BJJ Graph

Guillotine Control

Dec 09, 202510 min read

Guillotine Control represents a fundamental attacking position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where one practitioner secures a front headlock grip with submission intent, controlling the opponent’s head and neck while threatening immediate choke submission. This position exists across a spectrum of scenarios—from standing clinch exchanges to ground-based situations—and creates powerful strategic dilemmas for the defender who must simultaneously protect against the submission while preventing positional advancement. The guillotine’s effectiveness stems from its versatility as both a high-percentage finishing technique and a control position that severely limits the opponent’s offensive options.

The position manifests in two distinct perspectives: bottom and top. From bottom, the practitioner uses the guillotine as an offensive weapon from what would otherwise be a defensive position, transforming guard retention scenarios into immediate submission threats. This creates forcing situations where the opponent must choose between defending the choke or advancing position, with either choice potentially leading to the bottom player’s success. From top, the guillotine becomes a dominant control position offering superior leverage and multiple pathways to victory, whether through direct submission finish, positional advancement to mount or back control, or transitions to related attacks like anaconda and darce chokes.

Strategically, Guillotine Control exemplifies the principle of creating binary defensive choices. Opponents must decide whether to prioritize neck defense through hand fighting and chin protection, or positional defense by preventing guard closure or position advancement. This decision tree, combined with the constant pressure of the choking threat, creates energy-draining scenarios where defenders must work actively while attackers can maintain relative efficiency. Modern systems emphasize the guillotine as part of comprehensive front headlock frameworks that include multiple submission variations and seamless transitions to dominant positions, making it a cornerstone technique in both gi and no-gi competition at all levels.

Key Principles

  • Maintain deep front headlock grip with choking arm positioned against neck structures for immediate submission threat

  • Control opponent’s posture by keeping head below hips to prevent escape and maintain submission pressure

  • Coordinate upper body control through grip with lower body positioning to prevent opponent’s base and space creation

  • Adjust between grip variations (arm-in, high-elbow, standard) based on opponent’s defensive reactions and arm positioning

  • Use constant submission threat to create dilemmas forcing opponent to choose between defending neck or defending position

  • Transition fluidly between submission attempts and positional improvements when primary attack is defended

  • Maintain connection between choking structures and your body to prevent gaps that reduce submission effectiveness

Top vs Bottom

 BottomTop
Position TypeDefensive with offensive optionsOffensive/Controlling
Risk LevelHighLow to Medium
Energy CostHighMedium
TimeShort to MediumShort to Medium

Key Difference: Front headlock submission with dual perspectives

Playing as Bottom

→ Full Bottom Guide

Key Principles

  • Maintain constant upward lifting pressure with choking arm while simultaneously pulling opponent’s head down toward chest to compress neck and close choking angle

  • Coordinate hip movement and guard retention to prevent opponent from driving weight forward and flattening bottom player or passing guard while defending choke

  • Keep elbows tight to body and avoid allowing opponent to create space between choking arm and their neck by posturing up or rotating shoulders

  • Use legs actively to control opponent’s posture and distance, preventing them from either backing out completely or advancing to dominant positions like side control or mount

  • Adjust choking mechanics based on opponent’s defense, transitioning between different guillotine variations (arm-in, high elbow, ten-finger) as opponent reacts and creates openings

  • Maintain constant threat of submission finish while remaining prepared to transition to sweep attempts or alternative submissions if opponent successfully defends primary attack

  • Protect against counter-passes by maintaining active guard structure and being ready to transition to different guard variations or re-establish position if opponent begins advancing

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Pulling opponent’s head up instead of down while attempting to finish choke

    • Consequence: Creates space between choking arm and neck, allowing opponent to posture up and escape, while also exposing bottom player to guard pass
    • ✅ Correction: Pull opponent’s head down toward chest while simultaneously lifting upward with choking arm, creating compression on neck from both directions

  • ❌ Allowing legs to go passive or losing guard connection during finish attempt

    • Consequence: Opponent drives forward and passes guard while defending choke, transitioning to side control or mount and neutralizing submission threat
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain active guard structure with legs, using butterfly hooks, closed guard, or half guard to control opponent’s hips and prevent forward advancement

  • ❌ Gripping hands in incorrect position (too high on neck or too low near shoulders)

    • Consequence: Choke lacks proper leverage and compression, allowing opponent to defend indefinitely while working to improve position or counter-attack
    • ✅ Correction: Ensure choking arm is positioned at proper depth around neck with wrist blade across trachea or carotid, and hands clasped in optimal position for chosen guillotine variation

  • ❌ Committing fully to choke finish without being prepared to transition when opponent defends effectively

    • Consequence: Wastes energy on low-percentage finish attempt while opponent improves position or sets up counter-submissions like Von Flue choke
    • ✅ Correction: Recognize opponent’s defensive adjustments early and smoothly transition to sweep attempts, alternative submissions, or guard retention as appropriate

  • ❌ Allowing elbows to flare away from body during choke attempt

    • Consequence: Creates space that opponent exploits to turn shoulders, extract head, or advance position while reducing effectiveness of choking pressure
    • ✅ Correction: Keep elbows tight to torso throughout finish sequence, maintaining connection between choking arm and body to eliminate escape space

  • ❌ Failing to adjust choking mechanics when opponent traps arm inside (arm-in defense)

    • Consequence: Continues attempting traditional guillotine finish against trapped arm, burning energy without progress while opponent works to pass or escape
    • ✅ Correction: Recognize arm-in situation immediately and transition to arm-in guillotine variation or switch to alternative attacks like triangle or anaconda

  • ❌ Releasing choke grip prematurely when opponent appears to be defending successfully

    • Consequence: Abandons dominant attacking position unnecessarily, giving opponent free pass to improve position or recover from defensive situation
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain choke control while transitioning to complementary attacks or positional improvements, only releasing grip when opponent has fully escaped or better opportunity presents itself

Playing as Top

→ Full Top Guide

Key Principles

  • Keep opponent’s head lower than their hips at all times to maintain choke pressure and prevent escape

  • Use hip pressure and body weight to close space and prevent opponent from creating defensive distance

  • Maintain tight connection between choking arm and your torso—any gap reduces choking pressure significantly

  • Control opponent’s ability to turn into you or away from you using head position, shoulder pressure, and leg positioning

  • Adjust grip and angle continuously based on opponent’s defensive movements rather than maintaining static position

  • Use the threat of the choke to facilitate position advancement when direct finish is not immediately available

  • Keep your own posture strong and base wide to prevent opponent from sweeping or reversing while you work the submission

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Pulling straight back on the choke without controlling opponent’s hips or legs

    • Consequence: Opponent establishes closed guard, neutralizes top position advantage, and may even sweep or submit with own attacks
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain hip pressure forward, sprawl legs back, and use circular pulling motion while stepping to side to prevent guard closure

  • ❌ Allowing gap between choking arm and your own torso during finish attempt

    • Consequence: Choking pressure dissipates entirely, opponent can breathe freely, and defensive hand fighting becomes much more effective
    • ✅ Correction: Keep elbow tight to ribs, pull forearm into your chest/sternum, and use lat engagement to maintain compression throughout the choke

  • ❌ Maintaining only one grip configuration regardless of opponent’s defensive adjustments

    • Consequence: Predictable attack allows opponent to develop specific defense, reducing finish rate and wasting energy on ineffective attempts
    • ✅ Correction: Flow between palm-to-palm, gable grip, and arm-in variations based on opponent’s chin position and hand fighting responses

  • ❌ Neglecting positional advancement when opponent successfully defends the choke

    • Consequence: Stalemate position develops where neither player can advance, wasting time and energy without productive outcome
    • ✅ Correction: Use opponent’s focus on neck defense to pass guard, take mount, or transition to other submissions like anaconda or darce

  • ❌ Pulling upward on opponent’s head instead of controlling direction with shoulder and hip positioning

    • Consequence: Opponent can bridge, roll, or create angles that relieve pressure and potentially reverse position
    • ✅ Correction: Keep opponent’s head directed toward your hip/pocket, use shoulder pressure to control their upper body direction, sprawl to prevent bridges

  • ❌ Gripping too shallow with forearm across face instead of deep around neck

    • Consequence: No choking pressure on carotid arteries or trachea, opponent experiences discomfort but not submission threat, extended stalling occurs
    • ✅ Correction: Ensure blade of forearm or bicep crosses front of throat, adjust entry angle if needed, and verify hand position is behind opponent’s head not their face

  • ❌ Remaining stationary and static instead of making micro-adjustments to angle and pressure

    • Consequence: Opponent finds comfortable defensive position, can breathe and think clearly, eventually escapes or forces stalemate
    • ✅ Correction: Constantly adjust hip angle, stepping pattern, and shoulder pressure in small increments to maintain opponent’s discomfort and prevent defensive settling

  • Front Headlock - Parent position category - broader control position before securing guillotine grip

  • Anaconda Control - Alternative submission when opponent turns into guillotine defense

  • D’arce Control - Alternative submission when opponent rotates away from guillotine pressure

  • Closed Guard - Common consolidation position from standing guillotine entry

  • Half Guard - Frequent transition point when opponent defends and advances position

  • Mount - Advancement target when using guillotine threat for positional improvement

  • Back Control - Transition opportunity when opponent turns away from choking pressure

  • North-South - Alternative advancement position maintaining head control

  • Turtle - Common entry position for securing guillotine grip

  • Standing Position - Primary entry context for guillotine from sprawls and clinch exchanges

  • Side Control - Advancement target when passing while maintaining guillotine grip