The X-Choke

In the following video we will be demonstrating the X-choke.  Here are some of the major points you need to remember in order to make your choke secure so that you can enhance your chances of landing this powerful submission.
 

It all starts with the first grip
Open the collar with your right hand, making sure your left hand slides up the collar all the way until you can feel the back of his neck with the back of your hand.  Keep you arm loose, don’t pull him down, use your legs to keep control of your  partner.  Pulling only serves to weaken your grip and as you’ll see in the demonstration, the more you pull the more your first grip slides down to the side of his neck.

Now it’s time for the second hand
Use your legs to control your opponent and get him closer to you.  Use a fake attack by first reaching up towards your opponents face.  Then quickly come back under your left arm and begin to slide your right hand up the opposite collar.  Often students have difficulty getting a strong grip with the second hand.  Make sure; 1. stay relaxed, the hand will slide easier.  2. if his collar is tight, use your fingers to walk up his collar.  At this point, try to reach all the way meeting both your hands behind his neck.

Applying the choke
Watch the hands…holding the grip they will begin to turn facing the palms up, remember to keep your forearms tight against your partners collar bones, that will help to keep him from tucking his chin.  Now with the palms turned upward, your partner should be feeling the effects of the choke already, to enhance it, start to slowly bring your opponent closer to you, remember not to spread your elbows at this point or you’ll take the pressure off the carotids and on to his wind pipe.  Keep your elbows tight to your rib cage as you bring him down to your chest.

Done right, your partner should be tapping before his head is touching your chest.  Try it out and let us know what you think!

Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
heelhook21@aol.com
Team RGDA - Team Gracie Humaita

Welcome to the Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy website.  We’ve added this new section to our site which in the coming weeks will be filled with tips, techniques and strategies to help you maximize your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training.  In this installment of BJJ Tips, as it is our first, where to begin, but at the beginning, more or less.

Starting out with your training - Tips for success

1.  Take it slow
If you have no prior experience in grappling arts, then it’s always best to start out slow, don’t train more than 3 times per week.  This will give your mind and body a chance to download the information you’ve learned.  Often we see students come to class 5-6 times per week, you can usually see within a couple weeks that the new student is overloaded with information.  With a 2 to 3 class per week schedule, you’ll be assured of getting the information you need to learn the basics, while allowing your body to acclimate itself to the new positions.

2.  Physical Conditioning and you
In terms of the physical part of jiu-jitsu, if you’ve never had this kind of training, then again it’s always best to limit the training time per week.  In the course of learning how to fight on the ground, the new student will be using muscles, that in many cases, he never knew he had.  Give your body a chance to recover and adapt to the new surroundings.  Every person has a different level of fitness, know your own, if during the class you start to feel fatigued, slow down, there is no one to impress, every single person in the class will at some point have been in the same condition. 

3. Don’t worry about losing and winning…enjoy the process of both.

We have a saying in our academy, “if you’re not losing, then you’re not improving”.  Progressing in the art of Jiu-Jitsu is about applying new sweeps, new positions, new submissions, new transitions, and taking risks.  At the academy you’ll find all kinds of students with different body types: some are tall and thin, short and stocky, flexible, in-flexible, smaller than you and bigger than you.  One specific move will not work the exact same way on each of those body types; you’ll need to learn to adapt those moves to each of those body types to ensure they work.  Adapting, taking risks and trying new stuff out is as important as drilling the X-choke a thousand times.  Any improvement you make in your overall game generally comes from consistent practice and a willingness to learn from your losses.

Check back next week for a video demonstration on the X-choke.

Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
27 W. Butler Avenue
Chalfont, PA  18914
267-476-1858