SAFETY: Bow and Arrow Choke from Back Control targets the Carotid arteries. Risk: Carotid artery compression leading to unconsciousness. Release immediately upon tap.
Attacking with the Bow and Arrow Choke from back control requires methodical grip establishment before committing to the finish. The attack begins from a position of complete dominance with hooks and seatbelt control already secured. Your primary challenge is establishing the deep collar grip across the opponent’s neck without losing positional control. Once the collar is secured, the transition to the finishing position involves controlling the opponent’s far leg and extending your body to create the two-directional pull that compresses the carotid arteries. The key insight is that this choke should never be rushed. Patient grip establishment followed by decisive commitment to the finish yields far higher success rates than hurried attempts that sacrifice positional control.
From Position: Back Control (Top)
Key Attacking Principles
What are the key principles for executing Bow and Arrow Choke from Back Control?
- Secure complete back control with hooks and seatbelt before initiating any collar grip attempt to prevent losing position
- Feed the collar grip deep across the neck past the chin line using the top seatbelt hand, ensuring the blade of the wrist contacts the carotid artery
- Control the opponent’s far leg at the knee or pants to create the bow-and-arrow leverage that makes this choke mechanically devastating
- Slide your hips to the choking side while maintaining chest-to-back connection throughout the grip transition phase
- Extend your legs against the opponent’s thigh in the finishing position to create opposing force that tightens the collar across the neck
- Maintain constant forward pressure with your chest during setup to prevent the opponent from creating defensive space or turning
Prerequisites
What do you need before attempting Bow and Arrow Choke from Back Control?
- Established back control with both hooks in or body triangle locked and chest-to-back connection maintained
- Seatbelt or harness grip secured with the choking-side arm positioned over the opponent’s shoulder for collar access
- Opponent’s defensive hand fighting neutralized or managed so the collar-feeding hand can work without immediate interference
- Opponent wearing a gi with accessible collar material that can be gripped deeply across the neck
- Stable base with hips close to the opponent preventing them from creating distance during the grip transition
Execution Steps
How do you execute Bow and Arrow Choke from Back Control step by step?
- Secure back control and establish collar access: From back control with seatbelt grip, use your top hand (over the shoulder) to reach across and grab the far side of the opponent’s gi collar. Feed the grip deep past the chin line so the collar material sits across the front of the neck, contacting both carotid arteries. Keep your bottom hook heavy to prevent the opponent from turning toward you during this grip change. (Timing: 3-5 seconds for grip establishment)
- Lock the collar grip and adjust hip position: Once the collar grip is established with four fingers inside the collar and the wrist blade pressing across the neck, begin sliding your hips toward the choking side. Your choking-side hip should move past the opponent’s hip line while your chest maintains contact with their back. This angle change pre-loads the choking leverage and prevents the opponent from turning into you to relieve pressure. (Timing: 2-3 seconds for hip adjustment)
- Release bottom hook and grab the far leg: Release your bottom hook (the hook on the non-choking side) and use that free hand to reach across and grab the opponent’s far pants leg at the knee or shin. This is the critical transition moment where you briefly have reduced lower body control. Maintain your top hook and collar grip tension throughout to prevent escape during the leg grab. Pull the opponent’s leg toward you to begin creating the bow shape. (Timing: 1-2 seconds - this must be decisive)
- Begin sliding to perpendicular angle: With the collar in one hand and the far leg in the other, begin rotating your body toward a perpendicular angle relative to the opponent. Your choking-side leg extends along their back to block their hip movement, while your body transitions from behind them to beside them. Maintain tension on both grips throughout this rotation to prevent any slack in the choke and keep the opponent’s posture broken. (Timing: 2-3 seconds for rotation)
- Establish finishing position with leg extension: Plant your far foot on the mat and extend your choking-side leg across the opponent’s torso or hip, creating a brace point. Your body should now be roughly perpendicular to the opponent’s body with your back approaching or touching the mat. The opponent’s body is stretched between your collar grip pulling their neck and your leg grip pulling their lower body in the opposite direction, creating the characteristic bow shape. (Timing: 2-3 seconds for position establishment)
- Apply progressive finishing pressure: Pull the collar grip toward your chest while simultaneously pulling the leg grip away from you and extending your legs to straighten the opponent’s body. The two opposing forces compress the collar material deep into the carotid arteries. Apply pressure progressively over 3-5 seconds, squeezing your elbows toward your ribcage and arching slightly to maximize the pull. Monitor the opponent for tap signals throughout the finishing sequence and release immediately upon any tap indication. (Timing: 3-5 seconds progressive application)
- Complete the finish or transition: If the opponent taps, immediately release all grips and pressure. If they defend by tucking the chin or fighting the collar, maintain position and regrip deeper into the collar, pulling material through to tighten the loop. If the choke stalls, consider transitioning to an armbar by releasing the leg grip and throwing your leg over their face while maintaining collar tension, using their extended defensive arm as the target. (Timing: Varies based on opponent response)
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | game-over | 62% |
| Failure | Back Control | 25% |
| Counter | Closed Guard | 13% |
Opponent Defenses
How might your opponent defend against Bow and Arrow Choke from Back Control?
- Opponent strips the collar grip with both hands before it is fully established (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Transition immediately to rear naked choke attempt while both of their hands are occupied fighting the collar. The act of stripping the collar grip requires them to remove hands from neck defense, creating the RNC opening. → Leads to Back Control
- Opponent turns into you during the leg grab transition to recover guard (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Maintain the collar grip and use your remaining hook to slow their rotation. If they complete the turn, transition to a cross collar choke from the new position using the already-established collar grip. → Leads to Closed Guard
- Opponent tucks chin tightly and bridges to prevent collar from sliding past the jaw (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Use your free hand to push the chin up or pull the collar material through incrementally using a caterpillar grip motion. Alternatively, transition to a short choke or clock choke variation that works with a shallower collar grip. → Leads to Back Control
- Opponent grabs your pants leg to prevent the leg extension finish (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Their hand on your pants means one fewer hand defending the collar. Regrip the collar deeper and use hip extension rather than leg pull to generate the finishing pressure. Kick your leg free and re-establish the brace. → Leads to game-over