High Elbow Guillotine from the Front Headlock
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Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin FinishยทRich Castro
Nogi BJJ technique Xtreme Couture coach Robert Follis EM5II
Translation: Reverse Guillotine (katakana loanword)
Range & classification
Category
Strike & defenceLocksClose rangeFighting multiple people
Distance
CloseMiddleLong
Body target
Upper bodyMiddle bodyLower body
Overview
The reverse guillotine from front headlock with elbow-pin finish uses the opposite arm orientation compared to a standard guillotine, with the finishing pressure applied by pinning the elbow against the opponent's body. [1] The attacker wraps the neck in reverse โ threading from the opposite direction โ then drives the elbow of the choking arm downward against the opponent's chest or shoulder, using the elbow as a fixed point against which the neck is compressed. [1],[2] The elbow pin creates a sharp fulcrum that intensifies neck pressure on a localised area. [2] This variant is effective when standard guillotine angles are unavailable due to the opponent's head position or arm placement. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Reverse guillotine variants developed as creative submissions in modern no-gi grappling, where practitioners explored unconventional arm-wrap directions from front headlock positions. [1] The elbow-pin finish was refined by competition grapplers seeking reliable finishing pressure from the reverse wrap. [2],[3]
Country of originยท shown in random order
- BrazilBJJ, Submission Grappling, MMA
- JapanBJJ, Judo, Submission Grappling
- USASubmission Grappling, MMA
- RussiaSambo
Effectiveness
Effective when the opponent defends the standard guillotine by hiding the chin โ the elbow pin traps the jaw and forces the choke through the mandible [1]
Lineage
A counter-to-defense variation developed in no-gi circles; refined by competitors who found standard guillotine defenses increasingly effective at high levels [1]
Competition Record
Occasionally seen at no-gi events when standard guillotine attempts are defended; not a primary attack but a valuable secondary finish [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action โ Compression of the neck structures โ restricts blood flow or airway depending on technique application
Joints Involved โ Cervical spine, surrounding musculature, and vascular structures of the neck
Force Vector โ Directed compression against the neck from the choking limb or body position
Finishing Mechanic โ Sustained pressure causes either vascular occlusion (unconsciousness) or tracheal restriction (breathing difficulty)
Position & Entry
From standing (opponent shoots) โ Sprawl on the shot, secure chin-strap grip around the neck, lock the guillotine and pull guard or finish standing
From closed guard โ Opponent dives head down, wrap arm around the neck, clasp hands and arch the back while squeezing
From front headlock (snap-down) โ Snap the opponent's head down, secure the chin-strap, sit to guard or sprawl to finish
Variants
Arm-in guillotine โ traps the opponent's arm inside the choke for additional shoulder pressure
High-elbow guillotine (Marcelotine) โ elevates the elbow above the head for stronger carotid compression
Standing guillotine โ finished from the feet without pulling guard
Power guillotine โ chin-strap grip with a rear-naked-choke-style finish for maximum force
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
8
Very High8/10
Reverse-wrap chokes use an inverted grip pattern from front headlock for a different angle of attack
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
โ FIAS Sport Sambo โ All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFLegal
โ IBJJF โ Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi โ chokes a...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDFโ shime-waza
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFโ ADCC โ Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDFโ Unified MMA โ Legal โ choke submissions are among the mos...
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFโ FIAS Combat Sambo โ Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
โThe reverse guillotine with elbow-pin finish drives the elbow of the choking arm into the mat to create a pinning pressure on the neck โ the elbow-to-mat drive compresses the neck between the forearm and the ground (Danaher, Front Headlock System: Go Further Faster, 2019)
โThe reverse guillotine wraps the arm around the neck from the opposite direction compared to a standard guillotine: the forearm crosses from the far side rather than the near side
โThe elbow-pin finish: after wrapping the neck, drive the elbow of the choking arm toward the mat โ this pins the opponent's neck against the ground while the forearm compresses from above
โThe mat serves as the 'wall': the elbow-pin drives the forearm into the neck, and the mat prevents the opponent from moving away from the pressure โ the neck is trapped between forearm and floor
โThis finish is effective from front headlock when the opponent is prone or on their knees: the downward elbow drive uses gravity and body weight for compression
โThe elbow pin is a stable finish: once the elbow is on the mat, the choking arm is structurally supported โ the attacker can maintain the position with minimal muscular effort
โThe reverse guillotine with elbow pin is common in catch wrestling: using the mat as a compression surface is a traditional catch wrestling submission principle
Common Mistakes
!Not driving the elbow to the mat โ the finish requires mat contact; keeping the elbow elevated reduces the compression
!Wrapping in the standard guillotine direction โ the reverse guillotine wraps from the opposite side; standard wrapping creates a standard guillotine, not a reverse
!Not using body weight โ lean into the elbow drive; arm-only pressure is insufficient for most opponents
!Attempting against an upright opponent โ the elbow pin requires the opponent to be low (prone, kneeling, or turtled); upright opponents need to be snapped down first
!Pinning the elbow without forearm-to-neck contact โ the forearm must be on the neck before driving the elbow down; pinning without neck contact is just head control
!Not maintaining the wrap during the elbow drive โ the arm must stay wrapped; the drive can shift the arm position if not maintained
!Driving the elbow too far to the side โ pin the elbow directly below the opponent's neck; lateral displacement reduces the compression angle
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Control the Arm โ isolate and grip the target arm
2Position the Hips โ align hips perpendicular to the arm for maximum leverage
3Pinch Knees โ squeeze knees together to prevent arm extraction
4Extend for the Finish โ bridge hips up while pulling the wrist down to hyperextend the elbow
Sources & References
Primary Source
Japanese BJJ community; derived from ใฎใญใใณใใงใผใฏ
1OtherJapanese Martial Arts Community Terminology
Japanese BJJ community; derived from ใฎใญใใณใใงใผใฏ
2OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (ๅคๆฅ่ช) โ used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
3CitationJapanese BJJ community; derived from ใฎใญใใณใใงใผใฏ
Japanese terminology sourced from Japanese BJJ community; derived from ใฎใญใใณใใงใผใฏ
Community
Athletics
Requires
forearm and grip strength, hip flexibility for guard retention
Favours
longer arms for deeper chin-strap wrap
Key muscles
forearm flexors, biceps, hip flexors
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I place my hands when setting up the reverse guillotine from front headlock?
Rich Castro emphasizes starting with one hand on the opponent's chin and the other on the back of the armpit or elbow depending on your positioning, avoiding connecting your hands prematurely to reduce exposure.
Where exactly should my shoulder be positioned during the elbow-pin finish?
Rich Castro stresses that your shoulder must go on the back of the neck, not the shoulder blades or too far back, because positioning it correctly on the neck prevents the opponent from driving up and escaping.
What's the key to making the choke difficult to defend?
Rich Castro explains that your arm must stay parallel to the floor while you lean your head significantly over, getting your elbow positioned over the opponent's neckโthis angle makes it very difficult for them to defend or escape the choke.
How does the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish work?
The reverse guillotine from front headlock with elbow-pin finish uses the opposite arm orientation compared to a standard guillotine, with the finishing pressure applied by pinning the elbow against the opponent's body. The attacker wraps the neck in reverse โ threading from the opposite direction โ then drives the elbow of the choking arm downward against the opponent's chest or shoulder, using the elbow as a fixed point against which the neck is compressed.
Where does the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish come from?
Reverse guillotine variants developed as creative submissions in modern no-gi grappling, where practitioners explored unconventional arm-wrap directions from front headlock positions. The elbow-pin finish was refined by competition grapplers seeking reliable finishing pressure from the reverse wrap.
Is the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal โ Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi โ chokes are the safest submission catโฆ; IJF: legal โ Legal (shime-waza) โ strangulation techniques are one of three permitted submโฆ; ADCC: legal โ Legal; Unified MMA: legal โ Legal โ choke submissions are among the most common finishes in MMA; FIAS Sport Sambo: banned โ All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal โ Legal
How dangerous is the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish?
Danger rating 8/10. Reverse-wrap chokes use an inverted grip pattern from front headlock for a different angle of attack
How do I set up the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish?
The standard setup chain: Control the Arm โ Position the Hips โ Pinch Knees โ Extend for the Finish.
How do I defend against the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish?
Standard counters include: Clasp Hands โ grip own wrist to prevent arm extension / Stack โ drive forward to compress the attacker and relieve elbow pressure / Hitchhiker Escape โ rotate the thumb toward the mat and roll to extract the arm.
What are the variants of the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish?
Common variants: Arm-in guillotine (traps the opponent's arm inside the choke for additional โฆ); High-elbow guillotine (Marcelotine) (elevates the elbow above the head for stronger carotid coโฆ); Standing guillotine (finished from the feet without pulling guard); Power guillotine (chin-strap grip with a rear-naked-choke-style finish for โฆ).
How effective is the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish in competition?
Occasionally seen at no-gi events when standard guillotine attempts are defended; not a primary attack but a valuable secondary finish
What are common mistakes when doing the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish?
Top errors to watch for: Not driving the elbow to the mat โ the finish requires mat contact; keeping the elbow elevated reduces the compression / Wrapping in the standard guillotine direction โ the reverse guillotine wraps from the opposite side; standard wrappinโฆ / Not using body weight โ lean into the elbow drive; arm-only pressure is insufficient for most opponents / Attempting against an upright opponent โ the elbow pin requires the opponent to be low (prone, kneeling, or turtled);โฆ.
What are other names for the Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish?
The Reverse Guillotine From Front Headlock Elbow-Pin Finish is also known as Ribฤsu Girochin, Elbow-Pin Reverse Guillotine Finish, Headlock Inverted Guillotine Elbow Lock.