Collar Sleeve Triangle

Submission Gi only

The Collar Sleeve Triangle is a submission executed from collar sleeve guard bottom, where the guard player uses their established grips to manipulate the opponent's posture and arm placement, creating the angle needed to lock a triangle choke with the legs. It capitalizes on the inherent cross-body control of collar sleeve guard to isolate one arm inside.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · The collar grip pulls the opponent's posture down and toward the side of the sleeve grip, breaking their alignment.
  • · The sleeve grip side leg on the bicep acts as a frame to keep that arm extended and outside your hip, ensuring only one arm enters the triangle.
  • · Hip angling toward the sleeve-grip side before shooting the legs is essential to achieve a tight, perpendicular triangle angle.
  • · Anticipate the opponent posturing up by maintaining heavy downward collar pull and threatening a hip bump or armbar to keep them engaged forward.
  • · Once the triangle is locked, pulling the head down while squeezing knees together and elevating the hips creates the carotid compression.

Execution

  1. 1 From collar sleeve guard, use your collar grip to break the opponent's posture forward while your foot on the sleeve-grip side bicep pushes that arm away from your centerline.
  2. 2 Shoot your collar-grip side leg over the opponent's neck and shoulder, simultaneously pulling them into you with the collar grip and angling your hips toward the sleeve side.
  3. 3 Bring the bicep-controlling leg off the arm and triangle-lock it over your ankle behind the opponent's head, trapping only the non-sleeve arm inside.
  4. 4 Release grips to grab your own shin to reinforce the lock, pull the opponent's head down with both hands, squeeze your knees, and lift your hips to finish the choke.

Common mistakes

  • × Shooting the leg over without first angling the hips results in a shallow, square triangle that the opponent can posture out of easily.
  • × Releasing the sleeve grip too early allows the opponent to bring their trapped arm across your body and begin standard triangle defense before the lock is secured.
  • × Failing to control the bicep leg properly lets both arms enter the triangle, eliminating the choke angle entirely.

Do it from

Positions and situations where the Collar Sleeve Triangle shows up.

Collar Sleeve Guard Bottom