BJJ Submissions Explained: Armbar, Triangle, and Guillotine
A submission can mean conceding an exchange or the hold intended to make an opponent concede. An armbar targets the elbow joint; a triangle uses the legs around the neck and one arm; a guillotine uses an arm around the neck from the front.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame (cross lock) [4]Sankaku-jime (triangular strangle) [5]Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Terminology & Glossary [6]
Use the descriptions and diagram to recognize the terms. Learn how to practice them with a coach, and stop immediately whenever a partner taps or asks to stop.
Armbar, triangle, and guillotine: what differs?
Joint locks target joints; chokes, also called strangles in the IJF terminology, act on the neck. The ADCC rules list chokes separately from arm, shoulder, wrist, leg, and ankle locks.ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]Judo Techniques [3]
| Submission | Family and target | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Armbar | Joint lock: elbow.[4][6] | The attacker controls an arm in an extended position. The submission acts on its elbow joint.[4][6] |
| Triangle choke | Strangle: neck.[5][6] | The attacker’s legs form the enclosure around the opponent’s neck and one arm.[5][6] |
| Guillotine choke | Choke: neck.[6] | An arm surrounds the neck from the front in a front headlock configuration.[6] |
A submission is a match outcome
Both IBJJF and ADCC recognize submission as a way to win. A submission ends the match through concession; a points decision uses the score. The full rules also define other outcomes, including disqualification and referee decisions.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
How the rules recognize a tap
IBJJF Articles 2.1.1–2.1.4 describe clear hand taps, foot taps when the arms are trapped, verbal withdrawal, and a pain sound while trapped in a submission hold.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
ADCC’s rules also recognize giving up by tapping with a leg or arm or by submitting verbally.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
In training, treat any physical or verbal request to stop as final and release immediately. Do not wait for a competition-style signal.
Legality changes with the ruleset and division
Under the cited June 2024 IBJJF edition, the illegal-moves table distinguishes techniques by age, belt, and whether the division is gi or no-gi. ADCC publishes a different list of legal and illegal techniques.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
A technique allowed in one event or division may therefore be prohibited in another. Competitors need the current organizer document for the exact event rather than a generic online list.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
The training boundary
Ask your coach which holds belong in your training and how to communicate with your partner. If you are unsure whether a hold is permitted in an event, check with its officials before using it.
Frequently asked questions
How are an armbar, a triangle, and a guillotine different?
An armbar is an elbow-joint lock. A triangle is a strangle using the legs around the neck and one arm. A guillotine is a choke using an arm around the neck from the front.Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame (cross lock) [4]Sankaku-jime (triangular strangle) [5]Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Terminology & Glossary [6]
What is a submission in BJJ competition?
It is one rule-recognized way to decide a match. The precise stopping conditions come from the organizer’s rules.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
Can a competitor submit verbally?
Yes. The cited IBJJF and ADCC rules both recognize verbal submission or withdrawal.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
Are all submissions legal at every belt?
No. The IBJJF table varies prohibited techniques by age, belt, and gi/no-gi division, while ADCC uses its own legal and illegal technique lists.IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) [1]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations [2]
Does this guide teach submission technique?
No. It explains competition terminology and directs technique learning to supervised coaching.
Sources
- [1]IBJJF Rule Book (v6.0) — International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Linked 2024JUN rule-book asset; claim locators below identify the relevant articles. Accessed .
Version note: The landing page labels the rule book “v6.0”; the linked 2024JUN asset displays “VERSION 6.1” in its footer. This citation preserves that publisher-side conflict.
- Relevant section: Article 2, Rendering Decisions; Article 2.1, Submission.
- Relevant section: Articles 2.1.1-2.1.4.
- Relevant section: Technical Fouls – Illegal Moves table by age, belt, and gi/no-gi division.
- [2]ADCC Championship Rules & Regulations — ADCC Submission Fighting World Federation. Overview; How You Can Win; Points (Positive Points). Accessed .
- Relevant section: How You Can Win.
- Relevant section: How You Can Win: tapping the leg, arm, or verbally.
- Relevant section: Legal Techniques: chokes; arm, shoulder, and wrist locks; leg and ankle locks.
- Relevant section: Legal Techniques and Illegal Techniques.
- [3]Judo Techniques — International Judo Federation. Katame-waza: Osaekomi-waza, Shime-waza, Kansetsu-waza. Accessed .
- Relevant section: Katame-waza: Shime-waza and Kansetsu-waza.
- [4]Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame (cross lock) — International Judo Federation. Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame: definition of the elbow-joint lock. Accessed .
- Relevant section: Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame definition: control of the extended elbow joint.
- [5]Sankaku-jime (triangular strangle) — International Judo Federation. Sankaku-jime: definition of the triangular leg formation around the neck and one arm. Accessed .
- Relevant section: Sankaku-jime definition: leg formation over one shoulder and under the opposite armpit.
- [6]Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Terminology & Glossary — Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Gainesville. Positions: Side Control, Mount, Back Control, Turtle; Submissions: Armbar, Triangle, Guillotine; Escapes: Side Control: Reguard; Movements & Drills: Shrimping, Bridging; Quick Reference: Hooks. Accessed .
- Relevant section: Submissions: Armbar (Juji Gatame).
- Relevant section: Submissions: Triangle Choke (Sankaku Jime).
- Relevant section: Submissions: Guillotine Choke.