From the bottom perspective, the Hindulotine position represents an offensive attacking opportunity where you have secured a guillotine grip on your opponent while using your body position to create rotational pressure on their neck. This bottom perspective typically occurs when you’ve pulled guard or been taken down while maintaining head control, allowing you to establish the choke from your back with your legs either in closed guard, butterfly guard, or configured to control your opponent’s hips.

The bottom Hindulotine differs from standard guard-based guillotines in the angle and mechanics of the finish. Rather than simply pulling your opponent’s head down toward your chest, you create a perpendicular or angular hip position that generates torque on the neck. Your legs play a crucial role in preventing your opponent from posturing up or circling to relieve pressure, while your grip creates the direct choking force.

From bottom Hindulotine, your primary goal is to finish the submission through precise angle adjustments and grip optimization. However, this position also offers excellent control that can be maintained while you adjust your attack or transition to other submissions. The key challenge from bottom is preventing your opponent from using their weight and pressure to flatten you out while maintaining the tight grip necessary for the choke.

Success from bottom Hindulotine requires understanding the interplay between your grip, your hip angle, and your leg configuration. Beginners often make the mistake of trying to muscle the submission using arm strength alone, while advanced practitioners understand that small adjustments in body position can dramatically increase pressure. The bottom perspective also requires awareness of your opponent’s passing attempts, as giving up the position while loosening your grip eliminates your attacking opportunity entirely.

Position Definition

  • Your guillotine grip is secured around opponent’s neck with your arm wrapped under their chin, hands locked together using gable grip or arm-in configuration, creating direct pressure on the carotid arteries and trachea while your forearm or wrist blade is positioned high under the chin for maximum choking efficiency
  • Your hips are positioned at an angle to your opponent’s body rather than directly underneath them, creating the leverage angle necessary for rotational pressure on the neck, with your lower back and hips actively engaged to generate torque rather than relying solely on arm strength
  • Your legs are configured to control opponent’s posture and prevent escape, either with closed guard controlling their hips, butterfly hooks allowing angle adjustments, or strategic foot placement preventing them from achieving the posture necessary to relieve neck pressure
  • Opponent’s head is trapped and controlled with their posture broken forward, unable to achieve vertical alignment or extract their head from your grip, typically with their spine curved and head lower than their hips due to the combined grip and body pressure
  • Your body remains connected to opponent without creating space that would allow them to establish defensive frames or achieve the angle necessary to relieve the choking pressure on their neck

Prerequisites

  • Opponent’s head must be available for guillotine grip establishment, typically during takedown attempts, guard pulls, or scrambles where their head passes below your chest line
  • Your ability to secure the guillotine grip before opponent establishes defensive posture or gets their chin tucked and arms framed
  • Sufficient hip mobility and core strength to create and maintain the angled position necessary for rotational pressure rather than straight pulling mechanics
  • Leg positioning that controls opponent’s hips and prevents them from achieving the circular movement or posture that would relieve neck pressure
  • Grip endurance to maintain maximum pressure on the neck while making body position adjustments and responding to defensive movements

Key Defensive Principles

  • Grip must be established high on the neck under the chin before opponent can achieve defensive posture
  • Hip angle creates the mechanical advantage - position hips perpendicular to opponent’s spine for rotational pressure
  • Legs control opponent’s ability to circle out or posture up - use closed guard, butterfly hooks, or strategic foot placement
  • Core rotation generates finishing pressure more effectively than arm strength alone
  • Make incremental grip adjustments without loosening pressure when opponent defends
  • Opponent’s defensive movements create transition opportunities to sweep, take the back, or switch submissions
  • Prevent opponent’s near-side shoulder from creating a defensive frame between their body and yours

Available Escapes

Guillotine ChokeWon by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 75%

Transition to Darce ChokeD’arce Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 70%

Transition to Anaconda ChokeAnaconda Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 65%

Sweep to MountMount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Back Take from BottomBack Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Arm Triangle TransitionSide Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 60%

High Elbow Guillotine VariationWon by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 70%

Butterfly Sweep with GuillotineMount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Opponent Counters

Counter-Attacks

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent maintains strong posture and prevents you from breaking them down:

If opponent drives forward with pressure trying to flatten you out:

If opponent turns away to escape the choking pressure:

If opponent creates defensive frame with near-side arm:

Common Defensive Mistakes

1. Pulling straight back on the guillotine grip using only arm strength instead of creating rotational pressure through hip positioning

  • Consequence: Opponent can defend by tucking chin and driving forward, neutralizing the choke and potentially passing your guard to achieve dominant position
  • Correction: Focus on angling your hips perpendicular to opponent’s body and using core rotation to generate the choking pressure rather than relying on bicep strength

2. Establishing grip too low on the neck near the shoulder instead of high under the chin

  • Consequence: Choking pressure is applied to muscular areas rather than carotid arteries, allowing opponent to endure the pressure and eventually escape
  • Correction: Ensure the blade of your wrist or forearm is positioned directly under opponent’s chin with the grip as high on the neck as possible before attempting to finish

3. Failing to control opponent’s hips with your legs, allowing them to circle and change angles

  • Consequence: Opponent can rotate their body to achieve angles that relieve neck pressure, eventually escaping the position entirely
  • Correction: Use closed guard, butterfly hooks, or strategic leg placement to restrict opponent’s hip movement and maintain your attacking angle

4. Loosening grip pressure when adjusting body position or attempting to improve angle

  • Consequence: Any reduction in grip tightness allows opponent to breathe, extract their head, and escape the submission completely
  • Correction: Maintain maximum grip pressure as a constant while making all body adjustments incrementally without releasing the choking force

5. Allowing opponent to establish a frame with their near-side shoulder between their body and yours

  • Consequence: The defensive frame creates space that relieves choking pressure and gives opponent leverage to push away and escape
  • Correction: Keep your body tight to opponent’s and use your legs to control their near arm, preventing the establishment of defensive frames

Training Drills for Defense

Guillotine Grip Establishment from Guard

Partner starts in your closed guard. Practice catching the guillotine grip when they attempt to open your guard or posture up. Focus on grip speed and positioning high on the neck before they can defend. Reset every 30 seconds and alternate roles. Emphasize grip quality over finishing attempts.

Duration: 5 minutes

Hip Angle and Pressure Generation

Start with guillotine grip established in closed guard. Partner gives 30% resistance. Experiment with different hip angles, leg configurations, and core rotation to understand which positions create maximum pressure. Partner provides feedback on pressure level. Focus on mechanics rather than finishing.

Duration: 10 minutes

Defensive Response Flow Drill

Partner gives specific defensive reactions from bottom Hindulotine: posturing up, driving forward, turning away, creating frames. Practice flowing to appropriate counters: angle adjustment, sweep, back take, darce transition. Work both sides with smooth transitions rather than explosive movements.

Duration: 15 minutes

Grip Endurance Under Resistance

Establish Hindulotine from bottom with partner actively defending by hand fighting, posturing, and creating pressure. Maintain grip for 60-second rounds without finishing. Build grip strength and learn to maintain control under realistic resistance. Rest 30 seconds between rounds.

Duration: 6 rounds

Escape and Survival Paths

Guard pull to submission

Standing Position → Pull guard → Closed Guard → Hindulotine Bottom → Guillotine Choke → Won by Submission

Failed takedown counter from bottom

Standing Position → Opponent Shoots Takedown → Pull guard with Guillotine → Hindulotine Bottom → Guillotine Choke → Won by Submission

Butterfly guard attack

Butterfly Guard → Guillotine Setup → Hindulotine Bottom → Guillotine Choke → Won by Submission

Scramble to submission

Scramble Position → Guillotine Grip → Hindulotine Bottom → Guillotine Choke → Won by Submission

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner45%35%30%
Intermediate65%55%50%
Advanced80%75%70%

Average Time in Position: 20-45 seconds