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Black belt · Submission · Key

Reverse triangle from top (side control or turtle)

A triangle with your legs from top, locking their head and one arm while you face their legs. Use it when they frame with their near arm from bottom side control or post an arm from turtle.

Side control Submission

How to do the Reverse/Inverted Triangle Choke in BJJ, Judo and No Gi Grappling (Gyaku-Sankaku Jime) · Stephan Kesting · YouTube

Step by step

  1. From side control, push their near arm across their neck and pin it there with your head and shoulder, as for an arm triangle.
  2. Keep it pinned and walk toward their head, turning to face their legs. Sit to your hip by their trapped shoulder.
  3. Slide your bottom leg under their head so your shin crosses the back of their neck. Lift their head with your hand if you need room.
  4. Bring your top leg over the trapped arm and lock your knee pit over the ankle of your bottom leg. Their head and near arm are inside, the far arm is out.
  5. From turtle: pin one of their arms to their head from the front headlock, step your knee over the back of their neck, and sit to your hip to roll them onto their back. Lock your legs the same way.
  6. Finish slowly. Grip the trapped wrist, squeeze your knees together, and lift your hips a little. If they hold out, switch to the armbar or kimura on the trapped arm.

Details that make it work

  • The trapped arm must stay across their neck. If it slips out you only have the head, so let go and reset.
  • Turn your hips toward their legs so your thigh, not your calf or knee, presses the side of their neck.

Common mistakes

  • Locking the legs before the arm is pinned, so they pull it out.
  • Squeezing the head or jaw instead of the neck and arm together.

Drill it

From side control, 8 entries each side to the locked legs. Then 2 rounds of 2 minutes where your partner tries to free the arm.

If it fails, or what comes next

How to defend it

Triangle defense: How to stop the triangle from inside their guard: posture, both arms in or out, deny the angle, then stack and clear the leg. Use it whenever their legs start…

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