Collar Tie

Collar Tie on the Digitsu Graph

Collar Tie in 3D on the Digitsu Graph

Lead leg collar tie vs south paw

Variations · 6 of 12

Moves from here

Ways in

Open in the Digitsu Graph
Position
Also known as:
Tie (Collar) Collar Ties

The collar tie is a standing clinch position where one or both hands grip behind the opponent's neck/head, controlling their posture and movement. It is used in both gi and no-gi contexts as a dominant tie-up that sets up takedowns, snaps, and submissions like the standing kimura by breaking the opponent's posture and creating offensive angles.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Control the head to control the body — where the head goes, the spine follows.
  • · Use a cupping grip behind the crown of the skull, pulling the forehead toward the mat to break posture.
  • · Keep your elbow tight and connected to your body to generate downward pressure through skeletal alignment rather than arm strength.
  • · Circle and angle off to the side of your collar tie hand to prevent the opponent from squaring up and countering.
  • · Anticipate the opponent pummel or hand-fight attempts by maintaining wrist-to-neck contact and resetting grip quickly.

Execution

  1. 1 From a neutral standing position, use your lead hand to swim inside and cup the back of the opponent's neck behind the skull.
  2. 2 Pull their head down and slightly toward you while keeping your elbow pointed down and close to your centerline.
  3. 3 Use your free hand to control their wrist, bicep, or establish a second tie to prevent their counter-grips.
  4. 4 Circle laterally toward your collar tie side, forcing the opponent to carry your weight and follow your movement.
  5. 5 From this broken-posture position, transition to attacks such as the standing kimura by capturing the near arm.

Common mistakes

  • × Gripping too high on the back of the head with a flared elbow, which gives no real downward leverage and allows the opponent to posture up easily.
  • × Standing square in front of the opponent while holding the collar tie, making yourself vulnerable to their shots and level changes.
  • × Relying on arm strength to pull the head down rather than using body weight and proper elbow alignment, leading to rapid fatigue.

Attacks & transitions

Offense available from Collar Tie.

Kimura From Standing submission