Danaher Triangle System

Submission Chain Intermediate difficulty

What is Danaher Triangle System?

The Danaher Triangle System is a BJJGraph study framework connecting triangle entry and control with the different orientations an opponent’s movement can create.

Triangles Enter The System is a direct companion for comparing front, opposite, rear, side and reverse triangle situations. The vendor syllabus includes setup work, transitions from preliminary control to a completed configuration, and connections to arm attacks. This makes it useful when a familiar front-triangle attempt changes shape during a defensive turn.

The following plan is BJJGraph’s own way to organise practice. Start with one configuration and learn to recognise what is enclosed and what remains free. Then compare a neighbouring orientation without assuming that every change preserves a viable choke. The linked submission pages support further reading, while a coach or the course demonstrations supplies the actual movement details.

Study this system with BJJ Fanatics

Explore a relevant instructional alongside this guide. Check the syllabus and sample on BJJ Fanatics to decide whether it suits your training.

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Triangles Enter The System

with John Danaher

Who it suits: Students ready to compare triangle configurations; it is broader than a first closed-guard triangle lesson and includes advanced branches.

A dedicated triangle reference covering multiple orientations, entries and connections to arm attacks.

View course & syllabus on BJJ Fanatics →

Core Principles

• Recognise the controlled head-and-arm relationship before naming the triangle variation.
• Separate initial trapping from securing the intended configuration.
• Use orientation changes as information about control, not as automatic finishing opportunities.
• Keep arm attacks available only when their own control requirements are present.
• Choose entries that fit your current guard or top game.
• Do not force the neck or rush a transition to make a loose triangle work.

Key Components

Initial head-and-arm capture (Distinguish an entry opportunity from a secured position.) Study the moment one arm is enclosed and compare that initial capture with the control required for the chosen triangle configuration.

Configuration completion (Locate the most fragile part of the transition.) Observe whether changing leg position preserves the original capture or lets the defender recover their arm.

Orientation recognition (Make variation selection a response to the actual position.) Name the attacker’s relationship to the defender in the front, rear or side situation being studied.

Arm-attack branches (Evaluate an alternative without treating it as guaranteed.) Identify when a controlled arm offers a separate attack and when changing objectives would release the entire triangle position.

Implementation Sequence

1. Choose a front-triangle starting point: Use a familiar guard entry and stop once the head-and-arm capture is recognisable.

2. Compare capture and configuration: Rehearse the move from preliminary capture to the intended leg configuration. Let the defender show where their arm could become free.

3. Introduce a slow turn: Allow one coached change of orientation and name the triangle situation that remains, if any.

4. Check the alternative arm attack: Pause when an arm becomes available. Decide whether its control supports a separate attack or whether retaining the triangle is preferable.

5. Return to the entry: Repeat from the same guard context with either of the agreed reactions. Stop when control disappears and record which transition needs review.

Where to begin in the instructional

Start with the capture-to-configuration material, then compare the front-triangle section with one later orientation.

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Explore the course contents on BJJ Fanatics: Triangles Enter The System →

What Challenges Will You Face?

• The attacker names a variation but cannot explain the control.: Describe where the head and enclosed arm sit before rehearsing its finish.
• The arm escapes while the legs are reconfigured.: Shorten the transition and check the initial capture with a coach.
• Every defensive turn triggers a new submission attempt.: Add a deliberate pause to assess whether either control remains usable.
• Too many triangle variations are studied simultaneously.: Compare one starting configuration with one neighbouring orientation until their differences are clear.

How to Measure Your Progress

Capture recognition: Assess whether the initial head-and-arm relationship is clear. Proficiency indicators:

• Names the enclosed arm
• Recognises incomplete capture
• Can pause without squeezing

Transition retention: Check whether leg reconfiguration preserves the entry. Proficiency indicators:

• Identifies arm withdrawal
• Retains a recognisable position
• Can describe the lost connection

Orientation discrimination: Compare two triangle situations in slow practice. Proficiency indicators:

• Names the starting orientation
• Recognises a changed orientation
• Distinguishes a lost triangle from a variation

Branch selection: Observe decisions when a separate arm attack appears. Proficiency indicators:

• Checks arm control
• Can retain the triangle instead
• Resets when neither option is secure

How to Train This System Effectively

Drilling Approach

BJJGraph suggests comparing two snapshots: initial front-triangle capture and the intended completed configuration. Have the partner give one slow turning response and pause again. Name which control survives before considering another triangle or an arm attack. Keep the neck comfortable and use a coach to select movements suitable for both partners.

Progression Path

Capture (Focus: Recognise the enclosed head-and-arm relationship.) Configuration (Focus: Maintain capture while adjusting the legs.) Orientation (Focus: Compare the starting triangle with one coached neighbouring form.) Branching (Focus: Evaluate a retained triangle against one separate arm attack.)

Common Mistakes

• Treating the name of a triangle as proof that it is controlled.
• Pulling on the neck to compensate for a loose configuration.
• Learning several branches before retaining the first capture.

Which Positions, Transitions, and Principles Connect to This System?

• Triangle Control (Position) - The primary control reference.
• Triangle Choke (Submission) - Front-triangle family background.
• Rear Triangle Choke (Submission) - A different orientation for comparison.
• Triangle Choke Side (Submission) - Side-orientation reference.
• Inverted Triangle (Submission) - Another triangle family entry for later study.
• Armbar (Submission) - An arm-attack branch requiring separate control.
• Closed Guard (Position) - A familiar entry context.
• Clamp Guard (Position) - A related upper-body trapping position.
• Clamps (Principle) - Useful vocabulary for retained capture.
• Submission Chains (Principle) - Frames the relationship between distinct attacks.

Take one idea into your next session

BJJGraph suggestion: pause before and after leg reconfiguration and ask whether the same arm is still controlled.

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Check the sample and current price on BJJ Fanatics: Triangles Enter The System →