Student Objectives:

1. The student will apply an effective strangle using the legs while applying a Triangle Choke.

2. The student will correctly identify “one arm in, one arm out” as an essential part of the Triangle set up.

3. The student will identify the defensive value of “two arms in or two arms out”.

Teaching Cues:

• Thumbs Down

• Posture

• Stuff the Wrist

• Leg Necklace

• Triangle

Lesson: Triangle from Closed Guard

The practicing student will start in the Closed Guard with their legs wrapped around the waist of the assisting student.  The assisting student will start with partially broken posture, with their hands and forearms placed on the chest of the practicing student.

The practicing student will take a thumb down grip in the back of the collar.  This grip should be loose as the goal is not to keep the posture broken all the way down.  The second hand will take a Power C grip on the near side wrist. 

The assisting student will then attempt to posture.  Their posture should lock as the Thumb Down grip in the back of the collar locks out.  Make sure to give instruction that the grip should not be pulling, but rather the length of their arm will dictate how much posture the assisting student achieves. 

As the assisting student postures, the practicing student will use the Power C grip to stuff the wrist between his/her legs.  As the leg clears through the legs, the near leg will lift and gently (during practice) chop the back of the neck.  Once the shin is across the back of the neck the Thumb Down Grip on the back of the collar will be released and the shin will be grabbed.  I refer to this position as the “Leg Necklace”.  It should completely encase the neck and shoulder while also maintaining a strong pressure against the assisting student regaining any posture.  

The practicing student will then adjust the angle of the shin with a combination of movements.  First, the hand on the shin will pull the shin tightly until it locks against the back of the neck and head.  Second, the free hand will push on the inside of their knee, creating a strong frame against the ACL.  This push/pull dynamic will be extremely effective in achieving a strong angle for the shin while also insulating against being stacked.  Lastly, the practicing student can use the free foot/leg to shrimp on the floor, or push off of the hip.  While pushing on the hip is typically the safer option, posting on the floor is quicker, and also it is extremely helpful when the size disparity between the practitioners leads to problems pushing off the hip.  

To finish the Triangle it is important to understand the strangling dynamics.  Pulling on the back of the head is an effective way to limit posture and tighten the areas around the strangle, but first, it is Illegal for children in the IBJJF rule set and second, Is not the most efficient way to finish the Triangle once you understand how the choke works.

The strangle occurs by having a tight Triangle with the thigh completely cutting of blood flow by pressing on the side of the neck.  The second leg should be tightly securing the shoulder/tricep of the “arm in” side.  To add more pressure, after tightening of the legs, the practicing student should pull their ear towards the knee of the assisting student (on the side without the arm in the Triangle).  Once the body is close to 90 degrees the practicing student’s arms should be transferred to their knees with the goal of applying increased squeezing pressure to the thigh and outside shoulder/tricep.

Possible Extensions:

• There are various other attacks to the arm that is “in” while performing a Triangle. The lesson above purposefully does not address the placement of the inside arm. This is not because manipulation of this arm is unimportant, but rather from my experience, children struggle with the Triangle and removing this portion of the technique allows a greater focus on the entry and posture control.
  
  To extend this technique I would first teach children how to pass the arm over the body. The easiest way is to have them reach across with the far arm and take a Clam Shell grip on the elbow. Once the elbow is cupped, the free hand will then try to take control of the wrist (or as close to the wrist as possible). After controlling the elbow, the practicing student should bridge their hips, without letting go of the Triangle, and pull on the elbow to bring it across the body. The second hand will help guide the arm across until it touches the hip. Once this has happened, drop the hip from the bridge and re-squeeze the knees to apply pressure.

• Another effective attack from the Triangle position is the Triangle Armbar. If the Triangle is locked correctly, it creates an effective isolation of the shoulder. While opening the legs from the Triangle and transitioning into crossing the ankles around the head can also be effective in finishing the armbar, it leads to a lot of escapes for the assisting partner. For this reason, I prefer to take control of the wrist and orientate the pinky against the thigh. Once the hand/wrist has been controlled with proper orientation, the practicing student should apply even pressure against the elbow until the assisting student arm locks and they tap.

Possible Refinements:

• Very commonly students trying to apply the Triangle for the first time leave a little bit of space in the back of the knee pit when applying the Leg Necklace.  Make sure the leg is firmly pressed against the side of the neck otherwise it won't cut off the blood flow.

• Placing the leg over the shin to complete the Triangle with the legs is an important aspect of the Triangle, but often children will bring their foot over the ankle rather than the shin bone.  The ankle is a weak point in this Triangle and when their training partners attempt to posture violently it can hurt the ankle and/or break the Triangle.  Make sure the practicing student is flexing their foot and that their knee pit is over their shin and not their ankle.

• This is an asymmetrical position.  Making the angle change to increase the pressure of the choke is vital to applying pressure to the artery.  Make sure that the child is creating angle the right way.

• Separation of the hips is important in keeping the posture broken, but also in isolating the neck away from the shoulders and core.  Make sure that when the foot is posted on the floor or hip to make angle that the practicing student is enforcing space between the hips.

Reference materials:

Teaching Reflections:

• How did I do teaching?

• What could I do better next time?

• Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?