How To Do The Bow And Arrow Choke From The Back
0
Bow And Arrow Choke·Bam Bam Martial Arts Houston·Added by Admin
For a free class visit - http://www.BamBamMartialArtsHouston.com 713-307-5375 Bam Bam Martial Arts 4007 Bellaire Blvd. i…
Bow And Arrow Choke
Genus弓矢絞め(Yumiya-jime)
TraditionalTranslation: Bow and Arrow Strangle
Overview
The bow-and-arrow choke is a powerful back control strangle where the attacker grips the opponent's collar with one hand and their pants or far leg with the other, then extends the body to create opposing forces that tighten the collar across the neck. [1],[2] The name comes from the finishing position, which resembles drawing a bow — one arm pulls the collar while the other pulls the leg in the opposite direction. [1] It is commonly entered from back mount by feeding the collar grip deep, securing a hand grip on the far leg or pants, and then falling to the side while extending. [1],[3]
History & Origin
The bow-and-arrow choke evolved from judo's collar strangulation techniques applied from rear control. [2],[3] It became one of the most iconic submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, with practitioners like Roger Gracie and Bráulio Estima using it as a signature finish from back mount. [1] The technique is considered one of the highest-percentage gi submissions due to the extreme mechanical advantage created by the opposing-force configuration. [1],[4]
Effectiveness
The bow and arrow choke is considered one of the tightest and most powerful collar chokes in gi grappling. [1] By gripping the collar behind the neck and controlling the far leg, the attacker stretches the opponent's body like a bow, amplifying the choking pressure through the entire torso extension. [1],[2]
Lineage
Competition Record
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Bilateral compression of the carotid arteries — restricts blood flow to the brain, causing unconsciousness within seconds
Joints Involved — Cervical spine (lateral flexion), glenohumeral joint of the trapped arm (if arm-in), nuchal region
Force Vector — Lateral squeeze creates inward pressure on both sides of the neck simultaneously
Choking Mechanism — Vascular strangle — occludes carotid arteries and jugular veins, distinct from airway (tracheal) chokes
Position & Entry
From back control with seatbelt — Establish hooks or body triangle, slide choking arm under the chin, connect hands and squeeze
From turtle top (back take) — Break down the turtle, insert hooks, secure seatbelt grip, slide to back control and apply the choke
From standing back clinch — Secure rear body lock, drag opponent to the mat while inserting hooks, transition to choking position
Variants
Standard bow and arrow — collar grip with far leg control, extending to stretch and choke
No-leg grip bow and arrow — collar grip only with hip control instead of leg grab
Spinning bow and arrow — entering from turtle with a roll to the choking side
Videos
HOW to Execute the PERFECT BOW & ARROW Choke!
0
Bow And Arrow Choke·The Grappling Academy
SALE SALE SALE OVER 50% OFF – BOX SET – ALL 4 COURSES 50% OFF CLICK HERE – https://bit.ly/2lAOHmp • The Blue Belt Sup…
How To Do the Bow and Arrow Choke | The Jiu Jitsu Class
0
Bow And Arrow Choke·ROYDEAN
Learn the Art of Jiu Jitsu: http://roydeanacademy.com One Channel. Every Instructional: https://roydean.vhx.tv/browse S…
1 / 2
3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The bow and arrow choke is a back-control submission that derives its name from the archer's stance—the opponent forms the bow while the attacker becomes the arrow. All three instructors agree on the fundamental setup: secure the opponent's collar deep with one hand while gripping the pants or leg with the other, then extend the legs to the side while keeping the torso upright, creating a mechanical advantage that strangulates the carotid arteries. Bam Bam Martial Arts Houston emphasizes the basic version first—collar grip, pants grab, feet disengage and stretch—before introducing an advanced variation where the attacker places the knee on the back of the opponent's hand or head to generate additional crushing force. ROYDEAN stresses critical technical details: maintaining a concave hand position (wristwatch grip) when feeding the collar, clearing the leg wide to prevent the opponent from collapsing onto it, and offers a tactical alternative by transitioning to an arm lock if the choke fails to develop. The Grappling Academy provides the most detailed progression, emphasizing the importance of stepping over the opponent while locking the hips and walking toward them to eliminate escape routes, keeping the arm bent when gripping the pants or leg, and crucially, placing the heel on the opponent's shoulder or armpit rather than merely applying hand pressure—this positional lock enables the final crushing motion. All three instructors note this technique's exceptional power and reliability from back control, with ROYDEAN and The Grappling Academy offering specific troubleshooting for common failure points.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- Bam Bam Martial Arts Houston — How To Do The Bow And Arrow Choke From The Back: Foundational explanation of grip, pants grab, and foot positioning; introduction of the knee placement variation on hand or head for increased power.
- ROYDEAN — How To Do the Bow and Arrow Choke | The Jiu Jitsu Class: Technical refinements including wristwatch hand position, leg clearing to prevent positional escape, stepping mechanics, and transition to arm lock alternative; emphasis on loose grip effectiveness.
- The Grappling Academy — HOW to Execute the PERFECT BOW & ARROW Choke!: Advanced best-practice methodology including hip-locking and walking toward opponent, proper stepping mechanics upstream of hand placement, arm-bent grip retention, and critical heel-on-shoulder finishing pressure rather than straight-arm lean-back.
Learn This Technique
No instructional courses yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest a course.
Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
9
Extreme9/10
The bow and arrow choke generates extreme torque through leg extension against the lapel grip
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
— FIAS Sport Sambo — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFRestricted
— no-gi competition only — technique requires gi
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— technique requires gi — not applicable in MMA
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The bow-and-arrow choke (berimbau) is a powerful collar strangle from back control — the attacker grips the collar while controlling the far leg, then stretches the opponent's body like a bow being drawn (Gracie & Gracie, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique, 2001)
✓From back control, one hand feeds deep into the opponent's collar while the other hand grips the opponent's far pant leg near the knee
✓The finish: the choking hand pulls the collar while the other hand pulls the leg in the opposite direction — stretching the body and tightening the collar across the neck
✓The bow-and-arrow is one of the tightest chokes in BJJ: the opposing forces (collar pull vs. leg pull) create tremendous compression that few opponents can withstand
✓The technique rotates the opponent's body: as the collar tightens and the leg pulls, the opponent is turned onto their side — making escape nearly impossible
✓Bow-and-arrow entries are typically from back control: the attacker transitions from seatbelt grip to collar grip, then captures the far leg
✓This choke is legal in all IBJJF divisions and is a staple of gi-based back attacks — it is considered one of the 'unbreakable' chokes when fully locked
Common Mistakes
!Not getting the collar grip deep enough — the hand must be deep past the centre line for the forearm to compress the carotid
!Pulling the collar and leg in the same direction — the forces must oppose each other; pull the collar toward you while pushing/pulling the leg away
!Not capturing the far leg — the leg control is essential; without it, the opponent can turn and face you
!Losing back control during the transition to the choke — maintain hooks until the collar grip is secure
!Not stretching fully — the choke tightens as the body extends; failing to stretch fully leaves slack in the collar
!Releasing the leg to adjust the grip — maintain the leg throughout; releasing it allows the opponent to rotate and escape
!Not training the entry from seatbelt to bow-and-arrow — the transition from back control to the finished choke must be drilled as a complete sequence
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinkingTwo-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locksTurn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressurePosture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle
Setup Chain
1Achieve Controlling Position — secure the position from which the choke is applied
2Isolate the Neck — clear defending hands and establish access to the throat
3Set the Grip — lock the choking configuration (arm, lapel, or leg placement)
4Apply Pressure — squeeze to compress the carotid arteries for the finish
Sources & References
Primary Source
golgo55.com BJJ technique resource; Yahoo知恵袋 BJJ community (ボウアンドアローチョーク)
Japanese Q&A community — BJJ technique name verification
Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
4Citationgolgo55.com BJJ technique resource; Yahoo知恵袋 BJJ community (ボウアンドアローチョーク)
Japanese terminology sourced from golgo55.com BJJ technique resource; Yahoo知恵袋 BJJ community (ボウアンドアローチョーク)
Community
Athletics
Requires
grip strength for collar control, hip extension for stretching
Favours
strong grip and flexible hips
Key muscles
grip/forearm muscles, hip extensors, back extensors
Notes
The bow and arrow choke references appear in 88 passages across 28 books — one of the most documented chokes. Applied from back control using the opponent's lapel, with the free hand controlling the leg. Creates a stretching action like drawing a bow. One of the highest-percentage gi chokes from back control. (28 books in corpus; Jiu-Jitsu University, Ribeiro)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the correct hand position for the bow and arrow choke?
Your hand should be concave and bent like you're looking at a watch, with your pinky up and thumb down. According to ROYDEAN, this wristwatch position is essential for proper grip mechanics.
How do I finish the choke once I have the grip?
After popping the collar and feeding it to your hand, grab the opponent's knee, step off with alternating feet, and then lean back. ROYDEAN emphasizes that the hook on your hand becomes self-tightening as you lean back.
What should I do if the choke isn't working?
If the choke isn't coming, switch to an arm lock instead rather than fixating on the choke. ROYDEAN stresses that it's useful to have this option available when the choke doesn't develop.
What's a common mistake people make when stepping over for the bow and arrow?
The Grappling Academy emphasizes that you must walk your hips towards the opponent's hips and clear the way with your hand first before stepping over—otherwise you risk getting caught and losing position entirely.
Why should I keep my arm bent when gripping under the leg?
If you straighten your arm when gripping under the leg, the opponent can kick their leg out and escape. The Grappling Academy advises always maintaining a bent arm grip so the escape doesn't work.
How does the Bow And Arrow Choke work?
The bow-and-arrow choke is a powerful back control strangle where the attacker grips the opponent's collar with one hand and their pants or far leg with the other, then extends the body to create opposing forces that tighten the collar across the neck. The name comes from the finishing position, which resembles drawing a bow — one arm pulls the collar while the other pulls the leg in the opposite direction.
Where does the Bow And Arrow Choke come from?
The bow-and-arrow choke evolved from judo's collar strangulation techniques applied from rear control. It became one of the most iconic submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, with practitioners like Roger Gracie and Bráulio Estima using it as a signature finish from back mount.
Is the Bow And Arrow Choke legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes are the safest submission cat…; IJF: legal — Legal (shime-waza) — strangulation techniques are one of three permitted subm…; ADCC: restricted — N/A (no-gi competition only — technique requires gi); Unified MMA: restricted — N/A (technique requires gi — not applicable in MMA); FIAS Sport Sambo: banned — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Bow And Arrow Choke?
Danger rating 9/10. The bow and arrow choke generates extreme torque through leg extension against the lapel grip
How do I set up the Bow And Arrow Choke?
The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.
How do I defend against the Bow And Arrow Choke?
Standard counters include: Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinking / Two-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locks / Turn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressure / Posture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle.
What are the variants of the Bow And Arrow Choke?
Common variants: Standard bow and arrow (collar grip with far leg control, extending to stretch an…); No-leg grip bow and arrow (collar grip only with hip control instead of leg grab); Spinning bow and arrow (entering from turtle with a roll to the choking side).
How effective is the Bow And Arrow Choke in competition?
Roger Gracie won multiple IBJJF World Championships using collar chokes from the back, with the bow and arrow being among his primary finishes. The bow and arrow is among the most common submission finishes at IBJJF black belt competitions.
What are common mistakes when doing the Bow And Arrow Choke?
Top errors to watch for: Not getting the collar grip deep enough — the hand must be deep past the centre line for the forearm to compress the … / Pulling the collar and leg in the same direction — the forces must oppose each other; pull the collar toward you whil… / Not capturing the far leg — the leg control is essential; without it, the opponent can turn and face you / Losing back control during the transition to the choke — maintain hooks until the collar grip is secure.
What are other names for the Bow And Arrow Choke?
The Bow And Arrow Choke is also known as Yumiya-jime, Berimbau, Lapel Drag Choke, Arco e Flecha.