What Is a Submission in BJJ?

The Two Categories of Submissions

Every submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu falls into one of two categories: chokes (strangulations) and joint locks. Understanding the difference is fundamental to learning how submissions work and how to apply them safely.

Chokes (Strangulations)

Chokes work by restricting blood flow to the brain through pressure on the carotid arteries (blood chokes) or by compressing the trachea (air chokes). Blood chokes are more common in BJJ because they are more efficient and less painful. When a blood choke is applied correctly, unconsciousness can occur within seconds, which is why tapping early is essential.

Common chokes in BJJ include:

• Triangle choke - You use your legs to form a triangle around your opponent's neck and one arm, compressing the carotid arteries. This is one of the most iconic submissions in Jiu-Jitsu.
• Rear naked choke - Applied from back control, you wrap one arm around your opponent's neck and use the other arm to lock it in place. This is considered the highest-percentage submission in all of grappling.
• Guillotine choke - You wrap your arm around your opponent's neck from the front, typically when they shoot for a takedown or drop their head. Works in both Gi and No-Gi.
• Cross collar choke - A Gi-specific choke using grips on both lapels. Most commonly applied from mount or closed guard.
• D'Arce choke - An arm-triangle variation where you thread your arm under your opponent's neck and through their armpit, creating a tight squeeze on the carotid artery.

Joint Locks

Joint locks work by isolating a joint and applying force beyond its natural range of motion. The pain and threat of injury forces the opponent to tap. Joint locks in BJJ primarily target the elbow, shoulder, knee, and ankle.

Common joint locks include:

• Armbar - You isolate your opponent's arm and extend it against the natural bend of the elbow using your hips as a fulcrum. The armbar can be applied from virtually every position.
• Kimura - A shoulder lock using a figure-four grip on your opponent's wrist and elbow. Named after Masahiko Kimura, the judoka who used it to defeat Helio Gracie in 1951.
• Americana (keylock) - A shoulder lock similar to the kimura but applied in the opposite direction, painting the arm to the mat. A staple submission from mount and side control.
• Heel hook - A powerful leg lock that targets the knee by twisting the heel, putting rotational pressure on the knee ligaments. This submission is primarily used in No-Gi and ADCC competition.
• Kneebar - Similar to an armbar but applied to the leg. You isolate your opponent's leg and hyperextend the knee joint.

The Art of Tapping

Tapping is how you signal that you are caught in a submission. You can tap your hand on your partner, on the mat, or say "tap" verbally. Tapping is not a sign of weakness. It is the foundation of safe training and the reason BJJ practitioners can train at full intensity day after day without serious injury.

Key tapping principles:

• Tap early - Once you recognize you are caught, tap before the full force of the submission is applied. Training with ego leads to injuries.
• Tap clearly - Make sure your partner can feel or hear the tap. Multiple firm taps on their body or the mat is the standard.
• Respect the tap - When your partner taps, release the submission immediately. This is the most important rule in BJJ training.

Setting Up Submissions

High-level BJJ is not about forcing submissions. It is about creating chains of attacks that funnel your opponent into positions where they have no choice but to expose themselves to a submission. This is the art of setup:

• Position before submission - Achieve a dominant position first (mount, side control, back control), then attack. Submissions from inferior positions have a much lower success rate.
• Action-reaction - When you threaten one attack, your opponent defends, which opens up a different attack. For example, threatening a cross collar choke from mount often causes your opponent to push your arms away, exposing their arm to an armbar.
• Grips and control - Submissions start with grips. Controlling your opponent's posture, limbs, and movement options sets up submission attempts long before the finish.
• Combinations - The best practitioners chain 3 to 5 attacks together so that defending one creates the opening for the next. This is what makes higher-level BJJ so effective.

Submissions for Beginners

If you are new to BJJ, focus on learning these foundational submissions first: the rear naked choke, the cross collar choke (Gi), the armbar, the triangle choke, the kimura, and the americana. These cover the essential mechanics and positions that all other submissions build upon.

At Current Jiu Jitsu in Mississauga, Professor Toma Dragicevic teaches submissions within the context of positional control. Students learn not just how to finish a submission, but how to set it up through proper positioning, pressure, and movement. This approach builds well-rounded practitioners who can submit opponents from anywhere on the mat.