In this video lesson I show how you can instantly improve the way most people do a guillotine. You can use exactly the same principles standing or on the ground.

The guillotine is one of the most common chokes in martial arts and combat sport. This one is for anyone who uses it already and finds it hard to finish, or who wants it to work in a self-defence situation.

Why The Guillotine Often Fails

The usual guillotine relies on squeezing the arm around the neck and pulling. Against a strong, determined opponent that turns into a strength contest. The arms get tired, the opponent tucks their chin or postures up, and the choke slips.

The technique itself is sound. The problem is usually how it is applied.

Principles That Make It Better

I teach the guillotine with the same principles I use everywhere else:

  • Balance first. A person who is off balance cannot posture up and defend
  • Angles. Small adjustments to the angle of the arm and body make a huge difference
  • Whole body, not just arms. The power should come from the body, so the arms are not doing all the work
  • Relaxed until it matters. Tension too early warns the person and tires you out

Because these are principles, not tricks, they work the same whether you are standing or on the ground.

Standing Versus Ground

On the ground the guillotine is often used from guard or a front headlock. Standing, it may come from someone ducking their head or rushing in low. The details change, but the ideas do not. Take the balance, find the angle and use the body.

In self-defence, remember that the ground is a dangerous place to be, especially if there might be more than one attacker. Standing control is usually the better option.

Train With Control

Chokes and neck work are serious. Always train with a cooperative partner, apply them slowly, and release immediately when your partner taps. Never crank the neck. In self-defence, only use force that is reasonable for the threat, and release once the threat has stopped.

Common Mistakes

The most common mistakes are squeezing too early, forgetting the balance and relying on the arms alone. Fix those three and your guillotine will improve straight away.

Take It Further

A guillotine is one of the lessons in my FREE Pressure Point Fighting Mini-Course. For a full self-defence system, see the Pressure Point Self Defense Course.