The Guillotine Choke is a fundamental submission geared towards choking your opponent by trapping their neck in a lock. It's a versatile and highly effective technique widely used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) combat and self-defense. The central principle of the Guillotine Choke is leveraging your shoulder pressure against the opponent's throat, hence causing discomfort until submission.
The first step in completing a Guillotine Choke is to secure the neck of your opponent. This is best done by working in close and trapping your opponent's head under your armpit. Use your arm to wrap around their neck with your hand reaching towards your forearm.
Once the neck is secure, it's time to apply the choke. Use your free hand to grab the wrist of your hand that's around your opponent's neck, making a closed loop. Then, sit down into a guard position, lifting with your arm and shoulders, and putting pressure on your opponent's neck until they submit.
Defending a guillotine choke relies on preemptive measures and quick reflexes. Stay upright as long as possible to make it harder for your opponent to wrap their arm around your neck, maintain a good posture, and try to control their wrist to prevent them from completing the hold.
To counter the guillotine choke, it would be best to 'chin tuck,' which involves tucking your chin to your chest and putting your shoulders up to protect your neck. Taking this position makes it harder for your opponent to secure a firm grip around your neck.
In competition, the Guillotine Choke is used when an opponent is overly aggressive with takedowns or leaves their neck exposed inadvertently. It's a powerful way to punish such mistakes and gain an upper hand in the combat situation. It also serves as an excellent self-defense mechanism in a real-life hostile encounter.
It's crucial to practice this move under the supervision of a certified BJJ coach to perfect it and avoid injuring yourself or your sparring partner. Also, remember that every opponent is different, and thus the effectiveness of this choke can vary.
In conclusion, the Guillotine Choke is a potent submission in BJJ that can quickly turn the tables in your favor. Practice the move with precision and understand the correct counter and defensive measures to master this submission.