1. Objective and Purpose
The Triangle Choke is a powerful submission that targets the opponent’s neck and carotid arteries using the legs to form a choke. It is typically performed from the bottom, with the person on their back, and is a combination of a choke and a blood strangulation. By cutting off blood flow to the brain through the carotid arteries, the submission can cause the opponent to tap out due to the loss of consciousness or extreme discomfort.
2. Steps for Execution of the Triangle Choke
- Initial Position:
- Start by being on your back, usually from the guard position (closed guard or open guard). You will need to create an opportunity to break your opponent’s posture and get one of their arms across your body.
- Control the Head and Arm:
- As your opponent attempts to posture up or pass your guard, use your hands to control their head or neck, keeping their posture low. At the same time, you want to ensure that one of their arms is trapped between your legs, across your body.
- Cross-Arm Control: Control the opponent’s arm (typically the arm closest to your body) by holding their wrist or grabbing the back of their head. This helps ensure that their arm is isolated across your body.
- Position the Leg Over the Neck:
- Once their arm is across your body, you will shoot one of your legs up, placing it over their neck. The goal is to position the leg so that the back of your knee is around their neck, with the opponent’s head inside the “triangle” formed by your legs.
- Lock the Triangle: Lock your legs together by placing your foot behind the knee of the leg that is over the opponent’s neck. This creates a secure, triangular shape with your legs, hence the name Triangle Choke.
- Finishing the Submission:
- Pull the Opponent’s Head Down: To tighten the choke, pull your opponent’s head towards your chest while using your legs to squeeze their neck. At the same time, press the opponent’s trapped arm across their throat to add more pressure.
- Adjust the Angle: To maximize the pressure, you may need to adjust your body slightly by rotating your hips and pulling your opponent’s head further down. Your opponent’s neck should be squeezed by your thigh, and the shoulder should compress the carotid arteries.
- Finish the Submission: Continue applying pressure, and the opponent will either tap out due to discomfort or unconsciousness, or they will give up due to the lack of blood flow to the brain.
3. Defensive Techniques Against the Triangle Choke
- Avoid the Setup:
- The best defense against the triangle choke is to prevent it from being set up in the first place. This means not allowing your opponent to break your posture and ensuring their arms do not pass across your body while you are in their guard.
- Posture Up and Create Distance:
- The opponent needs to be able to pull you down and isolate your arm in order to attempt the triangle. By keeping good posture (sitting upright) and creating distance between your upper body and your opponent’s legs, you can make it more difficult for them to lock in the triangle choke.
- Elbow to the Thigh:
- If your opponent has already initiated the triangle by placing their leg over your neck, you can defend by trying to press your elbow into the opponent’s thigh or hip. This can help alleviate some of the pressure and create space to escape.
- Keep Your Arm Positioned Correctly:
- When caught in the triangle, make sure that your arm that’s across the body remains in a good position (usually behind the opponent’s legs). It should not be completely locked in; keep it slightly bent and attempt to work it free from their legs.
- Avoid Getting Flattened:
- If you are caught in the triangle, one key defense is to avoid getting flattened to your back. Stay on your side and try to prevent your opponent from rotating your hips or adjusting their legs to lock the submission in more tightly.
4. Counter-Defense for the Triangle Choke
- Stack the Opponent:
- One of the most effective counters to a triangle choke is to stack your opponent. Stack them by driving your body weight forward over their chest, forcing their shoulders to the mat. This reduces the angle and pressure on your neck, making it harder for them to finish the submission.
- Tighten the Grip on Their Body: While stacking, control the opponent’s hips to prevent them from adjusting their legs or readjusting their position.
- Posture Up and Pull Out:
- Another counter is to posture up by driving your head and shoulders away from your opponent. This creates space between your neck and their legs. You can then attempt to pull your head out of the triangle, often by using your hands to push their legs or control their hips.
- Head to the Ground:
- As a last resort, in some cases, you can attempt to tuck your chin down and place your head on the ground. This can help to prevent your opponent from fully securing the choke and may allow you to work your way out of the submission.
- Work on the Arm:
- Sometimes, by working on freeing the arm that’s caught in the triangle, you can create enough space to escape. Depending on how your opponent has locked their legs, you may be able to extract your arm from under their body, which will relieve pressure and give you a chance to escape.
5. Keys to Success
- Proper Leg Positioning: The key to successfully locking in the triangle is having your leg over the opponent’s neck and ensuring the pressure is applied to their carotid arteries. Keeping your foot behind your knee creates a tighter lock.
- Controlling the Opponent’s Arm: Isolating one of the opponent’s arms and pulling it across their body is essential for setting up the triangle choke. Without arm control, the opponent can easily defend and prevent the choke.
- Adjusting the Hips: When finishing the triangle, the key is to rotate your hips and pull their head downward. Small adjustments to your position can make the submission tighter and more difficult to escape.
- Staying Calm: The triangle choke is often initiated from a guard position. If you can maintain composure and move with purpose, you can either finish the submission or defend and escape if it is applied to you.
6. Common Mistakes
- Not Securing the Leg Over the Neck Properly: One of the most common mistakes is failing to get the leg securely over the opponent’s neck, which makes it difficult to finish the choke.
- Not Squeezing the Right Way: It’s important to squeeze the submission by pulling the opponent’s head towards your chest while keeping your legs tight. Just using your legs or pulling their head alone will not be as effective.
- Leaving Too Much Space: If you allow too much space between your legs or between your opponent’s neck and your thighs, the triangle becomes much easier to escape.
The Triangle Choke is a versatile and effective submission used by grapplers and MMA fighters alike. Whether executed from guard or countered from a top position, it offers a high success rate if applied correctly. Understanding both the offensive and defensive aspects of the triangle choke is essential for mastering this powerful submission technique.