Triangle Choke
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The triangle is a choke you finish with your legs, trapping the opponent's head and one arm so their own shoulder closes off the side of their neck. It is one of the first submissions taught and one of the most common finishes at every level.
Why the angle matters
A triangle locked straight on is often stuck; the finish comes from cutting an angle so your legs run across the neck rather than into the chin. Controlling the trapped arm and the head, then adjusting the angle, is what turns a held triangle into a tap.
Where triangles come from
Closed guard and open guard are the classic sources, but the triangle also appears from mount, the back, and as a counter to a sloppy pass. Because it shares setups with the armbar and omoplata, it belongs in a chain rather than as a standalone move.
Community flows for Triangle Choke
- Kaynan Duarte Modern Back Attack, Vol 4: Finishes & SLX — Kaynan Duarte's back finishes by trapped arm: rear naked choke off the over-arm, triangles or armbar off the underhook, and his SLX-to-back chain. Off the…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle: Full System Map — Map of Ryan Hall's seven-volume Modern Triangle: four principles, threaten-lock-angle-finish, three finishes, seven triangle submissions, and combinations…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 7: Scoring & Combinations — Ryan Hall's triangle as a hub: flower sweep, omoplata, funk single, and long-hand post when it stalls, plus re-counters from failed armlocks and kimuras. The…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 6: Alternate Configurations — Ryan Hall's reverse triangle, switch figure-four, and the drill linking them, plus answers to the leg wrap, head-across bury, and opponent standing up.
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 5: Intra-Triangle Submissions — Ryan Hall's seven finishes from a locked triangle: triangle armlock, wrist lock, key lock, kimura on either arm, inverted armlock, and step-over armlock. Which…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 4: Defensive Components — Ryan Hall's triage for defenses inside a locked triangle: frames, posture, and pressure or rotation, with the answer to each and the order to handle them.
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 3: Locking & Finishing — Ryan Hall on closing the figure-four, turning to the perpendicular angle, and three pressure finishes: remove the space, break-a-board, and the fist plug. The…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 2: Threatening & Entries — Ryan Hall's threaten, lock, angle, finish sequence with four entries to the triangle: tap through, thread through, loop around, and capitalize on the post…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 1: Foundations & Concepts — Ryan Hall's four principles behind every triangle: control over submission, one arm in and one out, use all four limbs, and the dividing-line rule. The…
- K-Guard from Closed Guard: Entries and Upper Body Submissions — A system for entering K-Guard from closed guard, establishing control, and transitioning to triangles, armbars, and leg entries based on opponent reactions.
- Closed Guard Transitions and Submissions — Technical pathways from closed guard to armbar and triangle submissions.
- The Triangle Defense Troubleshooter — My guide to systematically defend against triangle choke attempts from various stages of the attack. If they try to lock the triangle, you'll learn specific…
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I finish my triangle choke?
Usually because you are pulling straight down instead of cutting an angle. Bring your hips out to the side so your shinbone crosses the neck, control the trapped arm across the body, and curl your legs down rather than squeezing flat.
What positions can you hit a triangle from?
Most often from closed and open guard, but also from mount, the back, and as a counter when an opponent reaches in during a pass. The setups overlap with the armbar and omoplata.
Is the triangle choke good for beginners?
Yes. It is high-percentage and teaches the core guard skills of breaking posture and controlling an arm, which is why it is usually one of the first submissions taught.
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