⚠️ SAFETY: Guillotine Sequence targets the Carotid arteries and trachea. Risk: Trachea damage from improper hand placement. Release immediately upon tap.
The Guillotine Sequence represents a systematic approach to one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s most versatile submission systems. Rather than treating the guillotine as a single technique, this sequence encompasses the complete tactical framework from initial front headlock control through multiple finishing variations and transitions. The sequence begins with establishing dominant head control, typically from standing exchanges, turtle attacks, or guard pulls. From this foundation, the practitioner can flow seamlessly between standard guillotine grips, high elbow variations, arm-in controls, and related submissions like the D’arce and anaconda chokes. What makes this sequence particularly effective is its adaptability across positional contexts - it works standing, from guard, in half guard, and during scrambles. The guillotine sequence exemplifies the principle of submission chains, where one attack creates openings for related techniques, forcing opponents into defensive dilemmas with no safe escape. Understanding this sequence transforms the guillotine from an opportunistic submission into a complete offensive system that can be systematically developed and refined across all skill levels.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Trachea damage from improper hand placement | CRITICAL | 2-6 weeks with potential permanent damage |
| Cervical spine hyperextension | High | 3-8 weeks |
| Carotid artery stress | Medium | Immediate with proper release, potential stroke risk if applied recklessly |
| Shoulder strain from defensive grips | Medium | 1-3 weeks |
Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum, allowing partner to recognize pressure and tap safely
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap or verbal distress signal
- Physical hand tap on body or mat
- Physical foot tap on mat or opponent
- Any unusual sound or movement indicating distress
- Loss of resistance or going limp
Release Protocol:
- Immediately release choking arm and open grip completely
- Release head control and allow neck to return to neutral position
- Move away from opponent to give them space
- Check on partner verbally to ensure they are okay
- Wait for clear verbal confirmation before resuming training
Training Restrictions:
- Never spike or crank the neck violently
- Never use competition speed or full pressure in training
- Always ensure partner has at least one arm free to tap
- Stop immediately at any sign of neck discomfort
- Avoid repeated guillotine attempts on same training partner in single session
Key Principles
- Head control dominance - establishing and maintaining superior head positioning throughout the sequence
- Grip versatility - seamlessly transitioning between standard, high elbow, arm-in, and ten-finger variations
- Hip positioning - using hip pressure and body weight to enhance choking mechanics
- Posture breaking - preventing opponent from establishing defensive posture that nullifies the choke
- Submission chain awareness - understanding how guillotine connects to D’arce, anaconda, and back takes
- Positional flexibility - adapting the sequence across standing, guard, half guard, and turtle contexts
- Timing recognition - identifying optimal entry windows during scrambles and transitions
Prerequisites
- Dominant head control with opponent’s head secured under your chest or armpit
- Proper hand positioning around neck with forearm blade across carotid arteries (not trachea)
- Hip engagement creating downward pressure on opponent’s head and neck
- Posture broken sufficiently to prevent opponent from establishing strong base
- At least one controlling grip (head, arm, or body) preventing opponent escape
- Clear understanding of which guillotine variation is optimal for current position
- Recognition of opponent’s defensive reactions and available transitions
Execution Steps
- Establish front headlock control: Secure dominant head position with opponent’s head trapped under your chest. Your choking arm wraps around the neck while your non-choking hand controls the opponent’s far shoulder or back. Keep your hips low and chest heavy to prevent them from standing or pulling their head free. This initial control is the foundation for the entire sequence. (Timing: 0-2 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Choose appropriate guillotine variation: Assess the position and select the optimal variation: standard guillotine with locked hands for standing or closed guard, high elbow guillotine for maximum squeeze when pulled to guard, arm-in guillotine if opponent’s arm is trapped inside your grip, or ten-finger guillotine for quick finishing opportunities. Your selection depends on opponent’s posture, available space, and defensive reactions. (Timing: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Light]
- Secure choking grip: For standard guillotine, your choking arm extends deep around the neck with the blade of your forearm (radius bone side) positioned across both carotid arteries, NOT the trachea. Lock your hands together using gable grip, S-grip, or palm-to-palm grip depending on flexibility and variation. Ensure your elbow is positioned on centerline of opponent’s body. For high elbow variation, your choking elbow stays high near your own chest. For arm-in, trap their defensive arm inside your grip. (Timing: 3-4 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Establish optimal body position: From standing, either sit to guard pulling opponent into you, jump to closed guard, or maintain standing position with hips thrust forward. From guard, close your legs around opponent’s body or secure half guard on the non-choking side. From turtle, maintain top pressure while securing the grip. Regardless of position, your hips must create pressure into opponent’s neck while your upper body pulls up and back, creating the scissoring action that generates choking pressure. (Timing: 4-5 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Apply progressive choking pressure: Gradually increase pressure by simultaneously pulling up with your arms while driving your hips forward and down. For standard guillotine, shrug your shoulder on the choking side to tighten the noose. For high elbow, keep that elbow high and pull it toward your opposite hip. Maintain head control throughout - do not allow opponent to posture up or turn their head. Apply pressure slowly over 3-5 seconds, giving partner time to recognize the danger and tap safely. (Timing: 5-8 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Adjust or transition based on defense: If opponent defends successfully by creating space, pulling their head out, or establishing strong posture, immediately transition within the sequence. Common adjustments include: switching to high elbow variation if they defend standard guillotine, transitioning to D’arce or anaconda if they turn into you, taking the back if they turtle, or switching to arm-in guillotine if they attempt to hand-fight. Never force a guillotine that isn’t working - flow to the next option in the sequence. (Timing: 8-12 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Finish or continue sequence: If the guillotine is successful, opponent taps and you immediately release. If opponent defends effectively, continue the sequence by transitioning to alternative submissions (D’arce, anaconda, arm triangle) or positional improvements (back take, mount, side control). The sequence is complete when you either finish a submission or establish a dominant position. Never abandon head control prematurely - maintain offensive pressure throughout. (Timing: 12-15 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
Opponent Defenses
- Creating space by pushing hips away and establishing strong base (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Immediately pull opponent into closed guard or half guard, eliminating their ability to create distance. If standing, jump to guard or switch to D’arce/anaconda by stepping to the side.
- Hand fighting to break the choking grip or prevent hands from locking (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Switch to arm-in guillotine by trapping their defensive arm inside your grip. Alternatively, transition to D’arce or anaconda by adjusting your arm position and stepping to the choking side.
- Driving forward and establishing strong posture to pull head free (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Use their forward momentum to pull guard, simultaneously falling to your back while maintaining head control. As they drive in, your legs close around them and your hips thrust up to restore choking leverage.
- Turning into you to alleviate pressure on carotid arteries (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: When opponent turns toward your choking side, immediately switch to D’arce choke by adjusting your arm position. If they turn away, transition to anaconda choke. Both submissions capitalize on their turning motion.
- Tucking chin to create barrier between your forearm and their neck (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: Do not force the submission against a tucked chin (injury risk). Instead, use shoulder pressure and hip positioning to gradually work your forearm deeper, or transition to alternative submissions. Switch to high elbow guillotine which bypasses chin defense.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: Why must the forearm blade be positioned across the carotid arteries rather than the trachea, and what are the safety implications of incorrect placement? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The forearm blade (radius bone side) must target both carotid arteries on the sides of the neck because this creates a blood choke that induces unconsciousness safely by restricting blood flow to the brain. Choking across the trachea (windpipe) is both less effective and significantly more dangerous - it causes severe pain without inducing unconsciousness, can damage the trachea, creates panic responses in the opponent, and provides no safe tap window. Blood chokes are safer because they work quickly (5-10 seconds) and have no lasting effects when released immediately. Trachea chokes are considered poor technique and carry serious injury risk including crushed windpipe, which can be life-threatening. Proper guillotine technique should never involve significant trachea pressure.
Q2: How does the guillotine sequence differ from treating the guillotine as a single isolated technique? A: The guillotine sequence represents a complete tactical system rather than a single technique. It encompasses multiple grip variations (standard, high elbow, arm-in, ten-finger), positional contexts (standing, closed guard, half guard, turtle, scrambles), and seamless transitions to related submissions (D’arce, anaconda, arm triangle, back takes). This systematic approach means that when one variation is defended, you immediately flow to another option within the sequence rather than abandoning the attack entirely. It creates submission chains where opponent’s defensive choices open different offensive opportunities. Single-technique thinking leads to forcing techniques that aren’t working, while sequence thinking emphasizes adaptability and maintaining offensive pressure through multiple related attacks.
Q3: What is the proper mechanical relationship between hip pressure and arm pull in generating effective choking pressure? A: Effective guillotine mechanics require a scissoring action where the hips thrust forward and up while the arms pull back and up simultaneously. The hips are the primary source of power - they drive into opponent’s neck creating the choking pressure, while the arms control head position and maintain the noose. It should be approximately 70% hips, 30% arms. Common error is relying solely on arm strength, which fatigues quickly and lacks finishing power. Proper hip engagement means whether you’re standing with hips thrust forward, in guard with hips elevated, or on top with chest pressure, your lower body generates the force while your upper body steers and controls. This mechanical advantage allows smaller practitioners to finish guillotines on larger opponents.
Q4: When should you transition from standard guillotine to high elbow variation, and what specific defensive pattern triggers this adjustment? A: The high elbow guillotine becomes optimal when opponent successfully defends standard guillotine by creating space with their hips, establishing stronger posture, or when you pull to closed guard and want maximum squeeze. The specific trigger is when you recognize that standard grip pressure isn’t increasing despite proper hip engagement. Rather than forcing it, you elevate your choking elbow high near your own chest (hence ‘high elbow’) while pulling opponent’s head toward your non-choking hip. This variation creates a different angle of pressure that many standard defenses don’t address. It’s particularly effective in closed guard where you can combine tight leg squeeze with the high elbow mechanics. The transition should be smooth and immediate - when standard doesn’t work, flow to high elbow within 2-3 seconds.
Q5: How does the arm-in guillotine variation neutralize opponent’s hand-fighting defense, and when does this opportunity typically present itself? A: The arm-in guillotine traps opponent’s defensive arm inside your choking grip, eliminating their ability to hand-fight, create frames, or push your arm away. This opportunity typically presents when opponent attempts to defend by reaching across their body to break your grip or when they extend an arm while in turtle position. Rather than fighting their hand-fight, you simply include their arm inside the noose by adjusting your grip to trap it between your forearm and their neck. This creates an exceptionally tight choke because their own arm contributes to the pressure on their carotid artery. It also removes one of their primary defensive tools. The variation is highly effective from turtle attacks and during scrambles where opponent gives you an arm.
Q6: What are the critical safety protocols for applying guillotine chokes in training, and why is progressive pressure application essential? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Critical safety protocols include: (1) Always apply pressure slowly over 3-5 seconds minimum, never explosively. (2) Ensure partner has at least one arm free to tap. (3) Position forearm across carotids, never crush the trachea. (4) Release immediately upon any tap signal. (5) Never use competition speed or maximum pressure in training. (6) Stop at any sign of neck discomfort. Progressive pressure application is essential because it gives your partner time to recognize the submission danger and tap safely before unconsciousness or injury occurs. Blood chokes work quickly (5-10 seconds to unconsciousness) so there’s no need for explosive application. Training partners must trust that you will apply submissions safely - violating this trust destroys the learning environment and creates injury risk. Competition-pace guillotines have no place in training. The goal is technical development and safe repetition, not winning the training round.
From Which Positions?
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The guillotine sequence exemplifies everything I teach about submission chains and systematic approaches to finishing. Most practitioners treat the guillotine as a single opportunistic move - they get the grip, pull guard, and either finish or fail. This is primitive thinking that wastes positional opportunities. A true sequence-based approach means you’re never committed to one technique. When opponent defends standard guillotine by creating space, you flow to high elbow. When they hand-fight, you trap their arm in arm-in variation. When they turn into you, the D’arce is there. When they turn away, anaconda presents itself. The guillotine is not a technique - it’s a positional system with multiple exits. From a safety perspective, understand that blood chokes targeting the carotid arteries are inherently safer than any form of trachea compression. Your forearm must be positioned perpendicular to their spine, blade across both sides of the neck. Progressively applied blood chokes give clear feedback and a safe tap window. Trachea chokes are barbaric and have no place in technical jiu-jitsu. Build your guillotine sequence as a system of responses, not a collection of disconnected moves.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the guillotine sequence is one of my highest-percentage finishing systems because it works across so many positions and transitions. I’ve finished world-class opponents with guillotines from standing, from guard, during scrambles, and from turtle attacks. The key is understanding which variation gives you the highest finish percentage in each context. Standing guillotine needs immediate commitment - either finish it standing with explosive hips or pull guard immediately. In closed guard, high elbow guillotine is my preference because it creates maximum squeeze when combined with leg pressure. From turtle, arm-in guillotine is incredibly effective because opponents always give you an arm when defending. The most important competition distinction is knowing when to commit to the finish versus when to transition within the sequence. If I don’t feel the choke tightening within 3-5 seconds of solid pressure, I’m already moving to D’arce, anaconda, or back take. Never waste energy forcing submissions that aren’t there. In training, the standard is completely different - you must apply these submissions slowly and progressively. I’ve seen too many training room injuries from reckless guillotine application. Competition speed has no place in training. Build your sequence through thousands of safe repetitions, then when competition comes, you have the technical foundation to finish quickly when it matters.
- Eddie Bravo: The guillotine sequence is one of the most versatile submission systems in all of grappling, and it integrates beautifully with 10th Planet methodology. From our rubber guard system, we can hit guillotines during transitions. From our truck system, front headlock attacks lead right into guillotine sequences. What I love about this sequence is how it rewards creativity and adaptation. Standard guillotine isn’t working? Switch to ten-finger for a quick finish attempt. Opponent turns into you? D’arce is right there. Opponent turns away? Anaconda. They turtle up? Arm-in guillotine from top. It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure submission system. In no-gi especially, the guillotine sequence becomes even more important because we don’t have collar grips to fall back on. My students drill guillotine entries from every position - standing, guard pulls, scrambles, turtle attacks, half guard sweeps. The more entry points you develop, the more complete your sequence becomes. One safety thing I’m super strict about: never crank someone’s neck in training. The guillotine should feel like pressure on the sides of the neck, never like you’re trying to rip their head off. Slow, controlled, progressive pressure. We’re building technique here, not trying to prove how tough we are. Safe training partners get better faster because they can train more frequently without injuries. That’s how you build a real guillotine sequence - thousands of safe reps with people who trust you.