Mounted Triangle

Variety

三角絞（マウントから）(Sankaku-jime — From Mount)

Traditional

Translation: Triangle Strangle — From Mount

Overview

The mounted triangle applies the triangle choke from the mounted position, where the attacker transitions from mount to a triangle configuration by isolating one arm and threading the legs around the opponent's head. ^[1] From mount, the attacker pushes one of the opponent's arms across their body, then slides the knee over the opponent's neck on the armless side and locks the triangle by hooking the ankle behind the opposite knee. ^[1],[2] The mounted triangle combines the control advantages of mount with the finishing power of the triangle, and gravity assists the compression as the attacker sits back into the choke. ^[2] The mount provides multiple control redundancies — even if the triangle isn't perfectly locked, the mount position prevents escape. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Mount Triangle^[1]Top-Position SankakuJP^[2]

Used in

BJJ Judo Submission Grappling MMA Sambo

History & Origin

The mounted triangle became a standard transition in BJJ competition during the 2000s, as athletes developed systematic pathways from mount to triangle as an alternative to arm locks and collar chokes. ^[1] This transition represented the integration of positional dominance with leg-based submission attacks. ^[2],[3]

Effectiveness

The mounted triangle applies a triangle choke from the mount, combining positional dominance with one of the strongest choke mechanics. ^[1]

Lineage

The mounted triangle was refined in BJJ competition as an advanced mount attack. ^[1]

Competition Record

Mounted triangles are finished at high-level BJJ competition and in MMA, notably by Demetrious Johnson and Vicente Luque. ^[1]

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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 triangle — classic figure-four leg lock around the head and one arm from guard

Reverse triangle — legs locked from behind or inverted angle for different attack setups

Mounted triangle — applied from mount position with gravity assisting the squeeze

No-arm triangle — both arms excluded, legs-only compression on the neck

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Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Very High8/10

Mounted triangle adds top pressure to the leg choke, making escape more difficult

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Advanced

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

Illegal

— FIAS Sport Sambo — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

Legal

— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— shime-waza

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— 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 RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓The mounted triangle applies the triangle choke from the mount position — the attacker shoots one leg under the opponent's head from mount, then transitions to a triangle-locking configuration (Danaher, Triangles: Enter the System, 2017)

✓From mount: isolate one arm by pushing it across or trapping it, then slide the opposite-side knee up beside the opponent's head and thread the leg under the neck

✓The transition from mount to mounted triangle: as the leg threads under the neck, shift the body to the side and lock the figure-four — the position transitions from pure mount to a triangle angle

✓The mounted triangle combines the weight advantage of mount with the choking mechanics of the triangle — the opponent is pinned by the attacker's weight while being strangled

✓The arm isolation from mount is easier than from guard: the attacker's weight makes it harder for the bottom player to retract or frame with the isolated arm

✓Finishing the mounted triangle: angle the body, pull the head toward the chest, and squeeze the knees together — the mechanics are identical to the guard triangle but with gravity assisting

✓The mounted triangle is a high-percentage position: once locked, the bottom player has almost no escape options — the combination of weight and triangular compression is overwhelming

Common Mistakes

!Losing mount during the leg-threading transition — maintain weight and base as the leg slides under the neck; the transition moment is when the opponent is most likely to escape

!Not isolating the arm before threading the leg — the arm must be on one side; without isolation, both arms can defend the leg entry

!Threading the leg too slowly — the transition must be smooth and decisive; slow leg threading allows the opponent to block with their arm

!Not angling the body after locking — the mounted triangle still requires angular displacement to drive the shoulder into the neck

!Staying too high on the opponent — the triangle works when the hips are close to the opponent's shoulders; being too high on the chest reduces leg access to the neck

!Not pulling the head when the opponent lies flat — from mount, use the hands to curl the head up toward your chest; a flat-back position creates space in the triangle

!Abandoning the mount if the triangle doesn't lock immediately — maintain top position and re-attempt; giving up mount to chase a triangle from guard is a positional downgrade

Related Techniques

Escape — defensive technique to relieve choking pressure and recover position Tap (Submission Signal) — the safety mechanism indicating the technique is effective

Counter Techniques

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

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

Kodokan Judo — Sankaku-jime

1BookKodokan Judo — Sankaku-jime

Japanese terminology sourced from Kodokan Judo — Sankaku-jime

2SyllabusKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

Official Kodokan ground technique classification system

3SyllabusKodokan Judo Institute — Official Waza Names

Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)

4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)

Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)

5CitationKodokan Judo — Sankaku-jime

Japanese terminology sourced from Kodokan Judo — Sankaku-jime

Community

Athletics

Requires

hip flexibility, long legs relative to torso

Favours

longer limbs for easier figure-four lock around head and arm

Key muscles

hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps

Notes

The mounted triangle appears in 7 passages across 2 books. Applied from mount by threading one leg under the opponent's chin and locking the triangle — combines the dominance of mount with the choking power of the triangle. Extremely difficult to escape once locked. (2 books in corpus)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Mounted Triangle work?

Where does the Mounted Triangle come from?

The mounted triangle became a standard transition in BJJ competition during the 2000s, as athletes developed systematic pathways from mount to triangle as an alternative to arm locks and collar chokes. This transition represented the integration of positional dominance with leg-based submission attacks.

Is the Mounted Triangle 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 Mounted Triangle?

Danger rating 8/10. Mounted triangle adds top pressure to the leg choke, making escape more difficult

How do I set up the Mounted Triangle?

The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.

How do I defend against the Mounted Triangle?

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 Mounted Triangle?

Common variants: Standard triangle (classic figure-four leg lock around the head and one arm …); Reverse triangle (legs locked from behind or inverted angle for different a…); Mounted triangle (applied from mount position with gravity assisting the sq…); No-arm triangle (both arms excluded, legs-only compression on the neck).

How effective is the Mounted Triangle in competition?

Mounted triangles are finished at high-level BJJ competition and in MMA, notably by Demetrious Johnson and Vicente Luque.

What are common mistakes when doing the Mounted Triangle?

Top errors to watch for: Losing mount during the leg-threading transition — maintain weight and base as the leg slides under the neck; the tra… / Not isolating the arm before threading the leg — the arm must be on one side; without isolation, both arms can defend… / Threading the leg too slowly — the transition must be smooth and decisive; slow leg threading allows the opponent to … / Not angling the body after locking — the mounted triangle still requires angular displacement to drive the shoulder i….

What are other names for the Mounted Triangle?

The Mounted Triangle is also known as Sankaku-jime — From Mount, Mount Triangle, Top-Position Sankaku.

mounted triangle sankaku jime from mount submission choke and strangle lock leg choke triangular strangle triangle choke triangle from mount mount triangle top position sankaku