The Gogoplata is an advanced submission from the Rubber Guard system that uses your shin across the opponent’s throat to create a crushing choke. This technique represents one of the most visually distinctive and mechanically demanding submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, requiring exceptional hip flexibility, precise angle creation, and disciplined hand fighting to execute successfully. The submission gained widespread recognition through its effective use in high-level competition, demonstrating that even against elite grapplers, the Gogoplata presents genuine finishing threats when properly applied.
The technique operates on a simple but devastating mechanical principle: by placing your shin bone directly across the opponent’s trachea and pulling their head down into that pressure, you create a choke that attacks both the airway and blood supply. Unlike many submissions where escape routes exist through postural adjustments, the Gogoplata’s finishing position offers limited defensive options once fully locked. The trapped opponent must either tap or risk unconsciousness, as the combination of tracheal compression and carotid pressure accelerates the submission timeline dramatically.
From Mission Control, the Gogoplata setup requires bringing your attacking foot across the opponent’s shoulder line and behind their head, then using your hands to pull their head down into your shin. The position demands that you maintain hip elevation and core engagement throughout, as any relaxation allows the opponent to posture and potentially escape or stack. The technique integrates seamlessly with the broader Rubber Guard attack system, chaining naturally with omoplata, triangle, and armbar attempts when the primary Gogoplata entry is defended.
Competition footage shows the Gogoplata succeeding primarily when opponents are unfamiliar with the position’s danger or when they’re already compromised in their posture from preceding Rubber Guard attacks. The submission’s unconventional appearance often causes defenders to misjudge the threat level, creating windows for finish that more traditional attacks might not generate. However, the flexibility requirements mean this technique suits certain body types better than others, and practitioners should honestly assess their physical attributes before investing heavily in Gogoplata development.
From Position: Mission Control (Bottom)
Key Attacking Principles
What are the key principles for executing Gogoplata?
- Hip elevation must be maintained throughout the attack to generate sufficient shin pressure on the throat
- Head control through hand grips is essential - pull opponent’s head into your shin rather than pushing shin into throat
- The choking leg must cross deep behind opponent’s head, shin positioned directly across the anterior throat
- Angle your hips away from the trapped arm side to prevent the common stack escape
- Maintain constant pulling pressure on the back of opponent’s head to prevent posture recovery
- Keep your non-choking leg active as a secondary control point, either hooking their body or creating hip angle
- Recognize the submission is position-dependent - if opponent achieves significant posture, transition rather than force
Prerequisites
What do you need before attempting Gogoplata?
- Mission Control established with high overhook controlling opponent’s posture
- Opponent’s posture broken forward with their head below your chest level
- Sufficient hip flexibility to bring foot behind opponent’s head while maintaining control
- Clear pathway for attacking foot - opponent’s same-side arm must be controlled or cleared
- Core engagement capable of maintaining hip elevation throughout the attack sequence
Execution Steps
How do you execute Gogoplata step by step?
- Secure Mission Control: From closed guard or rubber guard, establish Mission Control with your same-side hand reaching over opponent’s shoulder and grabbing your own shin. Your shin should be pressed across their upper back and shoulder blade area. Break their posture completely by pulling with your overhook grip while driving your shin down.
- Release shin grip: Release your grip on your shin while maintaining the overhook control on their arm. Your attacking leg remains high across their shoulder. Use your free hand to push on the back of their head, driving it toward the mat and further breaking posture. This creates the angle needed for the foot to travel behind their head.
- Thread the attacking foot: Circle your attacking foot up and over their shoulder, threading it behind their head. Your shin bone should be positioned to cross their throat at the trachea level. The foot travels in an arc motion, coming from outside their shoulder and curling behind their head. Keep your hip elevated to create the necessary range of motion.
- Secure head control: Both hands now reach behind opponent’s head, interlocking your fingers or grabbing wrist-to-wrist at the back of their skull. Your grip should be directly on the occipital bone area, not on the neck. This creates the pulling mechanism that drives their throat into your shin.
- Create finishing angle: Hip out slightly to the side opposite your attacking leg, creating an angle that prevents opponent from stacking directly over you. Your non-attacking leg can hook their hip or post on the mat for additional control. Keep your hips elevated off the mat - flat hips equal failed submission.
- Apply finishing pressure: Pull opponent’s head forcefully down into your shin using your grip behind their head while simultaneously extending your hip to drive your shin into their throat. The finish combines pulling and pressing - your arms pull the head while your hip extension drives the shin. Maintain constant pressure until tap or unconsciousness.
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Gogoplata Control | 55% |
| Failure | Mission Control | 30% |
| Counter | Mount | 15% |
Opponent Counters
How might your opponent counter Gogoplata?
- Posture recovery by stacking weight forward and standing up through the guard (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Transition immediately to omoplata or triangle before they complete the posture recovery - attempting to force a Gogoplata against strong posture typically fails → Leads to Mission Control
- Stripping the grip behind the head by pulling the choking foot away (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: If they grab your foot, transition to armbar on that arm or switch to omoplata by releasing the leg and following their arm movement → Leads to Mission Control
- Turning their chin into the crook of your knee to relieve throat pressure (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Pull harder on the back of their head while simultaneously angling your shin to maintain throat contact - if they successfully turn, switch to triangle or armbar → Leads to Mission Control
- Explosive bridge and roll toward the choking leg side to escape bottom position (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Maintain hip elevation and follow the roll - you often end up on top in a mounted gogoplata position which is even more effective → Leads to Mount
Safety Considerations
What are the safety concerns for Gogoplata?
The Gogoplata is a particularly dangerous submission that can cause unconsciousness very rapidly due to its dual attack on both airway and blood supply. Training partners must tap early as the finish can accelerate from uncomfortable to unconscious within seconds. Practitioners should never attempt to ‘tough out’ a locked Gogoplata as tracheal damage is possible under extreme pressure. When drilling, apply pressure gradually and release immediately upon tap. Be especially cautious when working with the mounted variation as the added gravity pressure increases injury risk. Practitioners with cervical spine issues should avoid this technique as both attacker and defender, given the significant neck loading involved. Always ensure training partners understand the tap-out protocol before drilling Gogoplata sequences.