Baseball Bat Choke

What it is

The baseball bat choke is a collar choke usually set from knee on belly: both hands grip the collar stacked like hands on a bat, then you spin toward their head and let the twist of the grips do the strangle. It is fast and hard to see coming, and it is the reason you keep the collar closed under knee on belly. It also finishes from guard and from side control.

When to use it

• From knee on belly, when their hands are busy pushing your knee and the collar is open.
• From side control, when they turn away and the collar lifts off the mat.
• From closed guard or half guard, when their head is close and the collar is loose.

How to do it

1. Put your first hand in the collar, palm up, four fingers inside, with the thumb outside.
2. Put your second hand in the same collar above the first, palm down, four fingers in, so the grips are stacked like hands on a bat.
3. Keep your elbows close so the forearms frame on either side of the neck.
4. Spin toward their head, driving your weight into the top of the grip, and bring your head to the mat beside theirs.
5. Twist your wrists into the sides of the neck and squeeze your elbows together until they tap.

Key details

• The grips are stacked, not crossed. Both hands take the same side of the collar.
• The spin is the choke. Once the grips are set, your movement does the work.
• Head to the mat on the far side so they cannot follow you and relieve the pressure.
• Stay tight: the moment they get a hand between your arms, the choke is over.
• Tap early when you are the one caught. A choke works in seconds, and holding on only puts you to sleep.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: setting the grips too far apart. The collar does not twist and the choke is only pressure.
• Mistake: spinning while sitting upright. They turn in and the grips come off.
• Mistake: telegraphing the second grip. They see it coming and tuck their chin.

What they will try

• They tuck their chin and grab your top elbow before the second hand is in.
• They turn into you and go to their knees as you spin, which loosens the collar.

Gi and no-gi

There is no collar in no-gi, so this choke is not available. From knee on belly the no-gi substitutes are the darce when they turn toward you and the arm triangle when they push up.