The Reverse Triangle For No Gi BJJ

Learn The Secrets To This Deadly And Effective No Gi Submission!

In the world of grappling, no submission is quite as prevalent as the triangle. If you have spent any time at all on the mats, you probably will be familiar with the triangle submission, but are you familiar with the reverse triangle? The reverse triangle is very similar in principle to the triangle, and it has proven to be a very sneaky and effective submission in no gi that works on anyone! Some of the World’s greatest black belt grapplers have used the reverse triangle successfully in competition. Guys like Black Belt World Champion Braulio Estima, Joel Bouhey, and Toby Imada are notorious for their half guard. The reverse triangle has also been popular in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

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!

LEARN MORE

Also known as the inverted triangle, the reverse triangle is a stealthy technique that most people do not see coming until it is too late. The best part about the reverse triangle is that it can be hit from a variety of positions. Today we will take a look at how to do the reverse triangle from a few different positions. Are you ready? Then let’s get started!

Knee on Belly to Reverse Triangle by Joel Bouhey

Joel Bouhey, a Maui, Hawaii native, is a jiu jitsu black belt under Luis Heredia. Joel spends a lot of time training and teaching his innovative style of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Joel Bouhey is known for his invention of the falcon guard. He is also well known for his reverse triangle. In fact, Joel has a great instructional series that is all about the reverse triangle called, “Reverse Triangle The World,” available exclusively on BJJFanatics.com! Let’s check out his knee on belly to set up the reverse triangle. Watch the video below and then we will break down the technique. Check it out!

Joel Bouhey starts off the technique with his knee across his opponent’s stomach. He dives forward so he can set an under hook. Then he uses his head to trap his training partner’s arm.  From here he moves into the straight arm lock position. He steps his leg around his opponent’s head to go for the arm bar. Normally your opponent will counter this by sitting up and pushing into you. This is the movement Joel Bouhey needs in order to reach back and get his grip on his training partner’s arm. Now that he has the proper grips he adjusts his body position, extends his leg to take away all remaining space, and then locks up the triangle.

The Tightest Reverse Triangle Choke by Braulio Estima

The reverse triangle choke we will look at is from the World Champion Black Belt grappler Braulio Estima. Braulio 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 has collected trophies throughout his grappling career, both as a fighter and as an instructor. Let’s see his approach to the reverse triangle. Check out the video below and then we will break down the technique!

Braulio Estima has a unique take on this position the he developed over a long professional career. He stresses the primary principle behind this technique: this is not a triangle lock. There is more to it than locking up the triangle. 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 reverse triangle, it is crucial that you create pressure on your opponent’s own shoulder and neck.

Remember when setting up the reverse triangle to keep one leg tight against your opponent’s neck while controlling your opponent’s arm 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 making his training partner think he is giving up the pass. Now 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.

Double Leg Defense With Reverse Triangle by Travis Stevens

For our last look at the reverse triangle, Travis Stevens is going to show one when a wrestler tries to use a double leg takedown. Wrestlers have amazing single leg and double leg take downs! If there is anyone who knows this, it is Travis Stevens. Travis is a judoka and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu player from the Unites States. He has competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics. On August 9, 2016, Stevens became the third American male judoka to win a silver medal in the Olympics. Stevens has a world of experience when it comes to defending against double leg take downs and I think this is one of the coolest ways to use a reverse triangle. You can find this choke and a whole lot more on Travis Stevens’ instructional series “Chokes” available exclusively on BJJFanatics.com! Let’s check it out. Watch the video below and then we will break down the technique.

This is an incredibly effective technique that you will definitely want to have in your arsenal. There are a few key take aways from this demonstration that make this a highly effective double leg defense. First, it is very important to immediate get that hook across your opponent before he dumps you. The back step needs to be gigantic, as this is your primary method for avoiding the double leg itself. As soon as you get dumped you need to post on your elbow and lock up that reverse triangle. Naturally, you will want to start out slow when first learning this technique. Get the movement down as precise as possible and then add fluidity and speed into the mix. In a live roll or competition you are going to aim to flow throw this quickly to avoid giving your training partner any opportunity to counter.

Now that you have a better understanding of the reverse triangle, be sure to give this one a try the next time you are on the mats! It is a great submission that can be very difficult to counter, even against more experienced grapplers.

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.

BUY NOW