Monthly Technique: The Seatbelt Choke
This month we’re looking at one of my signature techniques that I love to use in the gi- The Seatbelt Choke. I claim it as my own signature move because I have never seen anyone else use it and until I do I can only assume that I am the first. haha In this breakdown, we’ll cover the basic steps for securing this technique and slight variations that you may encounter. You can also see these details in action with my full YouTube instructional below.
Technique Snapshot
Position: Turtle (top position)
Primary Goal: Secure a strong lapel choke from this position that can be finished most anywhere.
Best For: All levels; especially those who enjoy using the gi
Difficulty: Easy–Moderate
Key Concepts:
Proper lapel grips
Keeping opponent facing away from you
Adapting to their scramble for the finish
Brief Step‑By‑Step Breakdown
Establish basic top turtle position with your near arm wrapped around the opponents back and controlling their far side wrist.
Use your free hand to untuck your lapel on the same side of the hand and hold it with your thumb pointed away from you.
Pass the lapel diagonally across your opponent’s chest and hand it to your other hand that was controlling the far side wrist.
Pass your free hand over the back of your opponent’s neck and retrieve the lapel from your other hand, once your far side hand lets go of the lapel you will move it back to far side wrist control.
Your hands should now be holding the far side wrist and your own lapel. Your lapel should be tightly across the opponent’s neck while your forearm is across the back of their head.
As you crank your arm to tighten the choke, your opponent will either try to roll you over or post their arm.
Adapt to this and finish the choke by either catching the arm and finishing in top side crucifix or rolling with them to finish in a more traditional crucifix.
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Mistake: Not re-securing the opponent’s far side wrist after passing your lapel off allowing the opponent to turn into you and escape the choke. → Fix: Remember to immediately grab their wrist or far side lapel at least after passing off your grips.
Mistake: Not maintaining contact with the opponent’s back and allowing them to turn. → Fix: Keep wrist control and follow them as they try to escape. Maintain contact with their back and get to crucifix or back control, treat it like a kimura trap almost.
How to Add This Into Your Game/training
Grappling Game
Establishing a far side wrist control is already a pretty standard position when attacking turtle. From here practice untucking your lapel and feeding it across your opponent’s chest to yourself. Try holding this position for a minute just to get a feel for how much control it provides before moving on to the next step of securing the choke. Then as you pass the lapel back to yourself practice reestablishing wrist control as soon as possible. This is a technique that can be done as slowly as you want as long as you maintain contact with your opponent’s upper back.
Training
Start in turtle with your partner giving 30% resistance. Your only goal: maintain turtle while passing your lapel across their chest as cleanly as possible. Next practice transitioning your lapel from one hand to the other while adjusting for your opponent’s various defenses (posting an arm, trying to grab the lapel, rolling over, etc.). The more you practice, the more you will see that you can follow your opponent and finish this technique from several positions.
