Two-Door Jiu-Jitsu Concept

Effective jiu-jitsu sequences often employ the two-door principle: setting up one technique with another, so if the second fails, the practitioner can return to the first. The palm-up-palm-down and palm-up-palm-up collar chokes exemplify this concept perfectly, working seamlessly together as complementary techniques.

Establishing the Initial Grip

The first grip is the foundation of both collar chokes and cannot be overlooked. From closed guard, the practitioner opens the opponent's knee, pushes, and feeds their hand deep into the collar before closing the grip and bending the elbow. This bent-elbow position prevents the opponent from posturing up by forcing them to lift the entire practitioner's body weight.

Defending the Palm-Up-Palm-Down Choke

When the opponent defends the initial palm-up-palm-down choke attempt by controlling the hand, the practitioner must shift their approach rather than engage in a hand fight. By switching hips to the opposite side, the practitioner positions their palm to feed under rather than over the opponent's neck, transitioning to the palm-up-palm-up variation.

Executing the Palm-Up-Palm-Up Choke

With both palms facing the practitioner, the palm-up-palm-up choke is mechanically more powerful than its palm-up-palm-down counterpart because it mirrors a pull-up motion rather than a pressing motion. The practitioner feeds the hand deep, rolls the wrist forward toward themselves, sits up while taking their ear to the opponent's ear, and drives their elbows to their hips.

Targeting the Carotid Artery

Success depends on precise placement of the wrist crook directly on the opponent's carotid artery. Rolling the wrist forward compresses the neck opening, tightening the choke significantly. This anatomical precision means the practitioner can apply effective pressure through positional control alone, without necessarily relying on explosive movement.

The Transition Sequence

The practitioner demonstrates the complete sequence: establishing the deep collar grip, attempting the palm-up-palm-down choke, transitioning to palm-up-palm-up when the opponent defends, and finishing with wrist roll and hip drive. If the opponent defends the second choke, the practitioner can return to the first option, creating multiple finishing angles from a single strong grip.

Technical Refinement and Variations

The depth of the non-controlling hand matters less than proper wrist positioning and hip mechanics. Even without the sit-up finish, the properly set palm-up-palm-up choke applies sufficient pressure to be effective. The collar itself acts as a constricting mechanism, similar to fitting a size-14 collar on a size-15 neck—the opponent will eventually tap from positional pressure alone.

Expanding Your Options

Once the deep collar grip is established, practitioners have access to multiple finishing techniques and transitional sweeps. If either collar choke is defended or becomes unavailable, options like the scissor sweep or additional collar variations remain viable. This versatility from a single strong position exemplifies efficient jiu-jitsu.

Guard: Palm Up Palm Up choke

Bellingham BJJ

Palm Up Palm Up Choke

3 min read·8 key moments·PT5M23S video

Key Takeaways

•Two-Door Jiu-Jitsu Concept
•Establishing the Initial Grip
•Defending the Palm-Up-Palm-Down Choke
•Executing the Palm-Up-Palm-Up Choke

The Palm Up, Palm Up variation of the cross collar choke from guard is a powerful technique, and it pairs well with the Palm Up, Palm Down cross choke. You can see that choke here: https://youtu.be/RD3eactlVHM The fundamentals are the most important techniques in jiujitsu: That's why we've already filmed our entire fundamentals curriculum and put it in an Unlisted YouTube playlist for you: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL09kxD1YNdM4X03H29AOpkRQChGGHHapk You can see both the lists of techniques both in the playlist and the Blue and Purple belt requirements here: http://bellinghambjj.com/about/faq/

Related Techniques

Arm Trap Triangle Arm-In Guillotine from Guard Double Attack to Kata-Gatame Ezequiel Choke from the Back Guillotine from Clinch

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this video teach about palm up palm up choke?

This video covers two-door jiu-jitsu concept, establishing the initial grip, defending the palm-up-palm-down choke. It provides detailed instruction from Bellingham BJJ.

How long does it take to learn palm up palm up choke?

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.