Clock Choke

What it is

The clock choke is a collar choke on a turtled opponent. One hand takes a deep grip on the far collar, your chest drives down on their back, and you walk your feet around their head like the hand of a clock, which tightens the collar across the throat. It is the standard punishment for turtling in the gi and a reason to turn into the opponent instead of waiting.

When to use it

• When they turtle after a failed guard recovery or a takedown, and you are at their side.
• When they refuse to roll over from turtle and keep their elbows tight.
• As a threat that forces them to turn and give up the back or the side.

How to do it

1. From the side of the turtle, reach over their back and feed your hand deep into the far collar, palm up, behind the neck.
2. With the other hand, grab the near wrist or the near elbow so the arm cannot post or block.
3. Drive your chest down onto their shoulders and keep your hips low.
4. Walk your feet around toward their head, keeping the collar grip tight.
5. As your body comes level with their head, pull the collar across the throat until they tap.

Key details

• The collar grip is deep, behind the neck. Shallow grips slide to the chin.
• Chest heavy on their back: if they can sit up, the choke is gone.
• Walk around, do not pull. The circle is what tightens the collar.
• Keep their near arm controlled so they cannot roll into you.
• Tap early when you are the one caught. A choke works in seconds, and holding on only puts you to sleep.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: walking before the grip is deep. The collar slips off the throat and they turn out.
• Mistake: letting your hips come up. They sit through and recover guard.
• Mistake: pulling with the arm while standing still. It hurts but does not finish.

What they will try

• They turn into you as soon as you reach over, to come up in guard before the grip sets.
• They grab the choking wrist with both hands and drive their head toward the grip to loosen the collar.

Gi and no-gi

No collar, no clock choke. The no-gi substitute on a turtled opponent is the anaconda or the darce, or simply taking the back and finishing with the rear naked choke.