Arm In Guillotine Basics Lower Body by Neil Melanson
0
Arm-In Guillotine from Guard·BJJ Fanatics
ARM IN GUILLOTINE BASICS LOWER BODY https://bjjfanatics.com Neil Melanson teaches how to do the Arm In Guillotine in th…
Arm-In Guillotine from Guard
SubFamilyArm-in・ギロチン・From・ガード(Arm-In Guillotine from Guard)
Translation: arm-in guillotine from guard
Overview
The Arm-In Guillotine from Guard traps the opponent's arm alongside their neck inside the guillotine grip, creating a different choking angle that combines blood choke and neck crank elements. [1]
Arm-In GuillotineModified Guillotine
History & Origin
Documented by Renzo Gracie and John Danaher in their systematic approach to jujitsu. [1]
Effectiveness
Core grappling technique proven at the highest levels. [1]
Lineage
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu; Renzo Gracie lineage. [1]
Competition Record
Used in UFC and professional MMA competition
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Arm-In Guillotine from Guard-specific mechanics
Position & Entry
From clinch or guard — Execute arm-in guillotine from guard
Variants
Standard Arm-In Guillotine from Guard
Videos
3 Arm-in Guillotine Finishes From Guard - Drew Weatherhead Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
0
Arm-In Guillotine from Guard·Because Jitsu
Sometimes, it's hard to finish an Arm-in Guillotine submission from bottom in Closed Guard. Here are 3 effective ways, …
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The arm-in guillotine from guard is a fundamental choke that emphasizes precise body positioning and controlled pressure application over raw strength. Neil Melanson (BJJ Fanatics) stresses the critical importance of hip alignment relative to the opponent's head position: when executing the technique, the defender's head and the center of their hips must be positioned on the same side of the attacker's body to align the wrist with the throat. Conversely, if the hips are displaced to the opposite side, the choke rotates toward the neck's side and chin, reducing effectiveness. Melanson advocates combining this positional fundamentals with a strong grip and the "goose"—additional body pressure—for efficient finishing. Drew Weatherhead (Because Jitsu) complements this by introducing angle-based mechanics: rather than pulling straight back, the attacker should angle their body by rolling toward the head side and performing an oblique crunch simultaneously, creating a rocking motion that applies pressure without excessive arm strength. Weatherhead also presents two finishing variations—the St. Louis arch and a pretzel grip (inverted angle grip)—that transition crushing pressure into strangling pressure. Both instructors agree that controlled, graduated pressure proves more effective than maximal force from the start, and both address common errors: Melanson warns against misaligned hips, while Weatherhead cautions against pulling away (which may allow escape) and emphasizes maintaining crushing pressure during transitions, such as converting to an arm-out guillotine.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- BJJ Fanatics — Arm In Guillotine Basics Lower Body by Neil Melanson: Established the fundamental principle of head-hip alignment on the same side of the body for optimal choke effectiveness; explained how misaligned hips rotate the attack to the side of the neck; advocated pairing positional fundamentals with grip strength and body pressure (goose) for efficient finishing.
- Because Jitsu — 3 Arm-in Guillotine Finishes From Guard - Drew Weatherhead Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Introduced angle-change mechanics using body rotation and oblique crunching rather than straight pulling; presented the St. Louis arch rocking motion and pretzel grip (inverted angle grip) as two specific finishing techniques; emphasized graduated pressure progression and maintaining crushing tension during transitions to arm-out variations.
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
7
Very High7/10
Submission or control technique
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
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
✓Focus on the squeeze direction for chokes (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Common Mistakes
!Poor grip
!Rushing the technique
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Clinch → Arm-In Guillotine from Guard
Sources & References
Primary Source
Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
1Book[1] Gracie, R. and Danaher, J. (2003). Mastering Jujitsu. Human Kinetics. ISBN 0-7360-4404-3.
description, historyOrigin: sourced from Gracie, R
2Citation[1] Gracie, R. and Danaher, J. (2003). Mastering Jujitsu. Human Kinetics. ISBN 0-7360-4404-3.
description, historyOrigin: sourced from Gracie, R
Community
Athletics
Good grip and body control
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I avoid burning out my arms when finishing an arm-in guillotine?
Instead of pulling straight in and squeezing, fall to the side of the head onto your ribs, then use a 'St. Louis arch' rocking motion combined with an oblique ab crunch to finish. According to Drew Weatherhead, this body mechanics approach prevents arm fatigue and is far more effective than pure arm strength.
Should I start the arm-in guillotine at full power?
No—Drew Weatherhead emphasizes that you should never start at 100% squeeze power because the only direction it can go from there is down, giving your opponent a psychological advantage and opportunity to escape. Start with controlled pressure and increase gradually.
How do I keep my opponent from escaping when they try to pull their arm free?
Crunch your body in tight by pulling your knees to your chest and pressing your chest onto your opponent's shoulder, so even if you need to adjust your grip, your body position keeps them locked in place. This prevents them from simply backing out when they pressure back against you.
What's the proper hand grip for the arm-in guillotine?
Grab the meat of your hand (the fleshy base of your palm) with your four fingers, and when transitioning to variations, use a knife-hand position to dig under the opponent's elbow crook before finding your other hand and securing your grip.
How does the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard work?
The Arm-In Guillotine from Guard traps the opponent's arm alongside their neck inside the guillotine grip, creating a different choking angle that combines blood choke and neck crank elements.
Where does the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard come from?
Documented by Renzo Gracie and John Danaher in their systematic approach to jujitsu.
Is the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard 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 Arm-In Guillotine from Guard?
Danger rating 7/10. Submission or control technique
How do I set up the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard?
The standard setup chain: Clinch → Arm-In Guillotine from Guard.
How do I defend against the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard?
Standard counters include: Posture / Stack / Von Flue choke.
What are the variants of the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard?
Common variants: Standard Arm-In Guillotine from Guard.
How effective is the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard in competition?
Used in UFC and professional MMA competition
What are common mistakes when doing the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard?
Top errors to watch for: Poor grip / Rushing the technique.
What are other names for the Arm-In Guillotine from Guard?
The Arm-In Guillotine from Guard is also known as Arm-In Guillotine from Guard, Arm-In Guillotine, Modified Guillotine.