A Choke for a Choke: A Basic Guillotine Counter

[BJJ Basics]

Here is one of my favorite aggressive counters to the guillotine. What do you like to do?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The most effective way to use the "reverse head lock (guillotine)" is when you are on top of your opponent.

- Your opponent shot at your leading leg.
- You move your legs back,
- get him in "reverse head lock",
- put your weight on top of him and push him to the ground.

When your body weight is on top of your opponent's back and his arms are flat on the ground, it will be difficult for him to counter your "reverse head lock".

 

[BJJ Basics]

I love KPs videos!

I'd say that is a wonderful landmark to work the arm in Guillotine/front headlock/reverse headlock.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

When your opponent can counter your "reverse head lock", you should ask yourself, "What did I do wrong to allow him to counter me?"

When you use both arms to control your opponent's head, you will give him 2 free arms. His 2 free arms can do a lot of thing to you. Unless you have developed "monster head lock" that can choke him out instantly (or squeeze his skull so hard to cause headache), you should either

- not use the reverse head lock, or
- use the reverse head lock but don't give him 2 free arms.

If your reverse head lock also control his right arm (your left arm over hook his right shoulder), your then lock his right arm and his head inside your reverse head lock by holding your left hand on your right wrist, this way your opponent will only have his left arm free. His counter will be limited. The trade off is since your reverse head lock wraps around both of his head and his right arm, it may not be as strong as to lock the head only. You have to change into other strategy soon and not depend on your reverse head lock to tap him out.

IMO, if you want to use "reverse head lock (or head lock)", you have to develop strong head lock first before you can use it. The reason is simple. Your opponent will have at least 1 free arm. It's not like "double over hooks" or "double under hooks" that you can control both of his arms.

In the following picture, his "head lock" has controlled both of his opponent's

- head, and
- right arm.

This can reduce his opponent's counters to the minimum. The "reverse head lock" should be no difference.

 

[MA_Student]

We learnt the von flue choke counter. We do the same thing with the hand but we stand and use the other hand to push open the guard then go into side control then if they still have the neck use the shoulder pressuredpressured