How To Do The Bow And Arrow Choke

In today's blog post, you're going to learn how to do the bow and arrow choke.

This choke, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful looking chokes in jiu jitsu.

It kind of reminds me of Michelangelo's masterpiece Pietà.

In addition to its beauty, the bow and arrow choke is also a highly effective submission that can be executed from a variety of positions but mainly from the back mount position.

Therefore, the technique I am covering today is a perfect follow-up sequence for the back take technique taught in a previous post.

So, grab your gi and watch the instructional video below to learn the technique for today.

Setting up the choke grip.

Once you've successfully taken your opponent's back and secured the back mount with a seat belt grip, it's time to focus on your next move.

Your bottom hand should release your opponent's collar, allowing your top hand to grip it with your thumb inside.

This grip is commonly referred to as the cross collar grip or choke grip.

For a visual reference on how to execute this technique, please refer to the animated image above.

Switching hip to get closer to opponent's pants or leg.

To execute the bow and arrow choke, start by securing the collar grip and then grab your opponent's pants or leg that is near your bottom arm. 

However, if you find that the pant or leg is too far away from your reach when you fall on the good side of the back mount, you need to get closer to your opponent's leg.

To do this, first unhook your leg hook that is on the mat. 

Then, put your toes on the mat and use them to push your opponent up while sliding your hip under them. 

This movement will bring you and your bottom hand closer to your opponent's pants or leg, as shown in the animated image above.

Securing the pant grip.

Next, you should either grab your opponent's pants or underhook their leg right below the knee. 

Ideally, you want to go for the underhook, as this gives you the strongest control in the bow and arrow choke.

However, it's common to only be able to grip the pants, which is also okay. 

Just make sure to grab the fabric area that is slightly above your opponent's knee line for a secure grip.

Refer to the animated image above to see how it is done.

Swing your far leg above your opponent's far shoulder.

Next, swing your far leg on top of your opponent's far shoulder. 

This step is crucial because it blocks your opponent's shoulder and prevents them from turning away and escaping the bow and arrow choke.

Another important detail is to keep your near side leg parallel to your opponent's hip line. 

This ensures that your opponent cannot wiggle or turn to escape the choke.

See how I do it in the animated image above.

Crossing your feet properly.

You now have almost all the required control to finish the bow and arrow choke. The next step is to cross your feet on top of your opponent's chest.

When crossing your feet, make sure to put the leg that is near your opponent's head (top leg) below your other leg. 

This ensures that you have full pressure on your opponent's chest, as all of the calf of your top leg is attached to their chest.

See how I do it in the animated image above.

Finishing the bow and arrow choke.

With all the required control in place, finishing the bow and arrow choke is easy. 

To finish the choke, simply extend or straighten your crossed feet while pulling the collar at the same time.

The most common finishing mistake beginners do is flaring their elbows.

You do not want to flare your elbows because it will not choke your opponent.

Instead, keep your elbows attached to your rib throughout the finishing move to get the choke.

Refer to the animated image above to see how to finish the bow and arrow choke.

In conclusion, the bow and arrow choke is a powerful and beautiful technique that every jiu-jitsu practitioner should have in their arsenal.

The choke is one of the main and fundamental attacks from the back mount position.

By following the step-by-step instructions in this post, you can learn how to execute the choke effectively and efficiently.

With practice and patience, you can add the bow and arrow choke to your repertoire of submissions and become a more versatile and effective jiu-jitsu practitioner.

Later on, as you progress through your jiu-jitsu journey, you will find that the bow and arrow choke can also lead to a sequence of submission combinations and cycles.

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