Triangle choke

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The bottom fighter's legs constrict around the top fighter's neck and arm for a strangulation effect.

This article is about triangle chokes using the legs, for usage of the arms in a similar manner, see Arm triangle choke.

A triangle choke (called Sankaku-Jime in judo) is a type of figure-four chokehold which strangles the opponent by encircling the opponent's neck and one arm with the legs in a configuration similar to the shape of a triangle. The technique is a type of lateral vascular restraint that constricts the blood flow from the carotid arteries to the brain.

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, this hold is usually applied with the legs from a ground position such as the guard. One leg encircles the neck and shoulder, with the knee next to the neck; the other leg crosses the ankle of the first leg, using the foot of the first leg to "lock" the second leg at the knee. The effectiveness of the technique can be increased by pulling the legs together and using the arms to pull the opponents head towards the attacker's shoulder.

If done correctly, this technique can cause temporary unconsciousness in seconds. If done incorrectly or held too long, it may injure or kill the opponent. It is used in various grappling martial arts, including Jujutsu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Sambo, as well as in mixed martial arts competition.

1 Escaping the triangle choke
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Escaping the triangle choke

If the legs aren't locked in, there are many options for escaping the hold. Depending on the position, it is possible to simply stand up, or to roll out. The arm in between the legs can be pulled out, and if the opponent was holding guard, the guard can be passed into side control.

Escaping the triangle choke once the legs are properly locked in the triangle formation is difficult. The opponent can start applying the choke, and it is often no longer possible to stand up or roll out. You may also reach up and use a neck crank to force the opponent to uncross his legs. A commonly used (though illegal in many pure grappling competitions) tactic in this situation is to stand up with the opponent hanging around the neck, and slamming the opponent into the ground. A powerful slam may cause the opponent to lose the choke, and it may be escaped.

A common counter to this slam, however, is to hook the opponents leg causing him to fall back down thus rendering the slam useless. If the opponent stands while in a triangle, the risk of an armbar significantly increases as the choker could simply grab the arm and bend the elbow at the waist.