Reverse Triangle - How To Make The Tightest Triangle Choke Ever

By Fanatics Authors, January 22, 2019

The Tightest Reverse Triangle Choke by Braulio Estima

It is important to remember that the triangle choke in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is far more than just a technique. First, it is an incredibly effective move to finish any opponent. It works at all levels, from white to black belt and across all competition formats. Furthermore, the triangle is one of the most recognizable figures in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Plenty of high level competitors out there have adopted the triangle into their academy logo in one way or another. Gracie Barra is arguably the most famous one that has the triangle as their representative. So, it is no wonder that a variation of the technique is so favored by one of Barra’s standouts, Braulio Estima.

The Reverse Triangle Is the Choke That You Never See Coming. Start tapping everyone in the gym with these slick setups from all positions... even the bad ones!

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Braulio Estima “Carcará” is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt World Champion and an ADCC open weight and super fight champion. Braulio Estima is considered to be one of the top jiu jitsu competitors of the 2000’s era by many of his peers. Estima collected trophies throughout his grappling career, both as a fighter and as an instructor. In recent years Braulio has slowed down on his competitive appearances. Braulio is also the older brother of another great jiu jitsu talent, Victor Estima. The list of Braulio’s achievements is impressive. Some of his notable titles are IBJJF World Champion, UAEJJF World Pro Champion, ADCC Champion, IBJJF European Champion, IBJJF Pan American Champion, IBJJF World Championship Runner up, and ADCC Runner up.

The reverse triangle choke does not differ greatly to the traditional triangle. It is only about angles and details, as we’ll see further on. The trick is that while the regular triangle is most often done from full guard, or, in some instances, from the mount. Today Braulio Estima is going to show us a reverse triangle position he came up with in 2009. At that time, most people didn’t know much about this position. In 2009, at the ADCC, which is the toughest grappling competition, he won his division and the open class. He pretty much caught everybody off guard with this technique because no one was expecting it.

In the video below Braulio Estima is going to show us the principles he uses for his reverse triangle. When Braulio gets his opponent in the reverse triangle, it is over. He will get the submission. Let’s see how he does his reverse triangle. Watch the video below and then we will break down the technique. Check it out now!

With the reverse triangle choke, the structure remains pretty much the same as the triangle. It is only the positioning of the major structures that are a little different. Braulio Estima has a unique on this position the he developed a long time ago. He stresses the primary principle behind this technique. This is not a triangle lock. There is more to it thank locking up the triangle. It is also about where you squeeze your opponent with this that position. What really matters with any triangle is the pressure on one side of the neck and your opponent’s own shoulder squeezing the other side of the neck. Therefore, with the regular triangle or the reverse triangle, it is crucial that you create pressure on your opponent’s own shoulder to squeeze into his neck.

Also, when Braulio gets the reverse triangle he does not just stay flat on his back. This would cause a problem as the pressure would be applied incorrectly to his training partner’s shoulder. If his opponent’s shoulder is not facing in towards the neck he will not be able to get the submission. In order to finish the reverse triangle, he rotates to his hip, which forces his opponent’s own shoulder against his own neck for a very tight choke.

Remember when setting up the reverse triangle to keep one leg tight against your training partner’s neck. Then you want to control your opponent’s tricep on the same side. From here, Braulio stays low and turns onto his hip. Now he can start to shift his leg to the other side which will make his training partner think he is giving up the pass. But he is not. In reality this is when he locks in the reverse triangle. By rotating to his hip first and then locking in the reverse triangle, he forces his opponent’s own shoulder tightly against his neck to finish the submission.

As you can tell, this is a really effective reverse triangle choke! Here are the key points for hitting a super tight reverse triangle:

It is not just about locking up the triangle. It also matters how much pressure you put on one side of the neck to create pressure on the opposite shoulder.
Always keep one leg tight against your opponent’s neck. Control your opponent’s tricep on the same side as you stay low and turn onto your hip.
When you shift your leg you will fake your opponent into thinking he is going to successfully pass. But that is when you can rotate to your opposite side hip and lock in the triangle. This forces his opponent’s own shoulder tightly against his neck for the submission.

Be sure to give this one a try the next time you are in a live roll or in competition! It is very effective, and very tight. It is amazing to see how a small detail or change can make such a big difference with a technique. You can use this no matter what skill level you are, even if your opponent is much bigger than you. Having this in your arsenal will certainly make you a well rounded Brazilian Jiu Jitsu player! I hope you all enjoyed this one. Thank you Braulio Estima for demonstrating this technique for us here today!

Trap And Tap Everyone With Reverse Triangle The World by Joel Bouhey: This is the Submission They Will Never See Coming

It’s time to reverse triangle the world. You can master this rarely seen, but highly effective submission hold with this technical breakdown by black belt and coach Joel Bouhey. Watch along as he breaks down how to attack, how to time it, and how to turn every position into a potential fight-ender. This is a perfect instructional for any grappler, no matter the size or rank, as Joel applies basic grappling fundamentals to his technique, instead of relying on strength or flexibility. This is a move you can hit from a huge range of positions, making it a perfect technique to always have ready to go.