Did you know that there's an actual physics and biomechanics-based procedure that'll definitely help you tap out many more people in BJJ? At a high level there's so much more more to getting a choke or an armlock than simply seeing an opportunity and jumping on it. That approach rarely works against good people. Instead it's about gradually manoeuvring your opponent into worse and worse … [Read more...]
Brabo choke
The 10 Second Choke Fix (or How to Tap Out More People)
How many times has a sparring partner told you "Man, I was SO close to tapping" after you'd been squeezing their neck like crazy in a desperate attempt to choke them, but then decided that it wasn't working and gave up on the submission? Frustrating, isn't it? Or have you ever held a choke for so long that you completely burn out your grips and have to fight the rest of the match with jello … [Read more...]
How to Make Your Chokes Tighter
Psst, wanna tap out more people with chokes, including that super-tough guy with the giant neck? Success in choking is all about the details and getting the underlying mechanics correct. Yes, you can get chokes to work with bad technique - people do it all the time. But it's difficult, wastes a lot of energy, and isn't very high percentage. But on the other hand as soon as you get the … [Read more...]
How To Do The Lapel-Based Brabo Choke in the Gi
From our very first day on the mat we're taught to pass the guard before attacking with a submission. Pass... Establish position... And only then try to submit! So when a technique like the gi-based Brabo choke comes along it seems very counterinintuitive. Because in it you stay in his half guard, you don't try to pass, and you still attack with a choke. Every rule - including the primacy … [Read more...]
The Difference Between the Brabo Choke and the Anaconda Choke… Plus Tips for Both
I recently received the following question about the Brabo and Anaconda chokes from a reader of the Grapplearts Newsletter: Hi Stephan, I've been training in BJJ for about a year. In no gi training I really like chokes, but I still get confused sometimes: what is the difference between the Anaconda Choke and the Brabo Choke? I get my hand positioning all messed up every time I try either … [Read more...]
No Gi “Brabo” Choke from Top Half Guard
The Brabo Choke can be a match-ending submission. And one of the best times to apply it is when you're on top in the half guard.. In this technique Marcio finds himself in Marco’s half guard, but without the gi. Marcio wraps his right arm around his opponent’s left arm and cups his head with the other … [Read more...]
“Brabo” Choke with Gi from Top Half Guard
You can attack with this version of the Brabo Choke anytime your opponent is using his half guard from the bottom and is wearing a gi... Marcio (dark gi) is caught in Marco’s (white gi) half guard. Marco is on his side with his left arm under Marcio’s armpit. Marcio free’s Marco’s left lapel, stretching it behind his body… and passes it to his right hand, under Marco’s … [Read more...]
The Best Brabo Choke Resources
The 'Brabo' choke is a powerful weapon in BJJ, MMA, and Submission Grappling. And people are beginning to realize this. In fact, shortly after Paulo Thiago defeated Mike Swick at UFC 109 a reader asked me to write about the Brabo choke (Thiago finished the fight in the second round using this very choke choke). I've always had a suspicion that this attack (also known as the 'Darce choke') … [Read more...]
Brabo Choke Defense
A fan of the half guard recently asked me how they could avoid getting caught in the Brabo choke: "I like going for the foot grab sweep from half guard. My problem is that I always get caught in a guillotine choke or Brabo choke when I go for the leg of my opponent. What can I do to stop getting choked all the time?" The first step of defending any technique is to understand the technique. … [Read more...]
Jiu-jitsu and Physical Attributes
Physical attributes are things like balance, neck strength, limb length, explosiveness, leg flexibility, and percent body fat. Your physical attributes are the foundation of what you can do with your body, and are influenced by genetics, training, age and injuries. Some instructors teach as if everyone, regardless of age, build and flexibility, can use the same techniques. Well I'm here to tell … [Read more...]
Don’t be Afraid of Making your Students Better (Than You)
Normally in this newsletter I try to help you tap other people out, or at the very least make it more difficult for others to tap you out. This week's advice will result in you getting tapped out MORE often, not less, but you'll be a better grappler because of it. Let me start with an example. Recently I taught a sparring partner a new choke to attack the half guard (the 'Brabo' choke). This … [Read more...]