Introduction to the D'Arce Choke

The D'Arce choke is a highly effective submission that requires understanding proper entry points, setup positions, and defensive counters. Success with this technique depends on anticipating opponent responses and having backup submissions ready when the primary attack is defended.

Turtle Position as Optimal Starting Point

Turtle position provides an ideal entry for the D'Arce choke and related submissions including the anaconda choke and guillotine. From this position, the instructor can explore multiple submission pathways and develop the positional awareness needed for successful execution.

Fundamental D'Arce Mechanics

The D'Arce choke is executed by threading one arm through the opponent's armpit and across the neck, while securing a gable grip with the opposite hand on the back of the neck. The attacker positions perpendicular to the opponent, drops their head toward the opponent's body to deepen the arm placement, and applies pressure by pushing the head down while lifting upward on the grip.

Countering Head Defense

When opponents defend by pulling their head away from the choke, the attacker can transition by moving their grip to the opposite side of the neck and shifting their body position to flatten the opponent. This repositioning creates opportunities for alternative submissions including the baseball bat choke.

Baseball Bat Choke Variation (No-Gi)

From the flattened position, the no-gi baseball bat choke is executed using an S-grip or gable grip on the opponent's neck, then dropping the elbow back to create a fold around the neck before squeezing with both elbows together. This variation is particularly effective when the initial D'Arce attack is shut down.

Baseball Bat Choke Variation (Gi)

In gi, the baseball bat choke transitions into mounted position by controlling the opponent's arm, stepping over their head, and establishing a mounted triangle or armbar. The attacker keeps their knees pointed in the same direction while maintaining pressure and controlling the opponent's framing attempts.

Shallow Grip D'Arce Response to Turtling

When the opponent turtles up during the D'Arce attempt, the attacker adjusts by securing a shallow grip to the armpit and shooting the opposite arm in with a wristwatch or guillotine-style grip. From this position, the attacker can secure a tight necktie-style choke by throwing the arms over the opponent's head and back before sitting and squeezing.

Lapel-Enhanced D'Arce (Gi)

When the gi is bloused out, the attacker can pass one arm underneath the opponent's neck to their other hand, incorporating the lapel strip into the choke mechanism. By stepping over the opponent's neck and sitting into the submission, the lapel adds significant pressure alongside the hand connection, creating an exceptionally tight finish.

All About the Darce Choke - Pathways & Back-Up Plans

Knight Jiu-Jitsu

D’Arce Choke From Turtle

2 min read·8 key moments·PT8M36S video

Key Takeaways

•Introduction to the D'Arce Choke
•Turtle Position as Optimal Starting Point
•Fundamental D'Arce Mechanics
•Countering Head Defense

Hundreds more class instruction videos at Patreon.com/KnightJiuJitsu The Darce choke is an extremely popular head and arm choke variant for good reasons. It’s extremely versatile, not only because of all the routes to applying it, but also because of how well it combines and the back-up plans available from it. In this video, we look at the basics of setting up the Darce, a few pathways to get to it and how to transition out of it to other submissions. Hope you like it! Please be sure to turn on notifications for new videos if you haven’t, so you can find out as soon as I upload a new one each week. Become a member of this channel for exclusive class videos not available for free. Super cheap cost for access to lots of exclusive content. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you haven’t checked out my Jiu-Jitsu Deep Dive yet, go to www.martialartsdigitalseminars.com/Jiu-Jitsu-Deep-Dive to get it. • Exclusive Class Content at Patreon.com/KnightJiuJitsu • BJJ Fanatics Instructionals here: https://tinyurl.com/y4ujekp6 • T-Shirts available here: tinyurl.com/wzu6ufb • Instagram @knight_jiu_jitsu_ • TikTok @knightjiujitsu • Follow me on DTube: https://d.tube/#!/c/knightbjj • Follow me on Steemit: https://steempeak.com/@knightbjj

Related Techniques

D’Arce Choke From Front Headlock D’Arce Choke From Top Half-Guard

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this video teach about d’arce choke from turtle?

This video covers introduction to the d'arce choke, turtle position as optimal starting point, fundamental d'arce mechanics. It provides detailed instruction from Knight Jiu-Jitsu.

How long does it take to learn d’arce choke from turtle?

The basic mechanics can be understood in a single session, but developing reliable execution requires consistent drilling over weeks of practice. This 8-part breakdown helps structure your training by isolating each phase of the technique.