⚠️ SAFETY: Loop Choke targets the Carotid arteries via deep collar grip and body positioning. Risk: Carotid artery compression leading to loss of consciousness. Release immediately upon tap.
The Loop Choke is a deceptive gi-based blood choke that attacks the carotid arteries through a deep same-side collar grip combined with strategic body positioning and weight distribution. Unlike traditional collar chokes that rely on bilateral compression, the Loop Choke creates asymmetric pressure by threading one hand deep into the opponent’s collar while using body weight and positioning to complete the strangle. The technique is particularly effective from mount, side control, and turtle positions, where the attacker can control posture and prevent defensive hand fighting. The Loop Choke’s effectiveness stems from its ability to disguise the attacking grip as a standard control position, allowing practitioners to secure deep collar penetration before the opponent recognizes the submission threat. Advanced practitioners excel at chaining the Loop Choke with other collar attacks, creating offensive systems where defensive reactions to one threat open pathways to another. The submission requires refined sensitivity to grip depth, angle management, and the ability to maintain control while transitioning through finishing mechanics.
Category: Choke Type: Blood Choke Target Area: Carotid arteries via deep collar grip and body positioning 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 after unconsciousness |
| Neck strain from excessive twisting during finish | Medium | 3-7 days with rest |
| Cervical spine stress from improper rolling mechanics | High | 1-4 weeks depending on severity |
Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum application time in training, allowing partner clear opportunity to tap
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (saying ‘tap’ or any verbal signal)
- Physical hand tap on partner or mat (multiple taps clearly felt)
- Physical foot tap on mat or partner
- Any distress signal including unusual sounds or body tension
Release Protocol:
- Immediately release collar grip upon feeling tap
- Remove bodyweight pressure and allow partner to breathe freely
- Check partner’s awareness and ensure they are conscious and responsive
- Allow 10-15 seconds recovery time before resuming training
- If partner is unconscious, call for instructor assistance immediately and position them in recovery position
Training Restrictions:
- Never spike or jerk the choke - always apply smooth, progressive pressure
- Never use competition speed or tightness in drilling or light rolling
- Always ensure partner has at least one hand free to tap clearly
- Never hold the choke after feeling a tap or seeing distress signals
- Avoid practicing on partners with known neck injuries without explicit instructor approval
Key Principles
- Deep collar penetration is the foundation - four fingers deep minimum before attempting finish
- Body positioning creates the choke more than arm strength - use weight distribution strategically
- Hide the attacking intention by establishing grip as part of positional control sequence
- Angle management determines effectiveness - slight adjustments in shoulder position dramatically affect pressure
- Control opponent’s defensive frames before committing to finish - prevent hand fighting early
- Progressive pressure application allows technical refinement and safe training practice
- Chain with other collar attacks to create offensive dilemmas where all defenses lead to submissions
Prerequisites
- Establish dominant position with opponent’s movement restricted (mount, side control, or turtle control)
- Secure deep same-side collar grip with four fingers inside, thumb outside configuration
- Control opponent’s near arm or block defensive frames to prevent grip stripping
- Maintain heavy pressure to limit opponent’s ability to create space or turn into you
- Position your head close to opponent’s head to prevent them from turning away from the choke
- Ensure collar material is properly gathered and not slack - tightness in fabric is critical
Execution Steps
- Establish deep collar grip: From mount or side control, feed your hand (same side as the direction you’ll finish) deep into opponent’s far collar, aiming for four fingers inside with thumb outside. The deeper the grip, the more effective the choke. Disguise this as a standard control grip by maintaining pressure and not telegraphing the submission intention. (Timing: Take 2-3 seconds to work grip progressively deeper) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Control defensive frames: Use your free hand to control opponent’s near arm, either by pinning it to their chest, controlling the wrist, or blocking at the elbow. This prevents them from stripping your collar grip or creating frames. Maintain steady pressure with your chest to limit their mobility and breathing space. (Timing: Establish control before progressing to finish) [Pressure: Firm]
- Adjust body angle: Begin shifting your body weight toward the side of your choking arm, positioning your shoulder near opponent’s head. Your head should be close to theirs, limiting their ability to turn away. This angle change starts to create compression on the near-side carotid artery while setting up the finishing mechanics. (Timing: Smooth transition over 1-2 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Drive shoulder pressure: Press your shoulder (same side as choking hand) into the side of opponent’s neck while maintaining the deep collar grip. This creates the primary compression on the carotid artery. Your elbow should come close to the mat on the far side of their head, creating a lever system with your shoulder as the fulcrum. (Timing: Progressive pressure over 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Secure head position: Place your head tight against opponent’s head on the opposite side of your choking arm, preventing them from turning toward you to relieve pressure. Your head acts as a blocking mechanism while your shoulder and collar grip create the strangle. Keep your base wide to prevent being rolled. (Timing: Maintain throughout finish) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Complete the choke: Drive your weight forward and slightly toward your choking side while pulling the collar grip tighter. The combination of shoulder pressure, head blocking, and collar tension completes the blood choke by compressing both carotid arteries. From mount, you may need to post with your far leg to prevent being rolled. Maintain pressure progressively until partner taps, never jerking or spiking the finish. (Timing: Progressive tightening over 3-4 seconds in training) [Pressure: Maximum]
Opponent Defenses
- Strip the collar grip with both hands before choke is set (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Establish grip as part of positional control sequence when opponent is defending other threats. Use cross-face or chest pressure to limit their ability to bring both hands to the grip. If grip is stripped, immediately transition to different collar attack to maintain offensive pressure.
- Turn into the choke to create space and reduce pressure (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Block their turning motion with your head position and maintain shoulder pressure. If they successfully turn, adjust to take the back or transition to different choke variation. Use your free hand to control their far shoulder and prevent the turn.
- Bridge explosively to disrupt base and create escape opportunity (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Maintain wide base with legs and be prepared to post. If from mount, consider stepping over to side control while maintaining the grip, or transition to technical mount for better stability. Keep your weight distributed to prevent being swept while finishing the choke.
- Frame against neck and create distance to breathe (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: Control the framing arm early in the setup phase. Once the choke is properly set with shoulder pressure and head position, frames are largely ineffective. Maintain pressure and drive through their defensive structure using body weight rather than arm strength.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the minimum depth required for the collar grip to be effective in the loop choke? A: The collar grip must be at least four fingers deep inside the collar with thumb outside. Insufficient depth is one of the most common technical errors that prevents the choke from being effective, as shallow grips lack the leverage and compression necessary to attack the carotid arteries properly.
Q2: Why must pressure be applied progressively over 3-5 seconds minimum in training contexts? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Progressive pressure application allows your training partner clear opportunity to recognize the danger and tap before injury occurs. This safety protocol prevents neck strain, reduces risk of unconsciousness from rapid blood choke application, and maintains a safe training environment where practitioners can develop technique without unnecessary risk of injury.
Q3: What is the primary mechanism that creates the strangle in the loop choke? A: The primary strangling mechanism is shoulder pressure driving into the side of opponent’s neck combined with proper body angle and head position, not arm strength or pulling the collar. The deep collar grip controls position and maintains compression, but the shoulder acting as a wedge against the carotid artery creates the actual submission pressure.
Q4: What must you do immediately upon feeling a tap signal during the loop choke? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: You must immediately release the collar grip and remove all bodyweight pressure, allowing your partner to breathe freely. Then check their awareness to ensure consciousness and allow 10-15 seconds recovery time before resuming training. If your partner is unconscious, call for instructor assistance immediately and position them in recovery position. Delayed release after tap signals is a critical safety violation.
Q5: How does body positioning contribute more to the choke than arm strength? A: Proper body positioning creates mechanical advantage by using shoulder pressure, head blocking, and weight distribution to compress the carotid artery against the collar. This approach is sustainable, technical, and more effective than muscling the choke with arm strength alone, which exhausts grip strength quickly and often fails to create proper compression angles necessary for the blood choke to function.
Q6: Why is controlling the opponent’s defensive frames critical before attempting the finish? A: Controlling defensive frames prevents the opponent from stripping your collar grip or creating space to turn into the choke and relieve pressure. If the opponent can bring both hands to your attacking grip, they can often strip it before you establish proper finishing position. Early frame control allows you to focus on technical execution without having to fight through active hand defenses.
From Which Positions?
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The loop choke exemplifies a fundamental principle of submission grappling: mechanical advantage supersedes physical strength. The technique’s effectiveness derives from converting body weight and positional control into directed pressure through a specific anatomical target. What separates proficient execution from crude attempts is understanding that the collar grip functions as an anchoring mechanism, not the primary pressure source. The shoulder becomes a wedge that compresses the carotid artery against the collar material, creating the blood choke through geometric positioning rather than muscular force. Advanced practitioners develop sensitivity to the precise angles that maximize compression efficiency, often requiring only subtle adjustments of shoulder position to transition from ineffective pressure to immediate submission. The loop choke’s strategic value extends beyond its finishing potential—it creates decision points where defensive reactions open pathways to complementary attacks, exemplifying the systematic approach to submission sequences. Safety considerations demand that practitioners develop progressive pressure application as an ingrained habit, as blood chokes can create unconsciousness rapidly if applied with competition intensity in training contexts.
- Gordon Ryan: In high-level competition, the loop choke succeeds because it doesn’t look like a submission attempt until it’s too late to defend effectively. I establish the deep collar grip as part of my standard mount or side control maintenance, so opponents don’t recognize the attacking intention until I’ve already secured optimal positioning. The key is making every grip serve dual purposes—control and attack—so opponents can’t distinguish between positional maintenance and submission setups. Against elite competition, I use the loop choke threat to create reactions: when they defend the collar, it opens arm attacks; when they defend arms, the collar becomes available. The loop choke from mount works particularly well after opponent has been defending armbars and Americanas, as their defensive focus is on arm position rather than collar exposure. In training versus competition, the application speed differs dramatically—training requires slow, progressive pressure to maintain safe practice environment and preserve training partners, while competition demands immediate finishing when the position is secured. The technical fundamentals remain identical, but intensity calibration is critical for balancing skill development with safety protocols that enable sustainable long-term training.
- Eddie Bravo: The loop choke represents old-school technique that still works at the highest levels because it’s based on fundamental mechanical principles that haven’t changed. What I emphasize in the 10th Planet system is combining traditional techniques like the loop choke with modern positional frameworks and transitions. From positions like truck or twister control where you have back exposure, the collar becomes available for loop choke setups that most people don’t expect from those positions. The innovation isn’t changing the choke mechanics—those are proven—but finding new pathways to establish the attacking grip from unconventional positions. We drill loop choke entries from everywhere: after failed lockdown attacks, during scrambles from rubber guard, even from inverted positions where you’re attacking the turtle. The loop choke also chains beautifully with other collar attacks to create submission sequences where every defense opens another attack. Safety culture is paramount in our training methodology—we emphasize that developing technique requires thousands of repetitions with training partners who trust you to apply submissions progressively and release immediately upon tap signals. Injuring training partners destroys the cooperative environment necessary for high-level skill development, so we build safety consciousness into every drilling session and rolling round from day one.