Bow and Arrow Choke

SAFETY: Bow and Arrow Choke targets the Carotid arteries. Risk: Carotid artery compression leading to unconsciousness. Release immediately upon tap.

Play as Attacker Play as Defender

The Bow and Arrow Choke is a highly effective gi-based blood choke executed from back control that combines collar control with leg configuration to create a powerful finishing position. Named for its distinctive shape where the practitioner’s body resembles a drawn bow, this submission leverages the opponent’s own lapel and pant leg to generate unstoppable pressure on both carotid arteries simultaneously. The technique is particularly valued in gi competition for its reliability once the position is secured, as it requires minimal strength and relies primarily on proper body mechanics and leverage. The bow and arrow creates a unique predicament where the opponent cannot effectively defend both the choking pressure from the collar grip and the stretching tension from the leg control. This submission is especially effective when transitioning from standard back control positions, as opponents often expose the necessary grips while defending against the rear naked choke. The technique represents a fundamental principle in advanced gi grappling: using the opponent’s own garments as force multipliers to create inescapable finishing positions.

Category: Choke Type: Blood Choke Target Area: Carotid arteries Starting Position: Back Control From Position: Back Control (Top) Success Rate: 62%

Safety Guide

Injury Risks:

Injury	Severity	Recovery Time
Carotid artery compression leading to unconsciousness	High	Immediate if released promptly; medical evaluation required if unconsciousness occurs
Neck strain from excessive torque and rotation	Medium	3-7 days for minor strain; 2-4 weeks for moderate strain
Jaw or TMJ injury from improper collar placement	Medium	1-3 weeks for minor injury; 4-8 weeks for significant TMJ damage
Knee or hip stress from forced leg extension	Low	2-5 days for minor discomfort

Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum to allow tap recognition

Tap Signals:

Verbal tap
Physical hand tap on body or mat
Physical foot tap on mat
Any audible distress signal
Loss of resistance (immediate release required)

Release Protocol:

Immediately release collar grip upon tap signal
Release leg extension and hooks simultaneously
Allow opponent’s head to return to neutral position
Check for consciousness and responsiveness
If opponent was unconscious, elevate legs and monitor until full recovery

Training Restrictions:

Never spike or jerk the choke - apply smooth progressive pressure only
Never use competition speed in training rolls
Always maintain communication with training partner
Never continue pressure after tap signal
Beginners must drill position control before attempting finish
Always allow partner clear access to tap with hands or voice

Outcomes

Result	Position	Probability
Success	game-over	60%
Failure	Back Control	25%
Counter	Closed Guard	15%

Attacker vs Defender

	Attacker	Defender
Focus	Execute and finish	Escape and survive
Key Principles	Lapel control depth - deep collar grip with four fingers ins…	Prevent the deep collar grip - strip or block lapel access b…
Options	7 execution steps	4 defensive options

Playing as Attacker

→ Full Attacker Guide

Key Principles

Lapel control depth - deep collar grip with four fingers inside creates maximum leverage
Hip positioning - perpendicular angle to opponent’s spine creates optimal choking geometry
Leg configuration - straightening the far leg while controlling near leg creates bow tension
Collar angle - pulling collar toward opposite shoulder targets both carotid arteries
Body extension - arching back while extending legs multiplies choking pressure exponentially
Head control - using your chest to control opponent’s head prevents escape angles
Timing the finish - transitioning to bow and arrow when opponent defends rear naked choke

Execution Steps

Secure deep collar grip: From back control, establish a deep four-finger grip inside the opponent’s collar on your choking-si…
Transition hips to perpendicular angle: Begin rotating your hips away from parallel alignment with the opponent’s spine toward a perpendicul…
Establish far leg control: With your non-choking hand, secure a grip on the opponent’s far-side pants at the knee or lower leg…
Remove bottom hook and position leg: Release your bottom hook (the leg closer to the mat) and begin extending it toward a straightened po…
Create bow tension through extension: Begin extending your bottom leg forcefully while pulling the collar grip toward your opposite should…
Final adjustment and maximum pressure: Make final adjustments by ensuring your collar grip pulls across their neck at an angle targeting bo…
Maintain until tap and immediate release: Hold the maximum pressure configuration while remaining alert for any tap signal - hand taps, foot t…

Common Mistakes

Attempting the choke with shallow collar grip
- Consequence: Insufficient pressure on carotid arteries, allowing opponent to defend indefinitely and potentially escape the position
- Correction: Always establish a deep four-finger grip with knuckles near the back of their neck before transitioning hips. If the grip is shallow, reset to back control and re-establish proper depth.
Applying sudden jerking or spiking motion to the neck
- Consequence: DANGER: Risk of neck strain, cervical spine injury, or TMJ damage even if the choke is successful
- Correction: Apply all pressure progressively over 3-5 seconds minimum. The bow and arrow is a leverage-based submission that works through proper positioning, not explosive force. Always prioritize partner safety over speed of finish.
Releasing hooks too early before establishing perpendicular angle
- Consequence: Opponent escapes to side control or turtle, completely nullifying the submission attempt
- Correction: Maintain at least your top hook until your hips are fully rotated to perpendicular position. Only then begin transitioning hooks to the bow configuration. The angle must be secured before removing primary back control.

Playing as Defender

→ Full Defender Guide

Key Principles

Prevent the deep collar grip - strip or block lapel access before the attacker can establish four-finger depth, as this is the foundation of the entire submission
Deny the perpendicular angle - keep your hips aligned with the attacker’s hips to prevent the rotation that creates the bow configuration
Control the choking-side wrist - two-on-one grip on the collar hand prevents both grip deepening and the pulling angle needed for the finish
Turn into the attacker rather than away - rolling away assists their transition to perpendicular angle while turning toward them disrupts the bow geometry
Address leg control early - fight the pants grip or leg hook before the attacker can establish the stretching mechanism that multiplies choking pressure
Maintain chin tucked and shoulders tight - while less effective against bow and arrow than against RNC, chin defense buys time for grip stripping
Recognize the window is closing - escalate defensive urgency as each bow and arrow component is established, with collar grip depth as the critical threshold

Recognition Cues

Attacker’s hand slides deep inside your collar with four fingers penetrating toward the far side of your neck, distinctly different from the over-under seatbelt grip
Attacker begins rotating their hips away from parallel alignment, creating an angle between their torso and your spine that was not present in standard back control
Attacker’s free hand reaches toward your far-side pants at the knee or lower leg, or their top leg begins threading across your far hip
Attacker releases their bottom hook and begins extending their leg rather than maintaining standard hook position inside your thigh
You feel increasing tension across your neck from the collar being pulled at a diagonal angle toward the attacker’s far shoulder rather than straight back

Escape Paths

Turn toward the attacker during the hip rotation transition to recover closed guard or half guard before the perpendicular angle is established
Strip the collar grip using two-on-one wrist control and immediately shrimp away to create distance for back escape sequences
Roll over the attacker’s extending bottom leg toward the open side when the bow is partially formed, using their committed position against them to escape to turtle

Variations

Modified Bow and Arrow without Pants Grip: When the opponent defends their far leg or in no-gi situations, establish the bow configuration by placing your top leg straight across their far hip while your bottom leg extends against their near hip. Instead of pulling their leg, use your legs to create the bow tension by pushing in opposite directions while maintaining the collar or arm drag grip for the choke. (When to use: When opponent successfully defends pants grip or in no-gi contexts where lapel control is replaced with arm-triangle mechanics)

Bow and Arrow from Mount Transition: When opponent turns to their side while defending mount, immediately secure the deep collar grip and insert your bottom hook. As they continue turning away (attempting to escape to turtle), use their momentum to establish the perpendicular angle and transition directly into the bow and arrow finish. This catches opponents who think they’re escaping mount. (When to use: When opponent is actively escaping mount by turning to their side, creating the perfect entry angle for the submission)

Bow and Arrow from Turtle Breakdown: From opponent’s turtle position, establish a deep collar grip and use it to break them to their side. As they flatten, immediately insert your bottom hook and begin the hip rotation to perpendicular angle. Secure the far leg control and establish the bow configuration before they can recover their defensive posture. This is a common competition sequence for gi grapplers. (When to use: When opponent retreats to turtle after guard passing attempts or when you’ve established dominant turtle position and need a high-percentage finish)

Clock Choke to Bow and Arrow Chain: When attempting a clock choke from turtle and the opponent begins to roll or turn into you to defend, maintain your deep collar grip and use their rolling momentum to transition into bow and arrow position. Your existing collar grip becomes the choking grip, and their defensive roll actually helps establish the perpendicular angle needed for the finish. (When to use: When clock choke is defended by opponent rolling toward the choking side, creating perfect opportunity to chain into bow and arrow without releasing control)

High Shoulder Variation: Instead of placing the top leg across the hip, bring it high over the opponent’s shoulder and neck area. This variation creates downward pressure in addition to the extension force, making it particularly effective against opponents who maintain strong posture. The high leg position also limits their ability to turn into you. (When to use: When opponent is defending with excellent posture and neck strength, or when you have long legs relative to their torso length. Also effective against opponents who successfully defend standard hip-based variations.)

Truck-Based Bow and Arrow: When the opponent turns into you defensively, maintain your lapel grip and transition to truck position with both legs controlling their lower body. From truck, establish the bow and arrow with the lapel already across their neck. This variation is often tighter than standard because their defensive turn has gifted you better angle. (When to use: When opponent attempts to escape back control by turning into you, or when you enter from truck position initially. This is a reactive variation that capitalizes on their defensive movement.)

Two-Handed Lapel Feed: Use both hands to feed the lapel across the neck rather than establishing the grip with one hand. One hand grips the lapel at the shoulder, the other catches it under the chin and pulls it across. Once fed deeply, release the feeding hand and establish leg position. This variation overcomes strong grip-fighting defense. (When to use: Against opponents who excel at fighting single grips and preventing deep collar access, or when you have limited initial collar depth from back control. The two-hand feed generates more power than single-hand establishment.)

Low Hip Variation with Modified Angle: Keep the top leg lower across their hip rather than shoulder, but compensate by taking a more acute angle (less than 90 degrees toward their legs). This creates the bow tension through hip control rather than shoulder control. Often combined with a second grip on their belt or pants to enhance lower body control. (When to use: When opponent successfully defends against shoulder-based variations, or when you have shorter limbs that make the high variation difficult. Also effective against flexible opponents who can defend high shoulder pressure.)

Arm-Trapped Bow and Arrow: Before transitioning to bow and arrow, trap the opponent’s near arm by threading your non-choking arm through and securing their wrist. This eliminates one entire defensive pathway. Proceed with bow and arrow setup knowing they cannot use that arm to defend the lapel or push your leg. (When to use: When you successfully secure gift wrap or arm trap control from back, or when opponent is over-relying on one-arm defenses. This variation is highly controlling but requires extra setup time.)

Crucifix Entry Bow and Arrow: From crucifix position, maintain your arm control while establishing the lapel grip, then transition to bow and arrow configuration. This is effectively a bow and arrow where both arms are controlled, making it virtually inescapable once established. (When to use: When you achieve crucifix control and opponent is defending other crucifix submissions. The positional control is so dominant that the bow and arrow becomes a high-percentage finish even if they see it coming.)

Cross-Collar Bow and Arrow: Instead of gripping the same-side collar, feed your choking hand across to the far-side collar for a deeper, more powerful grip. This variation requires more initial setup time but creates a more acute choking angle that’s harder to defend. The cross-collar grip also provides better control if the opponent attempts to turn into you. (When to use: Use when opponent is effectively defending the standard same-side collar grip by tucking their chin or controlling your wrist. Also preferred against larger opponents where deeper penetration is needed for effectiveness.)

Single-Collar Variation with Lapel Feed: Establish the collar grip, then use your non-choking hand to feed the opposite lapel across the opponent’s neck, creating a double-collar compression. This variation combines collar choke mechanics with bow-and-arrow positioning, often catching opponents who defend the standard setup. (When to use: Use when you have dominant back control and the opponent’s gi provides loose lapels for feeding. Particularly effective in gi competition when standard bow-and-arrow setups are well-scouted.)

Rolling Bow and Arrow: As the opponent defends by turning into you, continue your rotation all the way through, rolling them over your body while maintaining collar grip and leg extension. You end up in a modified top position with the bow-and-arrow still secured. This dynamic variation turns their defensive turn into your offensive finish. (When to use: Use when opponent aggressively turns into you to escape back control. The rolling motion amplifies the choke while repositioning you to a more dominant angle. Requires athletic ability and spatial awareness.)

Modified Grip Bow and Arrow from Body Triangle: Instead of traditional hooks, establish body triangle from back control before setting up the bow-and-arrow. The locked legs provide more stable control during the extended setup time required for proper collar depth. The finishing mechanics remain the same but the setup is more secure. (When to use: Use against opponents who are skilled at clearing hooks during back attacks, or when you have already secured body triangle. The locked legs also conserve energy compared to maintaining traditional hooks during extended back control sequences.)

Short Choke to Bow and Arrow Transition: Begin with a short choke attempt from back control using the near-side collar. When opponent defends by gripping your choking arm, transition to bow-and-arrow by swinging your leg over while maintaining the collar grip. This variation uses their defensive commitment to set up the finish. (When to use: Use as a combination attack when short choke attempts are being defended. The transition catches opponents who focus entirely on stripping the collar grip without accounting for positional changes.)

Gift Wrap to Bow and Arrow: From gift wrap position where opponent’s arm is trapped across their own neck, release the gift wrap control and immediately establish collar grip while their arm is still compromised. Transition to bow-and-arrow with reduced defensive capability from the opponent due to trapped arm position. (When to use: Use when you’ve established gift wrap from back control and opponent is defending the standard gift wrap attacks. The trapped arm prevents effective hand fighting during your collar grip entry.)

From Which Positions?

Match Outcome

Successful execution of Bow and Arrow Choke leads to → Game Over

All submissions in BJJ ultimately converge to the same terminal state: the match ends when your opponent taps.

Safety Guide

Outcomes

Attacker vs Defender

Playing as Attacker

Key Principles

Execution Steps

Common Mistakes

Playing as Defender

Key Principles

Recognition Cues

Escape Paths

Variations

From Which Positions?

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Match Outcome

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