SAFETY: Gogoplata targets the Trachea and carotid arteries. Risk: Tracheal damage or crushing. Release immediately upon tap.
The Gogoplata is an advanced submission technique that utilizes the shin bone to create a choke by pressing against the opponent’s trachea while simultaneously pulling their head forward. This highly technical submission is most commonly associated with the rubber guard system and requires exceptional flexibility, precise positioning, and excellent timing. The Gogoplata is executed primarily from rubber guard positions, though variations exist from mount and other control positions.
What makes the Gogoplata particularly effective is its unexpected nature and the difficulty opponents face in defending once the position is established. Unlike traditional chokes that rely on arm or collar grips, the Gogoplata uses the shin bone as the primary choking mechanism, making it extremely difficult to grip-fight or hand-fight out of the submission. The technique’s success heavily depends on the practitioner’s ability to maintain high guard control, break the opponent’s posture, and possess the hip flexibility necessary to bring the shin across the throat.
While the Gogoplata has a reputation as a low-percentage submission due to its technical complexity and flexibility requirements, when executed by practitioners with the proper physical attributes and technical understanding, it becomes a powerful addition to the submission arsenal. The technique has been successfully used in high-level competition by flexibility-focused grapplers. The Gogoplata represents the evolution of submission grappling beyond traditional techniques, showcasing how creativity and physical attributes can be leveraged to create finishing opportunities from seemingly neutral positions.
Category: Choke Type: Shin Choke Target Area: Trachea and carotid arteries Starting Position: Rubber Guard From Position: Gogoplata Control (Top) Success Rate: 40%
Safety Guide
Injury Risks:
| Injury | Severity | Recovery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tracheal damage or crushing | CRITICAL | 4-12 weeks or permanent damage |
| Carotid artery compression leading to loss of consciousness | CRITICAL | Immediate (but risk of brain damage if held too long) |
| Neck hyperextension or cervical spine injury | High | 2-8 weeks |
| Jaw or facial bone stress fractures | Medium | 4-6 weeks |
Application Speed: EXTREMELY SLOW - 5-7 seconds minimum from initial shin placement to full pressure. This is one of the most dangerous chokes due to tracheal vulnerability.
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (any sound indicating distress)
- Physical hand tap (rapid tapping on partner’s body or mat)
- Physical foot tap (stomping or tapping with feet)
- Any distress signal or change in breathing pattern
- Loss of resistance or body going limp (IMMEDIATE RELEASE)
Release Protocol:
- IMMEDIATELY remove shin from across throat at first sign of tap
- Release head control and allow head to return to neutral position
- Remove top leg from over opponent’s head completely
- Lower hips and release all pressure
- Check on training partner’s condition before continuing
- Allow adequate recovery time (minimum 2-3 minutes) before resuming training
Training Restrictions:
- NEVER apply rapid or explosive pressure to the throat
- NEVER practice at competition speed during training
- NEVER use excessive pulling force on the head
- Always allow training partner immediate tap access
- Beginners should drill position only without applying pressure for first 6-12 months
- Only practice with trusted partners who understand the dangers
- Never practice when fatigued or with impaired judgment
Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | game-over | 40% |
| Failure | Gogoplata Control | 35% |
| Counter | Closed Guard | 25% |
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute and finish | Escape and survive |
| Key Principles | High guard control must be established before attempting the… | Posture recovery is the single most important defensive prio… |
| Options | 7 execution steps | 4 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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High guard control must be established before attempting the shin placement across the throat
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Hip flexibility is essential - the ability to bring your shin across their throat while maintaining control
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Breaking posture is critical - opponent’s head must be pulled down and forward for the choke to work
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Shin bone placement must be precise - across the trachea with the blade of the shin, not the calf
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Control of the opponent’s head with both hands creates the necessary compression for the choke
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The non-choking leg maintains position control by hooking over the opponent’s back or shoulder
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Gradual pressure application allows for safe training and partner awareness of danger
Execution Steps
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Establish high guard control: From closed guard or open guard, establish a high guard position by climbing your legs up your oppon…
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Break opponent’s posture completely: Using your rubber guard control and both hands gripping behind opponent’s head or controlling their …
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Thread the choking leg across the throat: From your high guard position, begin to thread your free leg (the one not in rubber guard) across th…
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Secure the shin position across the throat: Position the blade of your shin bone directly across opponent’s trachea and throat area. Your foot s…
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Control the head with both hands: With your shin in position, secure a strong grip on the back of opponent’s head with both hands. You…
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Create choking pressure by pulling head forward: While maintaining your shin position across their throat, pull opponent’s head forward with your han…
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Maintain position and adjust pressure: As opponent feels the pressure, they will attempt to escape. Maintain your shin position, keep their…
Common Mistakes
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Attempting the gogoplata without sufficient hip flexibility
- Consequence: Inability to bring shin across throat properly, leading to failed submission attempt and potential injury to your own hip or knee from forcing the position
- Correction: Develop hip flexibility through dedicated stretching and yoga before attempting this technique. Practice the positioning slowly with a cooperative partner. If you cannot comfortably bring your shin across while maintaining guard, this submission may not be suitable for your body type.
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Failing to break opponent’s posture before attempting shin placement
- Consequence: Opponent easily postures up and escapes, or they stack you and pass your guard while you’re attempting the submission
- Correction: Ensure opponent’s posture is completely broken with their head pulled down low before initiating the shin thread. Use your rubber guard position and head control to maintain broken posture throughout the entire technique. Posture control is the foundation of this submission.
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Placing the calf muscle across the throat instead of the shin bone
- Consequence: Ineffective choking pressure due to soft tissue compression rather than hard bone pressure. Opponent can often resist or escape easily
- Correction: Focus on positioning the blade of your shin bone (the hard front edge) directly across the trachea. Your foot should be positioned behind their head, not alongside it. The shin bone creates much more effective compression than the calf muscle.
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Posture recovery is the single most important defensive priority - if you can maintain upright posture, the gogoplata cannot be completed regardless of the attacker’s flexibility or control
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Early recognition of the leg threading across your throat provides the widest window for escape before the position becomes dangerous
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Never allow both your head control and arm position to be compromised simultaneously - losing both eliminates all defensive options
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Address the head control first by fighting the pulling grips before attempting to remove the shin from your throat
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Create distance by driving hips backward rather than lifting head upward, as head lifting often feeds directly into the choke mechanism
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If the shin is fully across your throat, prioritize turning your chin toward the attacker’s knee to reduce tracheal pressure while working escape
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Tap immediately if the choke is locked and you cannot escape - tracheal injuries from the gogoplata can be permanent and career-ending
Recognition Cues
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Attacker’s leg begins traveling across the front of your face or throat from rubber guard or high guard position, moving laterally rather than maintaining standard guard configuration
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You feel the attacker’s shin bone making contact with the front or side of your neck while their foot hooks behind your head or over your opposite shoulder
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Both of the attacker’s hands shift to the back of your head simultaneously, pulling your face downward with increasing urgency while their hips elevate
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Your posture is severely broken with your face near the attacker’s chest and you feel a hard bony surface pressing against your throat from below
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The attacker’s non-choking leg hooks deeper over your back or shoulder than typical rubber guard control, creating an anchor that prevents you from creating distance
Escape Paths
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Posture recovery to closed guard - fight head control grips, drive hips back, establish upright posture, and work to disengage from the rubber guard structure entirely by controlling attacker’s hips
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Stack and pass - drive weight forward and upward to collapse attacker’s hip elevation, removing the mechanical leverage needed for the choke while advancing toward side control
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Head extraction to turtle - if the shin is partially across, forcefully turn your head toward the attacker’s knee side while simultaneously driving laterally to extract your head from the choking leg, accepting turtle position temporarily to escape the tracheal threat
From Which Positions?
Match Outcome
Successful execution of Gogoplata leads to → Game Over
All submissions in BJJ ultimately converge to the same terminal state: the match ends when your opponent taps.