⚠️ SAFETY: Darce Choke targets the Carotid arteries and trachea. Risk: Carotid artery compression leading to unconsciousness. Release immediately upon tap.
The Darce Choke is a highly effective blood choke that targets the carotid arteries through a figure-four arm configuration combined with shoulder pressure. Named after Joe D’Arce who popularized it in no-gi competition, this submission represents one of the most versatile finishing techniques from transitional positions. The mechanics involve threading one arm under the opponent’s near arm and around their neck, then clasping your hands together while using your shoulder to create compression on one side and your forearm on the other. This bilateral compression restricts blood flow to the brain, producing a rapid loss of consciousness if not defended. The Darce’s effectiveness stems from its applicability across multiple positions—front headlock, turtle, scrambles, and even from bottom positions—making it a cornerstone technique in modern no-gi grappling. Unlike traditional gi chokes that rely on fabric grips, the Darce’s body mechanics and leverage make it equally effective with or without the gi, though it’s primarily considered a no-gi specialist’s weapon.
Category: Choke Type: Blood Choke Target Area: Carotid arteries and trachea Starting Position: Front Headlock Success Rates: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
Safety Guide
Injury Risks:
| Injury | Severity | Recovery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Carotid artery compression leading to unconsciousness | CRITICAL | Immediate if released; prolonged compression can cause stroke |
| Neck muscle strain from improper resistance | Medium | 7-14 days |
| Shoulder impingement from trapped arm position | Medium | 5-10 days |
| Tracheal compression if applied incorrectly | High | 14-21 days with medical attention |
Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum to allow tap recognition
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (say ‘tap’ or ‘stop’)
- Physical hand tap on partner’s body
- Physical foot tap on mat
- Any distress signal or loss of resistance
- Unconscious body going limp (IMMEDIATE RELEASE)
Release Protocol:
- Immediately unclasp hands and release figure-four grip
- Remove shoulder pressure from neck first
- Extract choking arm slowly to avoid neck jerk
- Allow partner to recover in seated or supine position
- Monitor for 30+ seconds for dizziness or disorientation
- If unconsciousness occurred, keep airway clear and seek medical evaluation
Training Restrictions:
- Never apply full pressure in drilling—use positional control only
- Never use competition speed or intensity in training
- Always allow clear tap access with free hand
- Never spike or jerk the choke—apply smooth progressive pressure
- Stop immediately at any tap signal without waiting for confirmation
- Never train this technique while fatigued or with impaired judgment
Key Principles
- Shoulder pressure creates compression on near-side carotid artery
- Forearm blade compresses far-side carotid artery
- Figure-four grip locks the choking mechanism in place
- Head control prevents opponent from turning into the choke
- Hip pressure prevents opponent from rolling away
- Elbow positioning determines effectiveness—tight to ribs maximizes pressure
- Bilateral compression is more effective than single-side pressure
Prerequisites
- Achieve front headlock control or turtle top position with head control
- Secure deep overhook position on opponent’s near arm
- Establish crossface or head control to prevent opponent turning in
- Position your body perpendicular to opponent’s torso
- Ensure opponent’s posture is broken down (head below hips)
- Create angle by moving hips away from opponent’s head
- Maintain heavy shoulder pressure on opponent’s neck throughout setup
Execution Steps
- Secure front headlock position: Establish front headlock control with your head on the opponent’s back and your chest heavy on their shoulders. Control their near arm with an overhook or by controlling the wrist. Your free arm should be threatening the neck or controlling the far shoulder. Ensure opponent’s head is lower than their hips to prevent them from standing. (Timing: 0-2 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Thread choking arm under near armpit: Slide your choking arm (the arm on the same side as their trapped arm) deep under their near armpit, aiming to get your bicep or elbow past the centerline of their neck. Your hand should emerge on the far side of their neck. Keep your elbow tight to your ribs and maintain downward pressure with your shoulder on their neck throughout the threading motion. (Timing: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Secure hand position around far side of neck: Once your arm is threaded through, reach your hand around the far side of their neck, creating a blade with your forearm across the back/side of their neck. Your palm should be facing up or toward you. Ensure your bicep is on one side of their neck and your forearm is on the other, with their neck in the crook of your elbow. (Timing: 3-4 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Lock figure-four grip: Reach your free hand behind opponent’s shoulder blade and grasp your choking hand’s wrist or grab your own bicep to create a figure-four lock. The lock should be tight—there should be no space between your arms and the opponent’s neck. Your shoulder should be driving into one side of their neck while your forearm compresses the other side. (Timing: 4-5 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Establish optimal body positioning: Step your inside leg (the leg closest to opponent’s head) over their back or position it as a base. Your outside leg should be sprawled back or positioned to prevent them from rolling. Your chest should be heavy on their shoulders, and your hips should be angled away from their head to create maximum leverage on the choke. (Timing: 5-6 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Finish the choke with combined pressure: Drive your shoulder down and forward into the near side of their neck while pulling your choking arm’s elbow tight to your ribs. Simultaneously, use your locking arm to pull your choking hand deeper, increasing the blade of your forearm into the far side of their neck. The pressure should be bilateral—compressing both carotid arteries. Maintain hip control to prevent rolling escapes. Apply pressure SLOWLY and progressively until tap. (Timing: 6-8 seconds to full pressure) [Pressure: Maximum]
Opponent Defenses
- Turn into the choke (face you) (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Maintain strong crossface pressure to prevent the turn. If they complete the turn, transition to guillotine or anaconda choke. Use your choking arm to frame against their face and prevent them from getting their head across your centerline.
- Roll away from the choke (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Establish strong inside leg positioning over their back to prevent the roll. If they start rolling, go with them while maintaining the grip and finish the choke in the new position. Use your hip pressure and sprawl to pin their hips and prevent rotation.
- Pull trapped arm out (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Increase shoulder pressure on their neck to make the space smaller. Keep your choking elbow tight to your ribs to prevent them from creating space. If they start freeing the arm, switch to a marce choke (using their collar) or anaconda variation.
- Stand up or posture up (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Immediately increase chest pressure on their shoulders and use your body weight to drive them back down. Circle your hips away from their legs to prevent them from establishing a base under you. If they succeed in standing, transition to a standing darce or release and reset.
- Grab your choking elbow (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: This defense is often too late. Simply maintain your figure-four lock and continue applying bilateral pressure. Their grip on your elbow doesn’t prevent the carotid compression. Focus on keeping your elbow tight to your ribs and driving shoulder pressure.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What are the two primary structures creating compression in a properly applied darce choke? A: The shoulder drives into the near-side carotid artery while the blade of the forearm compresses the far-side carotid artery. This bilateral compression is what makes the darce effective—single-side pressure alone will not produce a clean finish. The figure-four grip locks these structures in place while the body positioning creates the leverage needed for effective compression.
Q2: Why must you keep your choking arm’s elbow tight to your ribs during the darce finish? A: Keeping the elbow tight to your ribs prevents the opponent from creating space to pull their head out or turn into you. Any gap between your elbow and ribs allows the opponent to either escape the choke entirely or reduce its effectiveness significantly. The tight elbow also maximizes the compression by ensuring your entire arm structure acts as one unit rather than having weak points opponent can exploit.
Q3: What is the appropriate application speed for a darce choke in training, and why? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The darce choke should be applied SLOWLY and progressively over a minimum of 3-5 seconds in training to allow your partner sufficient time to recognize the danger and tap safely. This is a blood choke that can cause unconsciousness within 3-4 seconds at full pressure, so progressive application is essential for safety. Competition speed should only be used in actual competition—never in training, even in hard sparring.
Q4: How do you defend against an opponent who attempts to roll away from your darce choke? A: Establish strong inside leg positioning over their back or hips to prevent the roll initiation. Use your hip pressure and sprawl to pin their hips in place. If they start rolling despite your base, go with them while maintaining the figure-four grip—the choke can be finished during the roll or in the new position. The key is maintaining chest pressure on their shoulders and keeping your choking elbow tight throughout any positional change.
Q5: Why is the darce choke particularly effective from the front headlock position compared to other positions? A: The front headlock position provides optimal angle and control for threading the choking arm while the opponent is already broken down with head lower than hips. Their defensive posture—protecting against guillotine or trying to return to guard—naturally creates the arm trap and head position needed for darce entry. Additionally, you have superior base and weight distribution from top, making it difficult for opponent to escape or stand up once the choke begins.
Q6: What are the proper steps to release a darce choke immediately upon tap, and why is this critical? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: CRITICAL SAFETY: Upon any tap signal, immediately unclasp your hands to break the figure-four, remove shoulder pressure first, then slowly extract your choking arm to avoid neck jerk. Monitor partner for 30+ seconds for signs of distress. This sequence is critical because darce is a blood choke that can cause unconsciousness or worse if held even 1-2 seconds too long. Delayed release after tap can cause stroke, brain damage, or death—there is zero acceptable delay in training.
Q7: What is the relationship between the darce choke and the anaconda choke, and when might you transition between them? A: The darce and anaconda are closely related front headlock chokes with similar mechanics but opposite arm positioning. When an opponent defends the darce by turning into you (facing you), you can maintain your grip but adjust shoulder and elbow position to switch to an anaconda configuration. This transition allows you to maintain submission pressure despite their defensive movement rather than losing the position entirely.
From Which Positions?
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The darce choke represents one of the most important developments in modern submission grappling, particularly for no-gi contexts. What makes this technique truly exceptional is its bilateral compression mechanism—your shoulder creates pressure on one carotid artery while your forearm blade simultaneously compresses the opposite side. This dual-sided attack is significantly more effective than single-sided compression techniques. The critical technical detail that most practitioners miss is elbow positioning: your choking arm’s elbow must remain tight to your ribcage throughout the entire sequence. Any space between your elbow and ribs creates a structural weakness that allows escape. From a systematic perspective, the darce is best understood as part of the front headlock system—it’s not an isolated technique but rather one of several finishing options from this dominant position. When opponent defends the guillotine by pulling their head away, they create the perfect darce angle. When they defend the darce by turning in, you transition to anaconda. This systematic approach transforms the darce from a single submission into part of a comprehensive attacking system. Safety considerations are paramount: this is a blood choke that can produce unconsciousness in 3-4 seconds at full pressure, which means progressive application in training is not optional—it’s mandatory for ethical practice.
- Gordon Ryan: The darce is one of my highest-percentage submissions in competition, particularly in no-gi where it’s absolutely devastating when properly applied. The key to competition success with the darce isn’t just technical execution—it’s recognizing the setup opportunities in real-time during scrambles and transitions. Most darce finishes in high-level competition come from dynamic situations: opponent shoots a takedown and you sprawl to front headlock, opponent turtles after a failed guard pass, or opponent attempts to stand from bottom position. The timing window is often only 1-2 seconds, so your entry must be automatic and your finish must be efficient. In training versus competition, the application philosophy must be completely different. In training, I apply darce chokes slowly and progressively, giving my training partners ample time to tap safely—this preserves my training partners for the long term, which is essential for high-level preparation. In competition, the application is immediate and decisive once the position is secured—there’s no progressive pressure, it’s binary: position secured, apply finish, opponent taps or goes unconscious. This distinction between training and competition intensity is what separates professional athletes from hobbyists. The other competition consideration is defensive awareness: when someone attempts darce on me, I defend by immediately turning into them before they can lock the figure-four. Once the hands are locked, the escape probability drops dramatically, so defense must be preemptive.
- Eddie Bravo: The darce choke is a perfect example of how no-gi grappling evolved past traditional gi-based techniques to create something uniquely effective for modern submission grappling. In the 10th Planet system, we approach the darce as a core component of our front headlock game, but we also use it from unconventional positions that most traditional schools don’t emphasize—particularly from bottom half guard using the lockdown system. When you’re on bottom in half guard with lockdown control, if opponent gives you an underhook and drops their head, you can sometimes catch a darce as you come up or sweep them. It’s unexpected and very high percentage when the opportunity presents itself. The innovation aspect is huge with the darce—there are so many variations and entry points that haven’t been fully explored yet. We experiment with standing darce finishes, rolling darce entries, and transitioning from darce attempts to other submissions in the front headlock system. Safety culture is critical in our gym: we teach that the darce can put someone to sleep fast, so you apply it SLOW in training, you tap EARLY when caught, and you release INSTANTLY when partner taps. No ego, no tough-guy nonsense—we’re all trying to get better, not send each other to the hospital. That mentality is what allows us to train hard and innovate without injury. The darce is constantly evolving, and the best practitioners are those who understand the fundamental mechanics but aren’t afraid to experiment with new angles and setups.