⚠️ SAFETY: Ezekiel Choke targets the Carotid arteries and trachea. Risk: Carotid artery compression leading to loss of consciousness. Release immediately upon tap.
The Ezekiel Choke is a fundamental gi-based blood choke that can be executed from dominant top positions, most commonly from mount but also effective from side control, knee on belly, and other control positions. Named after Brazilian judoka Ezequiel Paraguassú who popularized it in BJJ, this technique utilizes the practitioner’s own sleeve as a fulcrum to create pressure on both carotid arteries. The Ezekiel is particularly effective because it can be applied even when the opponent has their hands free to defend, making it a high-percentage submission when proper mechanics are understood. The technique’s versatility allows it to be threaded through various defensive frames and can be executed with either a traditional lapel grip or by threading the sleeve through for maximum control. What makes the Ezekiel especially valuable is its ability to create submission threats that force opponents to expose other attacks, making it an excellent tool for creating offensive sequences from dominant positions.
The mechanical principle behind the Ezekiel involves using your own gi sleeve as a rigid lever against one side of the opponent’s neck while your opposite forearm creates pressure on the other side, effectively compressing both carotid arteries simultaneously. Unlike many chokes that require extensive grip fighting or precise hand placement on the opponent’s gi, the Ezekiel’s self-contained nature makes it reliable even against experienced grapplers. The choke can be finished with remarkable speed once proper positioning is achieved, often catching opponents by surprise due to its deceptive setup. From mount, the Ezekiel becomes especially dangerous because the top position provides natural weight distribution that prevents effective bridging escapes while the choke is being applied.
Strategically, the Ezekiel serves multiple purposes beyond just finishing the submission. It creates excellent dilemmas when combined with armbar and cross collar choke attacks from mount, forcing opponents to defend multiple threats simultaneously. The setup naturally transitions into other control positions if the opponent attempts to escape, and even failed attempts often result in improved positional control. In gi competition, the Ezekiel represents a fundamental submission that every practitioner must understand both offensively and defensively, as it remains effective at all levels of competition when executed with proper timing and pressure application.
Category: Choke Type: Blood Choke Target Area: Carotid arteries and trachea Starting Position: Mount Success Rates: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
Safety Guide
Injury Risks:
| Injury | Severity | Recovery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Carotid artery compression leading to loss of consciousness | High | Immediate recovery if released promptly, potential complications if held too long |
| Trachea damage from improper blade angle | Medium | 1-2 weeks for minor trauma, longer for severe damage |
| Neck strain from resisting or jerking movements | Low | 3-7 days |
| Jaw injury from improper forearm placement | Low | 1-2 weeks |
Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum. Blood chokes should never be spiked or jerked. Apply steady, increasing pressure and release immediately upon tap.
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (saying ‘tap’ or any distress vocalization)
- Physical hand tap on partner or mat (multiple rapid taps)
- Physical foot tap on mat or partner
- Any unusual sound or loss of resistance (immediate release required)
Release Protocol:
- Immediately release blade hand grip upon tap signal
- Remove forearm pressure from neck completely
- Maintain mount position briefly to ensure partner is conscious and oriented
- Allow partner to recover without immediate movement requirements
- Check partner’s verbal confirmation they are okay before continuing training
Training Restrictions:
- Never apply sudden or jerking pressure to the choke
- Never hold the choke after tap signal for any reason
- Never practice on partners with known neck injuries without explicit medical clearance
- Never apply full pressure during initial learning phase (use 20-30% pressure maximum)
- Always ensure partner has clear access to tap with at least one hand
- Never combine with violent bridging or explosive movements
Key Principles
- Blade angle against neck must target carotid arteries, not windpipe - proper wrist rotation is critical
- Weight distribution through hips maintains mount stability while hands execute the choke
- Elbow position must be tight to opponent’s head to prevent defensive hand insertion
- Progressive pressure application allows partner to tap safely before loss of consciousness
- Head control via non-choking hand prevents opponent from turning away from pressure
- Sleeve grip depth determines leverage effectiveness - deeper grip provides better control
- Posture maintenance prevents opponent’s bridge escapes during choke application
Prerequisites
- Secure mount top position with weight properly distributed through hips
- Opponent’s defensive frames must be managed (typically by riding high or using underhooks)
- One gi sleeve must be accessible for grip (usually your own sleeve)
- Sufficient space to thread choking arm behind opponent’s head
- Stable base that prevents bridging or elbow escapes during setup
- Head control established to limit opponent’s defensive turning
- Proper distance management - not too high (allowing escape) or too low (losing leverage)
Execution Steps
- Establish Dominant Mount Position: Secure high mount position with hips heavy on opponent’s chest and knees tight to their ribcage. Your weight should be distributed forward, making bridging difficult while maintaining balance. Control opponent’s frames by either riding very high (chest-to-face pressure) or controlling their elbows with underhooks. (Timing: Initial position establishment: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Grip Own Sleeve: With your non-dominant hand, reach across and grip your dominant hand’s sleeve at the wrist or slightly above. This grip should be deep (four fingers inside the sleeve) to create a rigid lever for the choke. Keep this gripping hand close to your body initially to hide your intention. (Timing: Grip establishment: 1-2 seconds) [Pressure: Light]
- Thread Choking Arm Behind Head: Feed your dominant hand (the one whose sleeve you’re gripping) behind the opponent’s head, aiming to position your forearm across the far side of their neck. Your elbow should pass close to their ear. Thread deeply enough that your wrist bone (blade) makes contact with the far side carotid artery. Maintain mount stability by keeping weight forward. (Timing: Threading motion: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Light]
- Establish Blade Position: Position the blade of your wrist (thumb-side) against the far carotid artery. Your hand should be relaxed, not making a fist. The proper angle targets the side of the neck, not the front (trachea). Your palm should generally face toward their far shoulder. Ensure your elbow is tight to their head to prevent them from inserting defensive hands. (Timing: Blade positioning: 1-2 seconds) [Pressure: Light]
- Create Choking Frame: Your non-dominant forearm (the one gripping your sleeve) now crosses over the front of the opponent’s neck/chin area. This arm doesn’t apply direct choking pressure but provides the frame that your blade arm works against. Pull your sleeve-gripping hand toward your own chest while maintaining the blade position on the far side. (Timing: Frame creation: 1-2 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Apply Bilateral Pressure: Squeeze your elbows together as if trying to touch them behind the opponent’s head. Your blade arm presses into the far carotid while your frame arm creates opposing pressure on the near side. The squeeze should be progressive and steady, not sudden. Most submissions occur within 3-5 seconds of proper bilateral pressure. Monitor partner closely for tap signals. (Timing: Final squeeze: 3-5 seconds progressive pressure) [Pressure: Firm]
- Maintain Position Through Completion: Keep your hips heavy and base wide to prevent bridging escapes during the choke. Your chest should stay low and close to the opponent to eliminate space. If they attempt to bridge, post with your head on the mat and maintain elbow pressure. Release immediately upon tap signal by opening your arms and removing pressure from the neck. (Timing: Position maintenance: Throughout choke application) [Pressure: Moderate]
Opponent Defenses
- Frame against choking arm with both hands to prevent threading (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Use your body weight to pressure their frames down while threading. Alternatively, switch to cross collar choke or armbar if frames persist, then return to Ezekiel when they adjust.
- Bridge explosively to disrupt base and create escape opportunity (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Post your head on the mat and maintain tight elbows throughout the bridge. Keep your hips heavy and squeeze the choke tighter during their bridge when they’re expending energy. Most bridges will fail if you maintain connection.
- Turn head away from choking pressure to protect near-side carotid (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: Use your frame arm to control their head and prevent turning. If they successfully turn, this often exposes their back or creates armbar opportunities. Maintain the position and re-establish proper blade angle once they stop moving.
- Trap choking arm with both hands and attempt to strip the sleeve grip (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Maintain tight elbows and use your body weight to prevent grip breaks. If they commit both hands to grip fighting, this creates excellent armbar opportunities. Keep constant pressure on the choke while they work, as this drains their energy.
- Elbow escape to create space and slide knee through mount (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Ride very high in mount before attempting the choke, making elbow escapes nearly impossible. If they begin to escape, abandon the choke temporarily to maintain mount, then re-attack. Never sacrifice position for submission.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the primary anatomical target of the Ezekiel choke, and why is proper blade angle critical for both effectiveness and safety? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The primary targets are the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck. Proper blade angle is critical because targeting the carotid arteries creates a blood choke that safely induces unconsciousness within seconds if not defended, while improper angle targeting the trachea (windpipe) causes pain and potential injury without effective submission. The blade of your wrist should press against the side of the neck where the carotid artery runs, not across the front of the throat. This distinction is fundamental for both submission effectiveness and training safety.
Q2: Why is progressive pressure application over 3-5 seconds mandatory in training, and what are the risks of spiking or jerking the choke? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Progressive pressure application is mandatory because it gives your partner adequate time to recognize the submission threat and tap safely before loss of consciousness occurs. Spiking or jerking the choke can cause immediate unconsciousness without warning, potential neck injury from violent force, trachea damage, and violates fundamental training safety protocols. Blood chokes affect consciousness rapidly, so gradual pressure ensures your partner can respond appropriately. Competition application may be faster, but training requires this safety margin to protect your partners and maintain a healthy training environment.
Q3: Describe the mechanical relationship between your blade arm and your frame arm in creating the bilateral pressure necessary for the Ezekiel choke? A: The blade arm (the arm whose sleeve you’re gripping) positions the wrist bone against the far-side carotid artery and provides primary choking pressure. The frame arm (the arm gripping the sleeve) crosses over the near side of the neck and provides the opposing pressure that the blade arm works against. When you squeeze your elbows together, these two forces create bilateral compression of both carotid arteries. The frame arm doesn’t directly choke but creates the rigid structure that allows the blade arm to compress effectively. This bilateral pressure is what makes the Ezekiel effective - single-sided pressure alone would be insufficient.
Q4: What are the critical positional requirements that must be maintained in mount while executing the Ezekiel choke, and why is position prioritized over submission? A: Critical positional requirements include: heavy hips maintaining downward pressure on opponent’s chest, wide knee base preventing bridging, chest pressure limiting opponent’s breathing and movement, and proper weight distribution that remains stable throughout the choke application. Position is prioritized over submission because losing mount to chase a submission results in no points and potentially inferior position, while maintaining mount allows multiple submission attempts and continued point advantage. If the mount becomes unstable during the choke attempt, pause the submission and re-establish position. A secure position provides repeated opportunities for submission, while sacrificing position for one submission attempt often leads to position loss without finishing.
Q5: How does the Ezekiel choke create offensive dilemmas when combined with other mount attacks, and why is this strategic approach more effective than isolated submission attempts? A: The Ezekiel creates dilemmas when combined with armbar, cross collar choke, and other mount attacks because each defense opens another attack. When opponent defends the Ezekiel by bringing hands high to fight the choke, armbars become available. When they keep arms low to prevent armbars, the Ezekiel and collar chokes are exposed. This forces opponents to make defensive choices that inherently expose them to alternative attacks. Strategic combination attacks are more effective than isolated attempts because skilled opponents can defend individual submissions, but defending multiple simultaneous threats requires them to choose which attack to prioritize, often leading to submission or position improvement regardless of their defensive choice.
Q6: What are the differences in application between training and competition contexts for the Ezekiel choke, and what ethical responsibilities do practitioners have regarding this technique? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: In training, the Ezekiel must be applied with progressive pressure over 3-5 seconds minimum, giving partners ample time to tap safely. Competition allows faster application within the rules, as both competitors accept higher risk levels. Training requires constant awareness of partner safety, immediate release upon tap signals, and reduced pressure during learning phases. Ethical responsibilities include: never continuing past tap signals for any reason, asking partners about neck injuries before training this technique, applying minimal pressure with new partners, providing safe learning environments for all skill levels, and understanding that training partners trust you with their safety. The technique’s effectiveness makes it particularly important to maintain these safety standards, as improper application can cause serious injury.
From Which Positions?
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Ezekiel choke represents an excellent study in biomechanical efficiency and strategic positioning. What makes this technique particularly valuable from a systematic perspective is its self-contained nature - you’re using your own gi as the primary tool, eliminating the grip fighting variables present in collar chokes. The mechanical principle is straightforward: create bilateral pressure on the carotid arteries using your wrist bone as a blade against one side while your forearm provides opposing pressure on the other. However, the tactical application requires sophisticated understanding of positional hierarchy. The Ezekiel should never be attempted at the expense of position maintenance. If your mount becomes unstable during the setup, abandon the submission immediately and reconsolidate your position. The choke will be available again once proper control is re-established. From a safety standpoint, the Ezekiel demands particular attention to blade angle. Your wrist bone must contact the side of the neck where the carotid artery runs, not the front of the throat. Pressure on the trachea is both ineffective and dangerous. In training, progressive pressure application over several seconds is mandatory to allow your partner adequate opportunity to tap safely. The technique’s effectiveness makes it particularly important to maintain these safety protocols, as improper application can cause loss of consciousness without warning. Master the position first, understand the anatomy second, and the submissions will follow naturally.
- Gordon Ryan: The Ezekiel is one of those techniques that separates beginners from experienced competitors in gi competition. Everyone knows it exists, but high-level execution requires timing and positional awareness that only comes from thousands of repetitions. In competition, I use the Ezekiel primarily as a tool to create reactions rather than as a primary finishing technique, though it absolutely can finish matches when applied correctly. Here’s what most people miss: the threat of the Ezekiel forces opponents to bring their hands high to defend, which immediately exposes armbars. When they defend armbars by keeping their arms low, the Ezekiel comes back into play. This creates a cycle of defensive choices that all lead to submission opportunities. The key to high-percentage application is riding extremely high in mount before attempting the choke. Most people sit too low, which allows bridge and roll escapes. Get your knees to their armpits, keep your chest heavy on their face, and the Ezekiel becomes nearly impossible to defend while maintaining the mount position. In terms of competition versus training application, understand that in training you must apply the choke progressively over several seconds to give your partner time to tap safely. In competition, the application can be faster within the rules, but you’re still targeting the same carotid arteries with the same mechanics. The difference is urgency, not technique. One critical point: if you feel your mount slipping while setting up the choke, immediately abandon the submission and focus on position retention. A maintained mount with no submission is infinitely better than a lost position chasing a finish. Position always comes first.
- Eddie Bravo: The Ezekiel is a perfect example of how traditional techniques remain effective even in modern jiu-jitsu when you understand the innovation opportunities. Most people learn the basic mount version and stop there, but this choke has so much more potential if you’re willing to experiment. I’ve seen it work from reverse mount, from turtle control, even from inside closed guard if you’re creative with the setup. The mechanics stay the same - bilateral pressure on the carotids using your sleeve as a lever - but the positions where you can apply it are way more diverse than people realize. In the 10th Planet system, we emphasize the no-gi version which is essentially an arm triangle using Ezekiel mechanics. You cup your own bicep instead of gripping your sleeve, thread the other arm through, and squeeze. It’s slightly different pressure but achieves the same result. What I love about teaching the Ezekiel is that it forces students to understand the difference between pain compliance and true submissions. If you’re putting pressure on someone’s trachea and they’re coughing, you’re doing it wrong. Blood chokes should feel relatively comfortable right up until they’re not, then your partner taps. That sudden transition is why progressive pressure in training is so critical - you need to give your partner time to recognize the danger and tap out safely. From a training culture perspective, the Ezekiel teaches mutual respect and safety. It’s effective enough to finish anybody if applied correctly, which means both partners need to be responsible: the person applying it needs to go slow and release immediately on tap, and the person defending needs to tap early before they’re in danger. This mutual trust is what allows us to practice dangerous techniques safely and get better together.