Thread: Guillotine Choke

Already...this is basically an "Ask the Trainer" question, but my big problem is that I ALWAYS get caught by guillotine chokes. I don't know what it is, but I'm always getting caught in them...be it in the shoot, from their guard, whatever. I can defend against almost any other submission EXCEPT that one...you guys have any quick pointers or anything to help me out here? Appreciate it.

Heavy without ever hitting the mats with you its hard for me to get a good idea of what you are talking about. Personally i've found that quite often people just panic from the guillotine versus actually being choked from it. The reality is its a pretty hard choke to land. You have to get your forearm under their chin and you need to have them in your guard so that they can't create space. Some pointers are working on where you place your head when you shoot. You want your head on the inside not on the outside of their body when you go for a single or double leg takedown and remeber to keep your chin tucked. In the event that they do get the beginnings of guillotine make sure to not get caught in their guard. Attempt to tuck your chin and turn it into their body to create space. Also attempt to get your body perpendicular to theirs. If your opponent only half way has the choke in they will usually gas after a while from the squeezing. Also there is a great choke you can use that is similar to the python or arm triangle I'll see if I can find a video. If your opponent attempts a standing guillotine(which is stupid) bear hug them and use an inside leg sweep. You must drive your opponent into the mat careful not to end up in their guard(half gurad is fine though). Typically the concussion from your take down will knock the air out of them and release you from their hold. I've had this work spectacularly in competition. If you are simply working on Sub grappling then before you shoot attempt to gain wrist control(this really doesn't work for MMA though) and give a good shove or jerk. It will put your opponent a little off balance or force them to shift their stance giving you the that half second needed for the takedown. I myself seldom use singel and double leg takedowns b/c I'm just not quick enough. I find myself quite often in a bad position when I shoot and miss. I prefer to pull guard or work throws and leg sweeps it lessens my exposure to moves like the guillotine... maybe something you should think about. A much more dangerous move from a failed shoot is the gator roll. Do you know it?

I know of it, but don't necessarily know it exactly....seen it used a couple times in fights and whatnot.

I think my biggest problem is just being too slow on the shoot....maybe I should really start going for clinches, then throws and sweeps, as you said to help avoid the problem entirely.

Might as well share another neat trick I learned elsewhere....

Apparently, if you're in their guard and they have you in a guillotine, I'm told that if you force your head DOWN into their armpit, and push the top of your head against the ground, it actually alleviates the "cranking" your opponent does, allowing you to worry about getting your hand in there, or whatever else you need to do to get out of there. Sounds like a neat trick, and I've heard good stories about it from 4 or 5 people.

it looks like such an easy move but you seldom see guys ended with it. swick ended riggs that way, but riggs sucks. I think shamrock had fujira (or whatever his name is) in one for about half an hour and couldn't tap him.

D, do you have a really long neck?

Originally Posted by Von Milash

it looks like such an easy move but you seldom see guys ended with it. swick ended riggs that way, but riggs sucks. I think shamrock had fujira (or whatever his name is) in one for about half an hour and couldn't tap him.

D, do you have a really long neck?

Ken torqing on Fujita is what gassed him in that fight. If he hadn't spent so much time squeezing he would have had enough energy to continue that fight. I personally look at Rear nakeds and Guillotines as moves I try once. Pretty much if you land either it won't take lots of energy or time to for the tap. If I go for it and within 10-15 secs don't get the tap I just move on. I've seen alot of guys gas out on those two moves and then get tapped themselves.

No long neck for me...I'm actually a pretty stocky build, so I have a strong neck, and can stay IN the hold for a while, but I usually start getting lightheaded from them choking my esophagus moreso than the artery. I can muscle out of it sometimes, or sometimes just ride it out until they get too tired. But not always...it has a LOT more to do with my inexperience at the ground game and how to escape it or just putting myself into it too easily than with my complete inability to defend against it.

Basically, when it comes to all things grappling, I'd what you call a "nub". I'm pretty good at the stand up aspect and apparently have some great KO power, but I just don't have the experience with grappling/subs to do any better than "just ok" on the ground.