Loop Choke

What it is

The loop choke is a gi choke where you hold one deep collar grip beside the opponent's neck, let their head drop under your forearm, and close the collar and forearm around the neck like a loop. It punishes a top player who drives forward with their head low, so it works from guard and against someone shooting in. You finish it with your body, not your grip.

When to use it

• From guard, when their posture is broken and their head is low by your chest.
• When they drive forward with the head down to pass or to shoot a takedown.
• When they are turtled and their head is low in front of you.

How to do it

1. Grip their collar high and deep beside the neck, fingers inside.
2. Let their head drop under your gripping arm so your forearm lies across the back of their neck.
3. Push their head down with your free hand or post it on the mat.
4. Shift your body under them to the side of the gripping hand, so you end up on your side beside them.
5. Drive the gripping elbow down toward the mat to close the loop until they tap.

Key details

• Grip deep, near the side of their neck. A shallow grip only pulls the collar.
• The head must be under your forearm. If their head comes up, the loop opens.
• Your body does the work. Turn under them and drive the elbow down instead of pulling with the hand.
• Keep their head low with your free hand as you move.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: gripping shallow on the lapel. There is no loop to close and they posture out.
• Mistake: pulling with the arm without moving your body. You tire out and the choke stays loose.
• Mistake: letting their head come up while you adjust. The loop opens and they pass.

What they will try

• They posture up and lift the head before you can turn under.
• They turn toward your gripping arm, the same direction you are moving, to loosen the loop.

Gi and no-gi

The loop choke needs the collar, so it is gi only. In no-gi the closest relatives are the arm-in chokes and the guillotine.