Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - The Guillotine Choke

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a sacred martial art that has been studied and practiced for many decades now. It revolutionized martial arts as we know it today due to the fact that it enabled a much smaller man to incapacitate and defeat a larger opponent, a feat though to be nearly impossible by conventional standards at the time of the styles creation. Using leverage and the joints in the body against each other, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, better known as BJJ, when utilized properly, can allow a small man to take down and defend himself against much stronger people, thus becoming a worldwide sensation upon discovery.

One of the most famous chokes is the guillotine choke, aptly named as it causes severe pressure on the neck of the assailant/opponent (although it shouldn't decapitate the opponent if applied correctly). The choke itself can be utilized in 2 separate ways, both rendering the opponent unconscious if applied for long enough periods of time. One of the methods is a tracheal choke, compressing the trachea and preventing oxygen flow to the lungs, and the other blocks blood flow to the brain, both resulting in an unconscious opponent.

It can be applied while in a standing position as well as on the ground. Additionally, one can begin the move in a standing position and "pull guard" and pull the opponent down with you, cutting off his ability to spring an attack. This allows you to control the opponent better and make sure he cannot run off or throw knees into your body or groin. Pulling guard is often thought to be a risky type of move due to the fact that if your opponent pulls out of the choke, he is now on top of you completely and can reign down blows on your body. This is why you must be careful when pulling your assailant down; be sure that your hold is firm and he cannot escape.

When practicing with a friend or fellow BJJ teammate, it is important to understand that serious injury can occur if you hold the choke too long. Signaling that you're about to go to sleep or that you cannot get out of the hold is very important and is almost universally achieved with a tapping motion, either on your opponent's body to let them know of the tap out, or on the mat loud enough for a referee to hear.