5 Ways to Choke Someone Even When Their Chin is Down
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Chin-down·Stephan Kesting·Added by Admin
When you attack with a choke your opponent will often try to block by dropping his chin down to his chest. Here are 5 t…
Chin-down
Genusチンダウン(Chin Daun)
TransliterationTranslation: chin-down
Overview
The chin-down wrist lock from seated guard is a flexion-based wrist submission where the attacker, working from a seated or guard position, traps the opponent's hand and forces the wrist into acute flexion by pressing the back of the hand toward the inner forearm. [1] The 'chin-down' designation refers to the specific grip configuration where the attacker's thumbs press down on the back of the opponent's hand, mimicking the motion of pushing someone's chin toward their chest. [1],[2] From seated guard, the attacker isolates one of the opponent's posting hands during a pass attempt, cups the hand, and applies downward flexion pressure against the wrist joint. [2] This creates intense stress on the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints, threatening ligament damage and compelling the tap. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Wrist locks from guard became increasingly popular in BJJ competition as practitioners like Claudio Calasans demonstrated their viability at the black belt level. [1],[2] The chin-down variant from guard draws on the aikido and jujutsu tradition of redirecting an opponent's limb against their own body structure. [1] The guard position's ability to control distance makes it a surprisingly effective platform for wrist manipulation techniques. [1],[2]
Effectiveness
Chin-down defence (tucking the chin) is the universal defence against chokes, but when an attacker forces the chin down aggressively it can become a neck crank submission. [1]
Lineage
Chin-down as both defence and offensive crank appears across all grappling arts. [1]
Competition Record
Forced chin-down cranks occasionally appear in MMA when choke attempts create cranking pressure. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Forced flexion, extension, or rotation of the wrist beyond its normal range of motion
Joints Involved — Radiocarpal joint (wrist), intercarpal joints, distal radioulnar joint
Force Vector — Two-point control — one hand stabilises the forearm while the other drives the wrist into flexion, extension, or deviation
Vulnerability — Small joint with limited muscular protection makes it susceptible to sudden, low-force submissions
Position & Entry
From any grip exchange — During grip fighting, isolate the opponent's wrist with two-on-one control and apply sudden flexion or rotation
From guard (gi) — When opponent posts a hand on the mat or chest, trap the wrist and apply downward pressure for the wrist lock
From mount or side control — Opponent posts to escape, trap the wrist against the mat and apply the lock
Videos
The First 10 Bjj Submissions You Should Learn
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Chin-down·Jedi Does Jiujitsu
In today’s video I’ll be giving you the 10 first bjj submissions that every white belt should learn. These are the submi…
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The chin-down position presents a significant defensive challenge when pursuing submissions from the back, particularly the rear naked choke. Stephan Kesting (Grappler.com) provides five distinct methodologies for overcoming this defense. The Phoenix Eye Fist technique, borrowed from kung fu, uses a single protruding knuckle as a wedge to trace the jawline and create space beneath the chin. The caterpillar method involves repeatedly inserting fingers under the chin tip with a peaking motion to incrementally lift the chin and advance the hand deeper. Timing-based approaches exploit transitions where the opponent's attention diverts to other threats (such as hook insertion), allowing simultaneous choke placement. Forehead leverage involves pulling high on the opponent's forehead to extend the chin backward, exploiting the limited strength of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Finally, direct application over the jawbone itself—applying pressure through the chin rather than beneath it—can eventually dislocate or open the jaw enough to occlude the airway, though this aggressive method requires mutual consent and experience. Jedi Does Jiujitsu briefly addresses the rear naked choke in a foundational submission overview, emphasizing proper hand positioning under the chin with shoulder pressure behind the neck, but does not specifically address chin-down counters. Both instructors agree that rear naked choke success depends on hand placement and shoulder positioning; Kesting provides specialized solutions for defensive chin positioning that Jedi's overview does not cover.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- Stephan Kesting (Grappler.com) — 5 Ways to Choke Someone Even When Their Chin is Down: Provides five distinct tactical solutions for overcoming chin-down defense: Phoenix Eye Fist (jaw tracing), caterpillar finger insertion, transition timing exploitation, forehead leverage, and direct jaw application.
- Jedi Does Jiujitsu — The First 10 BJJ Submissions You Should Learn: Covers foundational rear naked choke mechanics from back control, emphasizing hand placement under chin and shoulder positioning behind neck, but does not address chin-down defensive variations.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
5
High5/10
Wrist lock variant targeting carpal and radioulnar joints through forced deviation or torsion
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
— kansetsu-waza
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal — all submissions legal in ADCC
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal submission technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The chin-down wrist lock applies a submission by driving the attacker's chin or chest onto the back of the opponent's trapped hand — using body weight as the primary force for the wrist extension (Danaher, New Wave Jiu Jitsu, 2020)
✓This technique typically occurs from north-south or when the opponent is face-down: the attacker isolates a hand and drops their body weight through the hand via the chin or chest
✓The chin-down wrist lock is difficult to defend because the force comes from the attacker's entire body weight — the small wrist joint cannot resist this load
✓The lock often catches opponents by surprise: they focus on escaping the position while their trapped hand is quietly being hyperextended under the attacker's weight
✓The chin-down principle appears in traditional jujutsu: using the body's weight through a controlled contact point to attack an isolated extremity
✓The wrist extension from chin-down is intense: the full body weight concentrates through a small contact area (chin or sternum) onto the back of the hand
✓Chin-down wrist locks appear during transitions and scrambles: when the opponent posts a hand, driving body weight onto it creates an immediate submission
Common Mistakes
!Not isolating the hand first — the hand must be trapped and unable to retract before body weight is applied
!Applying with the chin on the fingers instead of the metacarpals — the force must be on the back of the hand, not the fingers
!Not controlling the opponent's body — if they can move freely, they simply pull the hand away before weight is applied
!Using this technique when the hand is not committed — the hand must be bearing weight or trapped against the mat for the lock to work
!Driving too aggressively — the chin-down creates enormous force on the wrist; be very controlled in training
!Not recognising the opportunity — this lock appears during transitions; develop awareness for when the opponent's hand is trapped
!Ignoring the escape route — if the opponent recognises the threat, they will try to make a fist or rotate the hand; anticipate and prevent this
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Establish Position — achieve the controlling position needed for this submission
2Create the Threat — begin the submission setup to force a defensive reaction
3Secure the Hold — lock the submission grip with proper body mechanics
4Finish — apply increasing pressure until the opponent taps or the joint/choke takes effect
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
fine motor control, grip sensitivity, quick hand transitions
Favours
dexterous hands with strong fingers
Key muscles
forearm flexors and extensors, intrinsic hand muscles
Sub-techniques
From Clinch
SpeciesThe chin-down wrist lock from clinch is applied during a standing clinch by gripping the opponent's hand and pressing the wrist into flexion while simultaneously driving the bent wrist downward toward the opponent's own chin or chest. [1,2] The clinch provides the close range needed to trap and manipulate the wrist while preventing the opponent from pulling away. [1] The downward driving force combined with the flexion creates compound stress on the wrist joint's ligaments and tendons, producing intense pain that can force a submission. [1,2]
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From Prone Control
SpeciesThe chin-down wrist lock from prone control is applied when the attacker has the opponent pinned face-down and traps one wrist, bending it into flexion while pressing it toward the opponent's own face or chin. [1,2] The prone position eliminates the opponent's ability to rotate or bridge to relieve the wrist pressure, and the attacker's weight prevents any significant movement. [1] The technique is commonly applied when the opponent is flattened from top control and extends a hand to post or push, exposing the wrist to manipulation. [1,2]
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From Seated : Guard
SpeciesThe chin-down wrist lock from seated guard uses a sharp downward flexion of the opponent's wrist while controlling the forearm from guard position. [1] The attacker traps the opponent's hand and drives the wrist into extreme flexion using body weight and guard mechanics, targeting the carpal and radiocarpal ligaments. [1,2]
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From Standing
SpeciesThe chin-down wrist lock from standing is applied by gripping the opponent's hand and bending the wrist into flexion while directing the pressure downward toward the opponent's own chin or sternum. [1,2] The standing position allows the attacker to use body weight and stance changes to amplify the wrist flexion force. [1] The technique requires close range and is commonly initiated from a handshake grip, wrist grab, or collar-tie position where the opponent's hand is already within reach. [1,2]
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Chin-down work?
The chin-down wrist lock from seated guard is a flexion-based wrist submission where the attacker, working from a seated or guard position, traps the opponent's hand and forces the wrist into acute flexion by pressing the back of the hand toward the inner forearm. The 'chin-down' designation refers to the specific grip configuration where the attacker's thumbs press down on the back of the opponent's hand, mimicking the motion of pushing someone's chin toward their chest.
Where does the Chin-down come from?
Wrist locks from guard became increasingly popular in BJJ competition as practitioners like Claudio Calasans demonstrated their viability at the black belt level. The chin-down variant from guard draws on the aikido and jujutsu tradition of redirecting an opponent's limb against their own body structure.
Is the Chin-down legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels; IJF: banned — Only elbow joint locks (kansetsu-waza) permitted in judo — all other joint lo…; ADCC: legal — Legal — all submissions legal in ADCC; Unified MMA: legal — Legal submission technique; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Chin-down?
Danger rating 5/10. Wrist lock variant targeting carpal and radioulnar joints through forced deviation or torsion
How do I set up the Chin-down?
The standard setup chain: Establish Position → Create the Threat → Secure the Hold → Finish.
How do I defend against the Chin-down?
Standard counters include: Early Recognition — identify the submission attempt early and begin defence immediately / Posture and Base — maintain strong posture and base to prevent submission setups / Grip Fight — deny the attacker their preferred gripping configuration.
What are the variants of the Chin-down?
Common variants: Standard wrist lock (kote gaeshi) (two-handed rotational lock on the wrist); Gooseneck wrist lock (flexion lock bending the wrist down toward the forearm); Standing wrist lock (applied during grip fighting or a standing exchange); Ground wrist lock (catching the opponent's posted hand from mount, side cont…).
How effective is the Chin-down in competition?
Forced chin-down cranks occasionally appear in MMA when choke attempts create cranking pressure.
What are common mistakes when doing the Chin-down?
Top errors to watch for: Not isolating the hand first — the hand must be trapped and unable to retract before body weight is applied / Applying with the chin on the fingers instead of the metacarpals — the force must be on the back of the hand, not the… / Not controlling the opponent's body — if they can move freely, they simply pull the hand away before weight is applied / Using this technique when the hand is not committed — the hand must be bearing weight or trapped against the mat for ….
What are other names for the Chin-down?
The Chin-down is also known as Chin Daun, Chin-Down Wrist Lock, Downward Wrist Flex.