The Triangle Choke
Few images are more synonymous with jiu-jitsu than the triangle — legs wrapped around an opponent's head and arm, finishing them with their own shoulder. It is the signature attack of the guard and the ultimate proof that leverage beats strength. Here is how to actually finish it (hint: it's the angle), and how to escape when you're the one caught.
By the numbers: Across 3,209 finishes by 97 elite grapplers, the triangle family ranked among the top five submissions in the sport. See the full ranking in our submission data study.
What is the triangle choke?
The triangle choke (sankaku-jime) is a blood choke applied from the guard using your legs. You trap the opponent's head and one arm between your thighs, lock a figure-four behind their neck, and squeeze — cutting the carotid arteries with the pressure of your thigh on one side and their own trapped shoulder on the other. “One arm in, one arm out” is the golden rule.
The details that make it finish
- One arm in, one arm out. The trapped arm becomes the second wall of the choke; two arms in (or out) will not strangle.
- Cut the angle. This is the detail everyone misses. A triangle finished flat on your back rarely works — pivot perpendicular to your opponent so your shin crosses the back of their neck.
- Break their posture. An opponent who can posture up will stack and escape; control the head and keep them broken down.
- Finish by pulling the head, squeezing the knees, and curling — not by leg strength alone.
Common mistakes
- Staying flat on your back instead of cutting the angle.
- Trapping both arms (or neither) instead of one-in, one-out.
- Letting them posture and stack before you lock the angle.
How to defend and escape the triangle
Caught in a triangle? Posture up immediately, drive the trapped arm across to the far hip, and stack forward to stop them from cutting the angle. Stay heavy and don't panic — a triangle without the angle is survivable. Henry Akins breaks down a detailed, high-percentage escape below.
▶ “Ultimate Escape from the Triangle Choke” — Henry Akins' Hidden Jiu-Jitsu (Rickson Gracie black belt).
Frequently asked questions
What is a triangle choke?
A blood choke from the guard that uses your legs to trap the opponent's head and one arm, cutting the carotid arteries with your thigh and their own shoulder.
Why can't I finish my triangle choke?
Almost always the angle. Finishing flat on your back rarely works — pivot perpendicular so your shin crosses the back of the neck, break their posture, and pull the head.
How do you escape a triangle choke?
Posture up early, drive the trapped arm to the far hip, and stack forward before they can cut the angle. Stay calm and heavy.
See it on The BJJ Project
Our primary video source for the encyclopedia is The BJJ Project — the channel of Rickson-lineage black belt Chris “Bones” Burns, a friend of the show. Here is the triangle — the setups, the finishing angle, and the defense:
▶ “This Is Why I Teach Triangle Setups Differently” — Chris “Bones” Burns · The BJJ Project.
▶ “Leg Triangle Secrets: Maximising the Tap Finish” — Chris “Bones” Burns · The BJJ Project.
▶ “Defend the Triangle” — The BJJ Project.
Learn from the source: the Rickson lineage
These details come from the Rickson-Gracie school of “invisible jiu-jitsu.” Go even deeper with Chris “Bones” Burns' The BJJ Project and Henry Akins' Hidden Jiu-Jitsu, and hear the philosophy on our podcast with Rickson-lineage black belts Scott Burr and James Driskill.
Part of the BJJ Encyclopedia. Videos are the property of their creators and are embedded from YouTube with credit — please support these instructors. Catch the podcast on YouTube and Spotify.