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Guillotine choke from single leg defense – Jiu-jitsu Diary

Date posted: October 10, 2025

The setup

If your single leg gets caught and you are about to be taken down by a single leg, snap their head down. Quickly circle the same arm, catching your partner’s head under your armpit. Bring the bony part of your forearm (closer to your wrist) and position it right underneath their chin, cutting into their airway (the guillotine is an air choke, not a blood choke). Connect the choking arm with your other hand by grabbing the back of your hand (toward the little finger).

Finish the Choke

To finish the choke, bring your lat down to control their head, preventing them from posturing up out of the choke. Keep your wrist, forearm, and elbow in a straight line (don’t bend the wrist). Turn the choking arm as if you are looking at a watch, and with the other hand, bring the choking hand up into their airway. You can also control the other shoulder by bringing your outside arm’s forearm to their back, aligning it with their spine.

Tip for snapping the head down

To snap their head down more easily, instead of having your hand at the base of their neck, move it up a bit toward their hairline.

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Guillotine choke from single leg defense – Jiu-jitsu Diary

The setup

If your single leg gets caught and you are about to be taken down by a single leg, snap their head down. Quickly circle the same arm, catching your partner’s head under your armpit. Bring the bony part of your forearm (closer to your wrist) and position it right underneath their chin, cutting into their airway (the guillotine is an air choke, not a blood choke). Connect the choking arm with your other hand by grabbing the back of your hand (toward the little finger).

Finish the Choke

To finish the choke, bring your lat down to control their head, preventing them from posturing up out of the choke. Keep your wrist, forearm, and elbow in a straight line (don’t bend the wrist). Turn the choking arm as if you are looking at a watch, and with the other hand, bring the choking hand up into their airway. You can also control the other shoulder by bringing your outside arm’s forearm to their back, aligning it with their spine.

Tip for snapping the head down

To snap their head down more easily, instead of having your hand at the base of their neck, move it up a bit toward their hairline.

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Guillotine choke from single leg defense – Jiu-jitsu Diary

The setup

If your single leg gets caught and you are about to be taken down by a single leg, snap their head down. Quickly circle the same arm, catching your partner’s head under your armpit. Bring the bony part of your forearm (closer to your wrist) and position it right underneath their chin, cutting into their airway (the guillotine is an air choke, not a blood choke). Connect the choking arm with your other hand by grabbing the back of your hand (toward the little finger).

Finish the Choke

To finish the choke, bring your lat down to control their head, preventing them from posturing up out of the choke. Keep your wrist, forearm, and elbow in a straight line (don’t bend the wrist). Turn the choking arm as if you are looking at a watch, and with the other hand, bring the choking hand up into their airway. You can also control the other shoulder by bringing your outside arm’s forearm to their back, aligning it with their spine.

Tip for snapping the head down

To snap their head down more easily, instead of having your hand at the base of their neck, move it up a bit toward their hairline.

go back