Bow and Arrow Choke

Last updated: June 15, 2026

What is a bow and arrow choke?

The bow and arrow choke is one of the strongest collar strangles in gi jiu-jitsu. Players usually hunt it from back control. The attacker feeds a hand inside the opponent’s collar, then uses the free hand to trap a leg or grab the pants near the knee. From there, the mechanics are simple. Pulling the collar one way and the leg the other tightens a loop around the neck and squeezes both sides of it.

It belongs to the family of blood chokes. Rather than crushing the windpipe, it closes the carotid arteries and stops oxygenated blood from reaching the brain. Jiu Jitsu Legacy describes this as the fastest and most dependable category of choke, because a fully locked blood choke can put someone to sleep in seconds. Since the finish comes from angle and the opponent’s own jacket, a smaller grappler can apply it on someone much bigger.

The technique is gi-specific. Strip away the collar, and the same body position becomes a different submission, which is why the bow and arrow almost never shows up in no-gi grappling.

Why it is called the bow and arrow choke

The name describes the shape. When the choke locks in, the attacker’s body, the gripped collar, and the controlled leg form an angle that looks like a drawn bow. The opponent’s stretched torso is the arrow, and pulling the collar back while pushing the leg away copies an archer at full draw.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the move goes by a different name: the berimbau, after the curved single-string instrument used in capoeira, which has a similar bowed shape. Its Japanese roots carry a more technical label, which the next section covers.

Where the bow and arrow choke comes from

This choke did not start in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. It came from judo, where collar strangles from the back fall under the term okuri-eri-jime, usually translated as the sliding lapel strangle. BJJ Heroes traces it to the Kodokan’s shime-waza, the official list of judo choking methods, and notes that a version controlling a limb while strangling with the lapel has been recorded as kuzure okuri-eri-jime, a variation of that same sliding lapel strangle.

When jiu-jitsu players adopted and sharpened gi chokes, the bow and arrow grew into one of the headline finishes from the back. It should not be confused with the standard sliding collar choke. That version grabs both collars and crosses the forearms, while the bow and arrow uses a single collar plus leg control. The leg grip is what creates the distinctive angle.

How the bow and arrow choke works

A locked bow and arrow does two things at once. The collar grip closes against one carotid artery, and the rotation of the attacker’s body drives pressure into the other side of the neck. Holding the leg removes the defender’s main way out, which is turning into the attacker to peel the collar loose.

The power comes from opposing directions of pull, not arm strength. One hand draws the collar toward the attacker’s chest while the body and leg grip haul the opponent the opposite way. That split is what earns the choke its reputation for being almost impossible to muscle out of once the angle is set. Evolve MMA points out that it works in the same fashion as the rear naked choke, attacking the carotid artery to interrupt blood flow to the brain.

That is enough to recognise the choke when it appears in a match. Learning the entry and the finish itself belongs in a dedicated technique guide, not a definition.

Bow and arrow choke vs rear naked choke

Both finishes come from back control, and both are blood chokes, so newer fans tend to mix them up. What separates them is the tool doing the strangling.

Feature	Bow and arrow choke	Rear naked choke
Gi or no-gi	Gi only; needs the collar	Either; needs no clothing
Strangling tool	Opponent’s collar plus leg control	Attacker’s own arms
Japanese name	Okuri-eri-jime	Hadaka-jime (“naked strangle”)
Common positions	Back control, mount, turtle	Back control
Mechanism	Blood choke, both carotids	Blood choke, both carotids

The rear naked choke needs no gi because the attacker’s forearm and bicep form the loop, which is why it dominates no-gi grappling and mixed martial arts. The bow and arrow depends on a collar, so it lives almost entirely in gi competition. Wikipedia notes that the rear naked choke is known in judo as hadaka-jime, literally the “naked strangle,” precisely because it uses no lapel.

Is the bow and arrow choke effective?

Among gi submissions, the bow and arrow posts one of the highest success rates at the elite level. Evolve MMA calls it one of the strongest chokes in jiu-jitsu, with one of the highest submission rates in tournaments, and BJJ Fanatics ranks it inside the top ten highest-percentage gi chokes in competition.

Back attacks as a group sit at the top of the finishing charts. Fight Encyclopedia, citing official IBJJF submission breakdowns from the 2022 to 2025 World Championships, reports that chokes from back control made up 35.1% of all submissions in the black belt division, with the rear naked choke and the bow and arrow as the two leading finishes from that position. The reason is structural. Back control hands the attacker the neck and leaves the defender with few counters once the collar grip lands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the bow and arrow choke a blood choke or an air choke?

A blood choke. It squeezes the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck to cut blood flow to the brain, rather than crushing the windpipe.

Can you do a bow and arrow choke without the gi?

Not in its true form. The choke depends on gripping the collar, so without a jacket, it turns into a different submission, such as a reverse triangle. Most coaches treat it as a gi-only finish.

What position is the bow and arrow choke done from?

Most often from back control. It can also be reached from the mount, from side control, or against a turtled opponent, though the finish always runs through a back-control angle.

Is the bow and arrow choke dangerous?

Like any blood choke, it can cause unconsciousness fast, so the right response in training is to tap early. Coaches teach it with controlled pressure for that reason.

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Sources

1. BJJ Heroes. “Bow and Arrow + Standard Choke from Back.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://www.bjjheroes.com/techniques/bow-and-arrow-standard-choke-from-back
2. Evolve MMA. “How to Complete the Bow and Arrow Choke in BJJ.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://evolve-mma.com/blog/how-to-complete-the-bow-and-arrow-choke-in-bjj/
3. BJJ Fanatics. “Master the Bow & Arrow Choke Step-By-Step.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://bjjfanatics.com/blogs/news/bow-arrow-choke
4. Jiu Jitsu Legacy. “Bow and Arrow Choke: The Most Powerful Choke in Jiu Jitsu.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://jiujitsulegacy.com/videos/bow-and-arrow-choke/
5. Fight Encyclopedia. “Rear Naked Choke: The Most Effective Submission in Fighting.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://fightencyclopedia.com/blog/blog-rear-naked-choke
6. Wikipedia. “Rear naked choke.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_naked_choke

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