Guillotine Choke
Also known as: Front Headlock Choke, Standing Guillotine
The guillotine is one of grappling's most versatile submissions, attackable from standing, guard, and top positions. It punishes poor head position during shots, guard passes, and transitions. The key distinction is between the arm-in guillotine (blood choke) and high-elbow/Marcelotine (trachea compression). Both are fight-enders, but understanding when to use each transforms this from a low-percentage squeeze to a high-percentage finish.
🎯Key Details
Chin strap grip
Your forearm wraps under their chin, blade of the wrist pressing into the throat. Your hand grabs your own wrist or connects in a gable grip. The grip should feel like a chin strap, not a neck hug.
High elbow position
For the Marcelotine variation, your elbow points to the ceiling, creating a sharp angle that digs into the throat. Lower elbow creates a blood choke; high elbow creates an air choke.
Hip positioning
From guard, angle your hips toward the choking side. This creates torque that tightens the choke. Flat hips leak pressure.
Arm-in vs arm-out
Arm-in guillotine is generally tighter and harder to defend. Arm-out requires perfect positioning but can be attacked faster. Learn both.
Closed guard finish
Close your guard, angle hips, pull their head down while arching your back. The finish comes from hip extension plus arm compression.
⚠️Common Mistakes
Hugging the head instead of attacking the neck
Your forearm must be under the chin, across the throat. Head hugging is exhausting and ineffective.
Flat back from guard
Angle your body 45 degrees toward the choking side. Flat back = no leverage = they escape.
Pulling straight back
Pull down and toward your hip while arching. Straight back pull lets them posture and stack.
Giving up position for a loose guillotine
If the grip isn't perfect, use it to sweep or transition. A bad guillotine from guard ends with you on bottom of side control.
🚀Setups
- •Sprawl on a bad shot
- •Front headlock from turtle
- •Guard pull with immediate guillotine threat
- •Standing snap down
- •As they posture in closed guard
🛡️Counters / Defenses
- •Von Flue choke (from top)
- •Stack and pass
- •Posture up and strip the grip
- •Head inside single leg to escape
🔄Variations
📍Applicable Positions
🔗Related Techniques
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