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 guardOpen guard setHalf guard set

Safety and research

Read about itGrapplearts articlesBJJ Heroes

Practice

Quick checkTriangle (Sankaku Jime) 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)Tripod sweepSweep → Passing open guardSickle sweepSweep → Passing open guardKnee shield sweepSweep → Half guard (top)BerimboloSweep → Back controlBalloon sweepSweep → Mount (Tate Shiho Gatame)
← Rear naked choke (Hadaka Jime)2 of 44 submissionsArm triangle (Kata Gatame) →