Lapel choke setup for various finishes
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Lapel Overhook Choke·JeanJacquesMachado
#submissions #jeanjacquesmachado #bjj This position not only gives you a choke but also gives opportunities for arm ba…
Lapel Overhook Choke
SubFamilyガードチョーク(Gādo Chōku)
TransliterationTranslation: Guard Choke (katakana loanword)
Overview
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The lapel overhook mechanic creates one of the tightest and most mechanically advantaged choking systems in gi grappling — the lapel acts as an extension of the arm, dramatically increasing leverage [1]
Lineage
The use of lapel as a choking tool has roots in traditional judo (sode-guruma-jime family) but was revolutionized by modern BJJ competitors, particularly Leo Vieira and the Mendes Brothers [1]
Competition Record
Lapel overhook chokes have produced numerous finishes at the highest levels of IBJJF competition [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Cross-collar or lapel-driven compression of the carotid arteries using gi material as a friction anchor
Joints Involved — Cervical spine (flexion or lateral bend), wrists and forearms (grip and rotation)
Force Vector — Opposing forearm rotation creates a scissors effect across both sides of the neck
Gi Factor — Lapel fabric increases friction and distributes force over a wider surface area, making the choke harder to escape
Position & Entry
From closed guard (gi) — Secure deep cross-collar grip, feed second hand to the opposite collar, close elbows and squeeze
From closed guard (no-gi) — Break posture, wrap neck with arm, secure the choking configuration using head and arm control
From open guard — Use spider or collar-sleeve grips to break posture, transition to the choking position
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
8
Very High8/10
Lapel overhook chokes from guard use the gi collar combined with overhook control
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 RulesPDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal — choke submissions are among the mos...
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The lapel-overhook choke subfamily groups guard chokes that combine a lapel grip with an overhook on the opponent's arm — the overhook traps the arm while the lapel creates the strangling surface (Camarillo, Submit Everyone, 2008)
✓The defining characteristic: an overhook controls one of the opponent's arms while the lapel (either the opponent's or the attacker's) is used as a choking cable — the two grips work together for a hybrid control-and-choke system
✓The Brabo choke is the primary technique in this subfamily: the lapel is fed under the overhoooked arm and across the neck
✓The overhook serves dual purposes: it isolates the arm (preventing it from defending the choke) and it positions the shoulder as a compression surface (arm-triangle principle)
✓The lapel-overhook combination is a gi-specific innovation: the fabric provides the choking surface while the overhook provides the arm control — neither works as effectively alone
✓From guard: the overhook is a natural guard grip; adding the lapel feed transforms a control grip into a submission threat — the opponent must address both simultaneously
✓The subfamily bridges guard retention and submission: the overhook retains guard control while the lapel threatens the choke — the opponent cannot focus on passing without risking the choke
Common Mistakes
!Using the overhook without the lapel — the overhook alone is control, not a choke; the lapel is what creates the strangling mechanism
!Feeding the lapel without the overhook — the lapel choke without arm control allows the opponent to defend with both hands
!Not maintaining the overhook during the lapel feed — the overhook must stay tight while the other hand feeds the lapel; releasing the overhook frees the arm
!Using a loose overhook — the arm must be tightly controlled for the shoulder-compression effect; a loose overhook allows extraction
!Not training the overhook-to-lapel transition as a specific skill — the coordination between overhook control and lapel manipulation requires dedicated drilling
!Attempting against an opponent who keeps their arms inside — the overhook requires the arm to be extended or forward; a tight-elbowed opponent must be opened first
!Not having sweep options from the overhook — if the choke fails, the overhook position supports sweeps; don't release everything when the choke is defended
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
Japanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
1OtherJapanese Martial Arts Community Terminology
Japanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
2OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
3CitationJapanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
Japanese terminology sourced from Japanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
Community
Athletics
Requires
grip or squeeze strength, positional control
Favours
strong upper body for sustained compression
Key muscles
forearms, biceps, pectorals, core stabilisers
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up the lapel overhook choke from guard?
Jean Jacques Machado emphasizes sweeping the gi lapel across your opponent's back while breaking their posture down with both hands. Pull the gi out and across their back, getting as much fabric as possible in position while keeping their posture broken.
What's the key to finishing the lapel overhook choke?
Shift your hips over, grip with all four fingers using a palm-up grip, and bring your elbow straight into their chest. Keep feeding and pulling the lapel while maintaining this elbow pressure to prevent them from pushing your hand away.
How can I transition from the lapel choke if my opponent defends?
Jean Jacques Machado suggests using a fake choke to get your opponent to move their hands off your hips, then you can push their arm through and transition to a triangle choke using the lapel position as leverage.
How does the Lapel Overhook Choke work?
Lapel overhook chokes use an overhook (whizzer) grip on the opponent's arm combined with a collar or lapel grip to create a choking mechanism from guard position. The overhook traps the opponent's arm and brings their posture down, while the collar grip applies pressure across the neck.
Where does the Lapel Overhook Choke come from?
Overhook-based guard attacks are a BJJ innovation, developed to exploit the overhook's ability to break posture and control distance from bottom position.
Is the Lapel Overhook 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: legal — Legal; Unified MMA: legal — Legal — choke submissions are among the most common finishes in MMA; FIAS Sport Sambo: banned — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Lapel Overhook Choke?
Danger rating 8/10. Lapel overhook chokes from guard use the gi collar combined with overhook control
How do I set up the Lapel Overhook Choke?
The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.
How do I defend against the Lapel Overhook 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 Lapel Overhook Choke?
Common variants: Standard grip variation (primary hand configuration for maximum choking pressure); Gi variation (uses the lapel or collar as an anchor for additional fric…); No-gi variation (adapted grip and positioning for submission grappling wit…); Transition finish (applied during a positional change to catch the opponent …).
How effective is the Lapel Overhook Choke in competition?
Lapel overhook chokes have produced numerous finishes at the highest levels of IBJJF competition
What are common mistakes when doing the Lapel Overhook Choke?
Top errors to watch for: Using the overhook without the lapel — the overhook alone is control, not a choke; the lapel is what creates the stra… / Feeding the lapel without the overhook — the lapel choke without arm control allows the opponent to defend with both … / Not maintaining the overhook during the lapel feed — the overhook must stay tight while the other hand feeds the lape… / Using a loose overhook — the arm must be tightly controlled for the shoulder-compression effect; a loose overhook all….
What are other names for the Lapel Overhook Choke?
The Lapel Overhook Choke is also known as Gādo Chōku, Guard Submissions, Bottom Choke, Choke from Guard.