The Triangle Choke is probably the most powerful choke in BJJ. Done with the legs, the triangle position with your foot behind your knee turns your legs into an arm and neck crushing tool.
For the Triangle Choke, imagine your legs being a paper cutter and your partner’s neck being the sheet of paper. You want your top leg shearing down on your partner’s neck and your bottom leg acts as the base of the paper cutter. Notice that for this to work, you’re spine needs to be 90 degrees to your partner’s spine.
Conversely, your Triangle Choke will not work if your spine is parallel to your partner’s spine. Your top leg acting like a lever similar to the shearing forces of a paper cutter will have no effect.
Closed Guard Triangle Choke
The most important part of the Triangle Choke is to first turn your partner’s spine into a lever by collapsing their posture instead of having their spine straight up and acting like a frame.
Once your partner’s posture is broken, pummel your leg over their shoulder to get into the Triangle position; and then, transition eventually into the Triangle Choke.
Spider Guard Triangle Choke
Once you have your partner’s posture broken from your Spider Guard, you can now enter into your Triangle Choke.
Remember, entering into the Triangle Choke when your partner’s spine is a strong frame is fool hardy and most likely you’ll lose the position. Always look to turn your partner’s spine into a lever first.
