The Y-Choke Sweep & Submission

By: David Avellan on Thursday, March 1, 2012

Back in 2001, I knew from little about the half guard. It was more of a transitional position for me that I got stuck in when someone was trying to pass guard. I just knew that I had to get back to full guard or scramble up to my feet.

That all changed after I faced BJJ Black Belt Legend Roberto “Gordo” Correa, a man that did for half guard what Eddie Bravo did for Rubber Guard. He and I faced off in the NAGA Nationals 2001 superfight tournament, my first high profile match up. It was a great match up as we both fight hard, me working my take downs and guard passing, while he working his half guard sweeps.

Ultimately, the match was decided by the final half guard sweep he nailed just as I thought I was about to pass. I remember feeling frustrated in the half guard, because he was doing all sorts of things that at the time I had no clue to what was going on.

I watched the video many times to analyze his techniques, and then begin to focus exclusively on the half guard. Every time I rolled, I would go straight into half guard and work from there – something I would have never done in the past.

As a result, my half guard game become an asset of mine and along the way I developed this technique, the Y-Choke, which I show here:

http://DavidAvellan.com/y-choke

This starts off as a sweep that can then be finished by multiple submission attempts. One thing that many people worry about is if this is legal. Yes it is legal and although this is a "rape choke," this does not put direct pressure to the trachea.

A lot of people get the misconception that a "rape choke" is crushing the adam's apple. This is a carotid choke.

The actual pressure generated by this grip is on the sides of the neck, delivered by squeezing your thumb to your finger tips.

Think of it like you are doing a one arm push up. Now instead of putting your palm on the ground, only put your finger tips on the ground. Now all your weight is being passed to your finger tips as you squeeze the sides of his neck.

The amount of downward force on the throat is no different than a rear naked choke. Even if you have reservations about the choke, it is a very effective sweep that can follow up into an arm bar or arm triangle.

Enough talk - let's get down to business

Believe and Achieve,

David Avellan

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Technique Description: The Y-Choke is a unique half guard sweep that will allow you to finish with a powerful submission immediately after sweeping.

Comments

DEATHDAWG

Nice technique, but correct me if I'm wrong, this looks like a real dick move to pull on your training partners during randori. Am I off base here?

RETARD STRENF!

echmoth

I thought that hand position was illegal in touraments (grip on the throat).

thatguy0311

Im also pretty sure that most grappling or BJJ tournaments forbid the 'naked' front choke like that...

David Avellan

It is just like any other choke. If you do not feel bad applying a guillotine choke, you shouldn't feel bad using the y-choke

It looks meaner, but I have used this in training for the past 10 years and not once have I had someone complain about it or suffer any injury.

orthehill

That's a very nice sweep! I think the choke would not be allowed in BJJ tourney, though I don't know why. Many guillotines/ rear forearm chokes put more pressure on the trachea. I like!!

Right leg hospital-Left leg cemetary.

David Avellan

IBJJF Rulebook
6.5.6 (Minor Penalties)
"When an athlete, without using the gi, strangles his/her opponent using both hands, or applies pressure to the opponent’s windpipe using the thumb."

Pretty clear by that rule that it is legal. What the rule describes is using both hands to "strangle", where the thumbs would be passing on top of the Adams apple.

That is not to say that a referee might misinterpret what is going on.

CombatChaz

I like it. 5 stars.

Drew

DISCLAIMER: I'm not an expert on IBJJF rules.

I would read this as two separate things being banned. The first part of the statement bans the use of strangling with two hands (without the gi). The second part bans any choke where the thumb applies pressure to the windpipe (without the gi). Since you'll apply pressure to the windpipe with your thumb using the "Y choke" it would be banned by a literal reading of the rule (-or- being the key word in the sentence which would cause it to be banned).

I know I've been explicitly told I can't do chokes like this for tournaments, but we don't exactly play strict IBJJF rules and it's hard to tell what's local interpretation as opposed to desired letter of the law.

Repeat: I'M NO RULES EXPERT.

Edit: added clarification (without the gi) - this is important in the reading and explains why the two parts are in the same sentence.

David Avellan

Drew, the thumb is not applying pressure to the windpipe. The thumb is applying pressure to the carotid, on the side of the neck.

When you place your hand on your opponents neck, the space between your index finger and your thumb is on top of the windpipe, while your thumb and the rest of your finger tips are on the sides of the neck pinching.

Make your hand like a big "C". Now place the middle of the "C" where the adams apple is. This is how I do the y-choke, so the thumb is not applying pressure to the adam's apple.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if a ref would call you for it, just because of lack of knowledge on the technique.