SAFETY: Loop Choke from Mount targets the Carotid arteries and jugular veins. Risk: Loss of consciousness from carotid artery compression. Release immediately upon tap.
The Loop Choke from Mount is a devastating gi-based blood choke that leverages the attacker’s dominant top position to create an inescapable strangling mechanism using the opponent’s own collar. This technique exemplifies the principle of using positional control to set up high-percentage submissions. From mount, the practitioner feeds one hand deep into the opponent’s collar while securing the opposite side lapel with the other hand, creating a loop configuration that tightens around the neck as pressure is applied. The beauty of this submission lies in its ability to be applied from one of the most dominant positions in BJJ, making it extremely difficult to defend once properly set up. Unlike many other mount attacks that require significant positional shifts, the loop choke can be finished while maintaining full mount control, allowing the attacker to threaten the submission without compromising position. The technique works on a biomechanical principle where the opponent’s own collar becomes a noose, with the attacker’s grips creating opposing vectors of force that compress both carotid arteries simultaneously.
From Position: Mount (Top)
Key Attacking Principles
- Maintain solid mount base throughout the setup and finish to prevent escapes
- Deep collar grip is essential - shallow grips result in air chokes rather than blood chokes
- The choke tightens through diagonal pulling vectors, not just downward pressure
- Opponent’s defensive frames can be used to help feed the initial collar grip deeper
- Weight distribution should pin opponent’s shoulders while allowing collar manipulation
- The loop configuration creates a self-tightening mechanism as opponent resists
- Timing the finish with opponent’s defensive movements increases effectiveness
Prerequisites
- Establish solid mount position with weight properly distributed on opponent’s chest and hips
- Control opponent’s near-side arm to prevent framing and collar defense
- Secure deep four-finger grip in opponent’s far collar, with thumb inside against neck
- Maintain high posture to create space for collar manipulation while preventing bridge escapes
- Ensure opponent’s collar is accessible and not trapped under their body
- Establish secondary grip on opponent’s near-side lapel or collar for the loop configuration
Execution Steps
- Establish mount control and isolate near arm: From solid mount position, use your weight to pin opponent’s hips while simultaneously controlling or trapping their near-side arm. This can be accomplished by pinning their wrist to the mat with your knee, catching their elbow with your hand, or using your weight to limit their defensive frames. The goal is to remove their ability to defend their collar on the side you’ll attack. (Timing: 2-3 seconds)
- Feed deep collar grip on far side: Reach across with your same-side hand (right hand to opponent’s left collar) and feed your hand deep into their far collar, getting at least four fingers inside with your thumb against their neck. The deeper the grip, the more effective the choke. Use your opposite hand to pull their collar away from their neck to create space for insertion. Your elbow should be high and your grip should reach past their trachea toward the back of their neck. (Timing: 3-4 seconds)
- Secure opposite side lapel grip: While maintaining the deep collar grip, use your free hand to grab the opponent’s near-side lapel or collar, creating the loop configuration. This grip should be positioned near their shoulder or upper chest area. The two grips now form opposing vectors - one deep in the collar, one controlling the near lapel. (Timing: 2-3 seconds)
- Adjust base and posture for finishing mechanics: Shift your weight slightly toward the side of your deep collar grip while maintaining mount control. Your knee on the deep-grip side should post out for base, while your opposite knee stays tight to their body. Lower your chest toward their head while keeping your elbows tight and grips secure. This positioning creates the proper angle for the choking mechanism. (Timing: 1-2 seconds)
- Create diagonal pulling vectors: The finish involves pulling your deep collar grip toward your same-side hip while simultaneously pulling the near lapel grip across their neck toward your opposite shoulder. This creates crossing diagonal forces that tighten the collar loop around their neck. Think of it as making an ‘X’ with your forearms across their throat, with the collar acting as the strangling mechanism. (Timing: 2-3 seconds)
- Apply controlled finishing pressure: Gradually increase pressure by pulling your grips in opposite diagonal directions while lowering your chest weight onto their upper body. The choke should tighten progressively over 3-5 seconds. Monitor your partner closely for tap signals. The proper choke attacks the carotid arteries bilaterally and should create an immediate tapping response when applied correctly. If the choke doesn’t work within 5-6 seconds, the setup is likely incorrect and you should reset rather than forcing it. (Timing: 3-5 seconds)
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | game-over | 60% |
| Failure | Mount | 25% |
| Counter | Closed Guard | 15% |
Opponent Defenses
- Frames against attacker’s hips and attempts to bridge and shrimp to escape mount (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Use your grips on their collar to base out and prevent the bridge, then continue tightening the choke as they expend energy. Their bridging motion can actually help tighten the collar around their neck. → Leads to Mount
- Grabs and pulls on the deep collar grip wrist to prevent proper positioning (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: If they grab your wrist, use your free hand to reinforce the grip or to strip their hand away. Alternatively, use their pulling to help you circle your elbow over their face, which can set up the loop configuration from a different angle. → Leads to Mount
- Tucks chin deeply to protect neck and collar access (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: If the chin is tucked early, use collar drags and arm attacks to force them to extend their neck. Alternatively, transition to other mount attacks like Americana or armbar to create reactions that expose the collar. Once they defend other attacks, the collar becomes available again. → Leads to Mount
- Turns into opponent to prevent the loop configuration and attempts to go to turtle (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: If they turn into you, maintain your deep collar grip and transition to their back or to a modified mount position. The turning motion often makes the collar grip even deeper, and you can finish the loop choke from back control or side mount. → Leads to Mount
- Strips the lapel grip before the loop is fully established and bridges explosively to recover guard (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: This is the most effective defense if executed early. Counter by using your deep grip to off-balance them, or fake the loop choke to set up other attacks. If they’re focused on defending the lapel grip, switch to armbar or Americana attacks on the defending arm. → Leads to Closed Guard
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the minimum time period you should take to apply full pressure in the loop choke from mount during training? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The minimum application time is 3-5 seconds from initial tightness to full pressure. This progressive application is a critical safety requirement that gives your training partner adequate time to recognize the choke and tap safely. Competition-speed application is never appropriate in training and significantly increases injury risk. The choke should tighten gradually, allowing your partner to feel the progression and tap at any point.
Q2: What anatomical structures does the loop choke from mount attack to cause unconsciousness? A: The loop choke attacks the carotid arteries and jugular veins on both sides of the neck. When applied correctly, the collar creates a constricting loop that compresses these blood vessels bilaterally, restricting blood flow to and from the brain. This bilateral carotid compression causes rapid unconsciousness (typically within 8-12 seconds of full application) without attacking the airway. A properly applied blood choke is distinguishable from an air choke by the rapid onset and lack of tracheal discomfort.
Q3: Why is a deep collar grip more effective than a shallow grip for the loop choke? A: A deep collar grip that reaches past the trachea toward the back of the neck creates a true blood choke by compressing the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck, resulting in a quick and relatively painless tap. A shallow grip that only reaches the front of the neck creates an air choke on the trachea, which is less effective, takes much longer to work, causes unnecessary discomfort, and has higher injury potential. The deep grip allows the collar to act as a noose around the neck’s major blood vessels rather than crushing the windpipe.
Q4: What are the proper vectors of force for finishing the loop choke? A: The loop choke requires diagonal opposing vectors of force, creating an ‘X’ pattern with your forearms. One hand pulls the deep collar grip toward your same-side hip, while the other hand pulls the near lapel grip across their neck toward your opposite shoulder. This crossing diagonal motion creates the loop-tightening mechanism that compresses the carotid arteries. Pulling both grips in the same direction or straight down will not properly tighten the choke and demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the technique’s mechanics.
Q5: What immediate actions must you take when your training partner taps to the loop choke? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Upon feeling or hearing a tap, you must immediately release both collar grips completely and remove all chest pressure by sitting back to neutral mount position. After release, check your partner’s alertness and awareness before continuing training. Allow a minimum of 60 seconds recovery time before resuming. Never hesitate or delay the release, and never question whether the tap was ‘real’ - all tap signals must be honored instantly without exception. This immediate response is a fundamental safety requirement that prevents injury and maintains trust in the training environment.
Q6: Your opponent begins posturing up and creating frames while you have the deep collar grip established - what adjustment prevents escape? A: When they posture up or create frames, immediately lower your chest toward their head and drive your weight through the collar grip. Use your hips to pin their shoulders back to the mat rather than allowing them to create vertical space. The frames they create can actually help tighten the choke if you drive forward into them while maintaining your diagonal pulling vectors. If they successfully create significant space, consider transitioning to a mounted triangle or armbar on the framing arm rather than losing the position entirely.
Q7: Why is arm control important before attempting the loop choke from mount? A: Controlling or trapping the opponent’s near-side arm is essential because it removes their primary defensive tool for protecting their collar and preventing your grips. Without arm control, the opponent can frame against your hips, strip your collar grips, or create barriers that prevent you from establishing the deep collar penetration required for an effective choke. The arm control also prevents them from using that arm to assist in bridging and escaping mount, helping you maintain positional dominance throughout the submission attempt.
Q8: What should you do if the loop choke doesn’t produce a tap within 5-6 seconds of applying pressure? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: If the choke hasn’t worked within 5-6 seconds of proper pressure application, the setup is likely incorrect and you should release the pressure and reset the technique rather than continuing to force it. Continuing to apply pressure when the choke isn’t working properly often means you have a shallow grip creating an air choke rather than a blood choke, which is both ineffective and potentially dangerous. Reset your grips, ensure proper depth and positioning, or transition to a different attack. Forcing a poorly-positioned choke demonstrates poor technical understanding and creates injury risk.
Q9: What are the key indicators that tell you the choke is properly positioned before applying finishing pressure? A: Key indicators of proper positioning include: your deep collar grip reaches past the trachea with four fingers behind the neck and thumb against the side of the neck, your elbow is high and pointing toward their opposite shoulder, your lapel grip creates tension across their neck toward your opposite hip, your weight is distributed forward with chest pressure on their upper body, and your opponent’s near arm is controlled or trapped. Additionally, when you begin light pressure, you should feel the collar tightening around the sides of their neck rather than across the front of the throat.
Q10: How does maintaining mount position contribute to the effectiveness of the loop choke? A: Mount position provides the weight distribution and postural control necessary to establish and maintain the collar grips while preventing escapes. The dominant top position allows you to pin the opponent’s shoulders and hips, limiting their bridging and shrimping escapes. Additionally, the mount position creates the proper angle for your upper body to generate the diagonal pulling vectors required for the choke. Unlike many submissions that require sacrificing position, the loop choke can be finished while maintaining full mount control, meaning you never give up positional dominance even if the submission fails.
Q11: What grip adjustments should you make if your opponent turns their chin strongly toward your deep collar grip side? A: When they turn their chin toward your deep grip, it can actually help create a tighter choke if you adjust properly. Drive your choking elbow higher over their face, using their chin turn to deepen the collar penetration. Simultaneously, pull your lapel grip more aggressively across their neck in the opposite direction to maintain the diagonal vector. If they turn significantly, consider following their movement into technical mount where the angle naturally supports the loop configuration. Their defensive turning motion can become the mechanism that tightens the choke if you maintain proper grip depth.
Q12: In competition, what finishing strategies maximize your completion rate with the loop choke from mount? A: Competition finishing strategies include: establish grips incrementally while your opponent focuses on preventing mount escapes rather than collar defense, use other attacks (Americana, armbar) to create reactions that expose the collar, time your finish attempt when opponent is exhausted from defensive bridging, apply finishing pressure during their attempted escapes when their focus is divided, and commit fully once both grips are established rather than gradually tightening. Additionally, maintain your base throughout to prevent losing position if the choke fails, allowing you to maintain mount and attack again.