BJJ submissions explained: chokes and joint locks

The two families of submissions

Every BJJ submission belongs to one of two families, and understanding this split makes the whole submission game legible. The first family is chokes — techniques that cut off blood flow to the brain or air to the lungs, forcing the opponent to submit or lose consciousness. The second is joint locks — techniques that threaten to hyperextend or twist a joint beyond its safe range, forcing a submission before injury.

Both work by putting the opponent in a position where they must concede or suffer a consequence — sleep, in the case of blood chokes, or joint damage, in the case of locks. When a submission is locked in and inescapable, the opponent taps to concede, and the exchange ends. This is the finishing mechanism at the heart of BJJ.

Knowing which family a submission belongs to also tells you how to respond to it defensively and why you should tap. Chokes and joint locks feel and behave differently, and recognizing the category is the first step to both attacking and defending them. The table later in this guide maps the common ones.

Chokes: blood vs air

Chokes divide further into two types. Blood chokes (the more common and effective kind) compress the arteries on the sides of the neck, cutting blood flow to the brain and causing unconsciousness within seconds if not released — the rear naked choke and triangle are classic examples. Air chokes compress the windpipe, restricting breathing, and tend to be slower and less efficient.

Blood chokes are, somewhat counterintuitively, considered relatively safe to train precisely because they work fast and cleanly: an opponent taps or, if they don't, goes briefly unconscious and recovers quickly, without the lasting joint damage a lock can cause. This is why chokes are a staple of even beginner BJJ — they're high-percentage and, with a prompt tap or release, low-risk.

The most important choke for any grappler to know is the rear naked choke, applied from back control — it's the sport's most reliable finish and a cornerstone of self-defense. Other common chokes include the triangle (using the legs), the guillotine (from the front), and, in the gi, collar chokes like the cross-collar choke that use the lapel.

Joint locks: arms, legs, and more

Joint locks threaten a joint by taking it toward or past its natural range of motion. Armlocks are the most common category for beginners: the armbar (hyperextending the elbow using your hips and legs), the kimura and americana (shoulder locks that rotate the arm), and similar attacks. These target the elbow and shoulder and are fundamental submissions taught early.

Leg locks target the lower body — the straight ankle lock, kneebar, and the more dangerous heel hook, which twists the knee. Leg locks have become hugely popular in modern grappling but carry more risk, especially heel hooks, which can damage the knee before you feel pain. For this reason many organizations restrict certain leg locks by belt level, and IBJJF bans heel hooks in the gi.

Because joint locks threaten real, sometimes fast, injury, they demand extra care and early tapping. Unlike a blood choke, where the consequence of not tapping is brief unconsciousness, the consequence of not tapping to a joint lock can be a torn ligament or a broken bone. This is why the etiquette around tapping early is so emphasized, especially with leg attacks.

Why you tap

Tapping is the mechanism that makes it possible to train dangerous techniques safely, and understanding it is essential. When you're caught in a submission you can't escape, you tap — physically tapping your partner or the mat, or saying 'tap' — to concede, and your partner immediately releases. You reset and go again. A tap is not a failure; it's a normal, healthy part of every training session.

The whole system rests on two agreements: you tap honestly and early, before damage, and your partner releases instantly and gently. Break either — refusing to tap to protect your ego, or cranking a submission after a tap — and you risk injury. This mutual trust is the foundation of safe grappling, and it's why tapping is treated as sacred etiquette rather than something to be ashamed of.

For beginners especially, the lesson is to tap early and often. Your ego is the thing most likely to injure you, and no submission you resist in training is worth a torn joint. Tapping is how you get to train these techniques thousands of times over a lifetime without getting hurt — it's a feature, not a defeat.

Common BJJ submissions by type

*Heel hooks carry high injury risk and are banned in IBJJF gi competition and restricted for lower belts. Always tap early to joint locks.

Position before submission

The single most important principle governing submissions is 'position before submission': you establish a dominant, controlling position first, then hunt the finish from it. Chasing submissions from bad or unstable positions is the classic beginner mistake, and it usually ends with you losing position and getting nothing. Control is what makes submissions reliable.

This is why the positional hierarchy — guard, side control, mount, back — matters so much: the more dominant your position, the more available and inescapable your submissions become. A choke from back control or an armbar from mount is far higher-percentage than a desperate lunge from a scramble. Secure the position, then finish.

For a beginner, the practical takeaway is to prioritize learning positions and control before collecting submissions. A handful of high-percentage submissions applied from dominant positions will serve you far better than a long list of fancy finishes attempted from bad ones. Our guide to BJJ positions lays out the hierarchy that submissions build on.

Which submissions should beginners learn?

Beginners are best served by a small set of high-percentage, fundamental submissions from dominant positions, rather than trying to learn everything at once. The classic beginner submissions are the rear naked choke (from the back), the armbar (from mount or guard), the triangle choke (from guard), the kimura, and the cross-collar choke in the gi. These are effective, foundational, and applicable at every level.

The reason to focus on these is that they're reliable and teach core concepts — control, leverage, and finishing mechanics — that transfer to more advanced submissions later. Chasing flashy or exotic submissions early is far less productive than deeply learning a handful of fundamentals you can hit against resistance.

Approach leg locks with extra caution as a beginner. They're effective and increasingly central to modern grappling, but the injury risk — especially with heel hooks — is higher and the tapping window can be shorter. Learn them under good instruction, tap early, and respect the danger. For most beginners, mastering the fundamental chokes and armlocks first is the wiser path.

Submissions in competition

In competition, a submission ends the match immediately, regardless of the score — it's the definitive way to win. This is why, even in a points-based ruleset, the submission is the ultimate goal: no lead is safe if your opponent can catch a finish, and no deficit matters if you can submit them. The threat of submission shapes the entire match.

That said, rulesets restrict which submissions are legal, often by belt level and by gi versus no-gi. Lower belts typically can't use certain leg locks, and IBJJF bans heel hooks in the gi entirely, while submission-grappling events like ADCC allow a broader range. Knowing which submissions are legal for your division is essential before you compete.

You can see how submissions fit into the broader scoring picture — where they trump points and advantages — with our points calculator, and our IBJJF vs ADCC comparison covers how legal techniques differ between rulesets. Understanding the submission game is understanding how BJJ matches are actually won.