Help me Teach a Triangle

SummerStriker

Silver Belt
@Silver
Joined
Sep 5, 2012
Messages
11,663
Reaction score
5,696
At the MMA gym I train at, due to my age and gym experience I am sometimes tasked by the coach to show someone how to do this or that technique (no gi). They know that I am unranked in BJJ and not a fighter.

I have always felt very insecure teaching someone the triangle choke from guard.

Some moves I do the same way almost every time, and the way I do them is pretty much the way I was shown. Kimuras, hip bump sweeps, knee push and scissor sweeps, arm drags, several guard passes. Those are easy.

Then there are some moves that are so alive they come off differently every time I do them. The elbow knee escape from mount is like that, because people act so differently when they mount, and mounts themselves are different, so the move changes. But I use it so much I know all of the ins and outs of that escape and largely all of the variations.

I feel like the triangle choke is like that. There are so many variables that come off nearly together - pulling down on the head, cutting the angle, positioning the arm, adjusting the leg position, preventing the stack, blah blah blah. Because of my back injury, I can't let myself get stacked, so I almost never attempt them. When I do, they are often different from the drill and very alive.

Worse, everyone seems to teach the triangle choke a little differently, with different ordered steps and different priorities, and some are certainly better than others, but I don't have a good feel for explaining them.

What do you think is the best way to teach the basic technique of the triangle choke from guard?

What do you think is the best, realistic set up from guard?

For example, I think the best way to teach the omoplata is step by step against an opponent with his arms rested on your chest. I think the best simple setup for the omoplata is pushing the face from overhook guard. It is a simple jump in skill from one to the next, it emphasizes the value of the overhook guard, which people need anyway, and it is doable for people with moderate skill.

What's the way of the triangle I can practice and parrot most effectively?
 
One of the easier setups is from closed guard. Grab both his wrists on the outside. Push one, pull the other. Jump your legs over at the same time.

It's pretty basic but remains an effective threat even at black belt. Usually the guy defends at black belt level, but it's still a legit threat that forces a reaction.

The best little detail I could give would be to always shoot it on the low side. What I mean by that is if you are laying more on your right side, you shoot the triangle with your right leg (bottom leg here) as the choking leg. If you shoot with your left (top leg here), it's super easy for the guy to counter with the stack pass. If you shoot with your right, he'll have to turn you over first which is much harder and slower. So you will have plenty of time to sink the triangle when you shoot it on the low side.

If you have a high side set up (like the basic scissor sweep one which I use a lot), you just do a little adjustment as you shoot it so that you switch your hips in mid air and end up low side when you get there.
 
Ryan hall...

I have a series if classes on triangles, because there are many variations and counters to counters... I first teach the move what it looks like, how to finish what I'm doing yo crate the right pressure the importance of curt g the angle why is better to move the arm across and what is a myth above the arm across. Set ups come later, no gi from the guard you have triangle from overhook and grab both wrists push one in, Matt arroyo I believe has a great way to set this up, I've had lots of success with it.

Basically to be for real, watch Ryan's DVD, it will solve your problem...
 
Last edited:
The triangle choke is one of those moves that everyone thinks to easy, or if not easy, at least cut and dry. But it can take a lot of drilling to really become effective.

Best to break down into two steps.

1. Setups, getting one arm in and one arm out. There are a lot of ways to do this, but if you are teaching a noob, the push pull method should be your go to setup. It's the simplest method and as Balto said, this technique is effective even at advanced levels, finished an MMA fight with the push pull method myself. Go to youtube to explore other setups because there are a lot to choose from.

2. The finish. Getting the arm across, angling out, and pulling the head down. At the beginners stage all this has to be done with the assistance of your hands and feet. However when you drill the triangle your goal should be attaining a level of flexibility/proficiency that allows you to finish the choke "hands free."

If you want I can pm you some pictures of some key triangle details.
 
Last edited:
I rarely play guard as I dislike it. However, one of my old coaches told me to do it like: start from an overhook guard, get a foot on the hip - use it to push out/get an angle (preferably on your side), use your free hand to grab the opponents wrist (as he will be posting on it), swing your leg (close to the floor) above his head and square back up then complete the triangle.

Something like this:
 
Everyone who wants to get choked out, raise your hand.

...


See all the guys who did not raise their hand? They're not getting choked out.

If someone wants to tell you he's ready to get choked out, with any kind of 3/4 hold, he's gotta raise his arm first.

You feelin me?
 
I'm not a triangle guy (or closed guard guy at all tbh) but when asked to show triangle from closed guard by the MMA gym I coach at I went with Neil Melanson Irish collar shoulder punch variation and they loved it.

Great for protecting from punches and a super slick setup.
 
Introduction (Posture Is Everything)

2. Proper Locking Technique
3. Securing The Perpendicular Angle
4. Finishing The Choke: Stomp And Curl
5. Structure And Force Principles Explained
6. Managing Distance And Angle
7. Quick Review
8. Alternative Configuration #1: The Switch Figure.Four
9. Alternative Configuration #2: The Reverse Triangle
10. Alternative Reverse Triangle Attacks
11. Defeating the Roger Gracie Defense
12. Skill Drill #1: Hip Explosion Drill
13. Skill Drill #2: Standard/Switch/Reverse Triangle Flow Drill
14. Posture/Pressure/Rotation Recognition Drill
15. Alternative Finishes #1: Punch In Neck and Karate Chop
16. Alternative Finishes #2: Trapped Arm Keylock And Armlock
17. Alternative Finishes #3: Trapped Arm Wristlock
18. Alternative Finishes #4: Off-Arm Crush And Kimura
19. Alternative Finishes #5: The Oma Plata

Angles, Mechanics, And Entries




1- Explanation Of Fifty/50 BJJ Triangle Methodology
2. The Importance Of Angles
3. Posture Breaks And Angle Maintenance #1: Double Swim Inside, 2-on-1
4. Posture Breaks And Angle Maintenance #2: The Hinge Principle
5. Skill Drill: Posture And Angle Control
6. Closed Guard: Tap.Through Triangle
7. Closed Guard: Tap Through Triangle (Cont.)
8. Closed Guard: Kick-Through Triangle
9. Closed Guard: Shin Smash Triangle
10. Closed Guard: Hip Bump Triangle
11. Closed Guard: Flower Sweep Triangle
12. Closed Guard: Armlock To Triangle
13. Closed Guard: Oma Plata To Triangle
14. Closed Guard: Guillotine To Triangle
15. Closed Guard: Kimura To Triangle
16. Half Guard: Overhook To Triangle
17. Half Guard: Granby Underneath To Triangle
18. Half Guard: Armdrag To Triangle


Advanced Guard Attacks And Top Control




1. Sitting Guard: Kick Through Triangle
2. Inverted Guard: Standard Triangle
3. Inverted Guard: Reverse Triangle
4. Inverted Guard: Against Standing Opponent
5. Back Control To Triangle
6. Back Control To Reverse Triangle
7. Mounted Triangle
8. Side Control Triangle
9. Knee-On-Belly Triangle
10. Reverse Knee-On-Belly Triangle
11. Modified Flying Triangle From Open Guard Top
 
I wouldn't overcomplicate it. In gi, I'd show it from the collar and sleeve grip, where you are in a scissor sweep position, but instead of sweeping you just shoot your leg over and lock. Then the most critical part is to put the foot on the hip and rotate so you can lock the triangle, keeping posture broken with the collar and sleeve grip.

Everything else is relatively basic. I wouldn't worry about exotic defenses and variations, 95% of the technique is just getting the damn lock tight while their posture is broken.

If you teach off the collar and sleeve, nobody should even have to use their hands to complete the sub, you keep the same grips from start to end. And people will understand and be able to use the grips right away.

The tricky part to teach, imo, is how to use the foot on the hip to keep the posture broken and to get the shin locked under your knee by rotating. That is the hard part of learning this sub, keeping the assembly tight while cranking into the full lock. 90% of the effort should go into getting that right.
 
Honestly if you're teaching beginners, the more important thing to teach is finishing mechanics rather than setups.
 
I rarely play guard as I dislike it. However, one of my old coaches told me to do it like: start from an overhook guard, get a foot on the hip - use it to push out/get an angle (preferably on your side), use your free hand to grab the opponents wrist (as he will be posting on it), swing your leg (close to the floor) above his head and square back up then complete the triangle.

Something like this:


That is the way I would teach it. I like it because it is more of a series of control positions than telling someone to grab both wrists, push one and pull the other. It might be an extra step but I think it's a better way to teach beginners an effective gameplan from the guard, rather than just spamming submission attempts.
 
I've recently been coming more and more to the opinion that the most reliable way to set up a triangle from full guard (or most reliable full guard submissions altogether) is with a shoulder pin, such as williams guard or rubber guard.

See for instance Ben Eddie's submission of Wilson Reis, or Nathan Orchard's numerous finishes by 'dead orchard'.
 
Maybe teach as the next step in a submission chain on a failed armbar.

Also does anyone else do it where the finish doesn't require pulling the arm across or the head down? I cut the angle so hard that I barely need to even lock the triangle. I
 
Maybe teach as the next step in a submission chain on a failed armbar.

Also does anyone else do it where the finish doesn't require pulling the arm across or the head down? I cut the angle so hard that I barely need to even lock the triangle. I

If you are perpendicular there’s no need to pull the head down, or moving the arm across... your lock can be tight and you can stay there for a long time without gassing your legs...

Now, regarding the arm across, my legs are normal for my size, I can normally triangle people of all sizes, but some are just too big, the arm across helps to get the lock.. for long legs people, it’s irrelevant...but... I stress to move the arm across anyways, why? I’m a sd scenario, people is going to freak out and could try to bite you, with the arm across that’s not possible, so it’s good to get used to move the arm across, specially when your a white belt, when I teach it though, I explain to my students that the arm across is not necessary to get the choke, but it is for the reason I just mention. I also like to teach the regular way to new guys, more advance guys I require them to at least try to get the the 90 angle and squeeze the “right” way...
 
I've recently been coming more and more to the opinion that the most reliable way to set up a triangle from full guard (or most reliable full guard submissions altogether) is with a shoulder pin, such as williams guard or rubber guard.

See for instance Ben Eddie's submission of Wilson Reis, or Nathan Orchard's numerous finishes by 'dead orchard'.
Speaking of Williams guard. Last time I saw it in the UFC Jeremy Kennedy used against Volkanovski. And Volkanovski utterly smashed through him.
 
My favorite way to teach triangle is to pull the sleeves and push the hips until partner is flat on his belly face down. Then switch both hand on one sleeve, still pulling with both hands and pushing with feet. Place one leg over the shoulder and push. Usually, there is no need to place other leg over to finish from this position.

This teaches what 'breaking the posture' and avoiding stacking means to the extreme.
 
tristar just put out an amazing triangle video about 50 minutes long very solid i really like karels stuff great armbar and triangles
 
Back
Top