Bow and Arrow Choke

The bow and arrow choke is one of the joys or terrors of training in a gi. This choke is considered to be effective, as it is seen in finishes of high level matches, although the statistics aren’t clear as far as the success ro failure rate goes. We can see that this choke has finished some of the most opponents. It seems to only be superseded by the triangle and rear naked choke. Chokes from behind an opponent made up over 44% of finishes in the 2023 IBJJF world Championships from the quarterfinals to the finals. This should fall under that umbrella.

The attached photo that lists finishes between 2012 and April 2023. This is from a Medium blog by Ken Thomas. He obtained 40,586 match records from BJJ Heroes. After accounting for only the wins, this number was reduced to 28,439. you can see that 261 bow and arrow chokes are listed. As far as chokes go, it falls somewhere behind the King of grappling; the rear naked choke at 920, the triangle at 710.

You can also see that the majority of matches are won on points. Which also confirms the importance of keeping dominant positions.

I can attest to the raw power and control that the bow and arrow choke produces, having been on both ends of it. Another name for this submission is the banana choke, because it bends your opponent into a curved banana, which sounds, disrespectfully, too cute. This was also introduced to me as the hell choke, which sounds aggressive, but is appropriate.

As you can see in this video, there are many variations of this choke.

The bow and arrow choke is a gi-based submission, generally set up from the back mount position, but can also be attempted from the side mount in some instances. Let’s look at the ideal case of the attack from back mount

1. Back Control:

   – Begin by securing back control, where you are positioned on your opponent’s back with hooks in. Hands can be in the over-under seatbelt position.

2. Grip Setup:

   – Reach across your opponent’s neck with the arm that is underneath theirs, establishing a solid grip on the collar. Simultaneously, secure a grip on the pants (ideally) or belt with your opposite hand.

3. Extension and Rotation:

   – With a secure grip on the collar and the lower body, extend your legs, arch your back, and rotate your body away from your opponent. This creates a powerful diagonal force, putting immense pressure on their neck.

If you’re attacking with your right hand, your right hand will be reaching across the neck and pulling the opposite collar. Your left hand should be gripping their pants close to the knee. As you move them from the back mount, your left hand will be helping to pull them so that they end up laying on their side (in your lap) and perpendicular to you.

Alternatively, you can bring your right knee and shin behind their head for added leverage

4. Finishing the Choke:

   – The key to a successful Bow and Arrow Choke lies in the extension and rotation. By pulling your opponent’s collar across their neck while controlling the lower body, you cut off their blood supply, forcing them to submit, or sleep, if done correctly. If you’re good, you are the archer and they are the bow.

The leverage of the choke comes from both hands pulling at both ends of your opponent’s body. One hand is holding the collar at the neck, while the other is pulling on his leg. The mid point of the fulcrum (science) is the thigh closest to your leg grabbing hand. There are, however, many variations for leg positions in the bow and arrow choke.

Sadly, like all of Jiu jitsu, it’s easy enough until you try it on a resisting opponent. But, with practice, it will land. Try it out. Or if you’re a seasoned roller who hasn’t used the bow and arrow in a while, dust it off.