Submission hunting is exciting, but beginners often waste energy on low-percentage attempts. Focus on these five fundamental submissions first. They work at every level from white belt to black belt.
The Rear Naked Choke
The highest-percentage submission in BJJ. If you get the back, you should finish the choke.
Key Details
- One arm under their chin, one arm behind their head
- Elbows together, pull back
- Do not cross your feet (ankle lock risk)
- Use hooks or body triangle to control
When to Go For It
Any time you secure back mount with both hooks in. This is your highest-percentage finish.
The Triangle Choke
Works from guard, versatile, available from many positions.
Key Details
- One arm in, one arm out
- Legs locked around neck and arm
- Pull down on head, squeeze knees
- Angle your body for tighter squeeze
When to Go For It
When they have one arm between your legs and posture is broken.
The Armbar from Guard
Classic submission, fundamental mechanics apply to all joint locks.
Key Details
- Control their arm, thumb pointing up
- Legs across their chest/face
- Hips up, pull down on arm
- Tighten by squeezing knees
When to Go For It
When they extend an arm in your guard with poor posture.
The Guillotine Choke
Front headlock choke, available from standing or guard.
Key Details
- Wrist deep on their throat
- Other arm wraps behind their head
- Squeeze, pull up with choking arm
- Can finish from closed guard or standing
When to Go For It
When their head is low and you can wrap their neck.
The Americana (Kimura)
Shoulder lock from side control or guard. For the grip details, the common escapes and how to finish it from each position, see our full breakdown of the kimura lock.
Key Details
- Control their wrist
- Thread your arm behind their elbow
- Figure-4 grip
- Rotate arm toward their back
When to Go For It
From side control when their arm is flat on mat, elbow away from body.
Training These Submissions
Drill the Setup
Practice getting to the position, not just the finish. No submission works without proper setup.
Drill Both Sides
Be equally dangerous on left and right.
Start from Specific Positions
Have training partners start with you already in the submission position. Learn the finish before the entry.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Focusing on submissions over position
- Ignoring defense to chase finishes
- Giving up dominant position for low-percentage subs
- Not controlling opponent before attacking
Bottom Line
Master these five submissions before expanding your arsenal. Each works at every belt level, chains into others, and teaches fundamental mechanics. A white belt who can finish a rear naked choke is more dangerous than a blue belt who knows 50 submissions poorly.
Position before submission
The most common beginner mistake is hunting submissions from bad positions. A submission attempted from an unstable position usually costs you the position and gains you nothing. Secure control first, then attack — every one of the five above is far higher percentage when the position underneath it is solid.
The corollary is that most of your improvement in finishing comes from improving your control, not from learning more submissions.
Submissions and joints after 40
Joint locks carry a different risk profile as you get older, on both sides of them. Tendons and ligaments are less forgiving, connective tissue takes longer to repair, and a submission you would have shrugged off at twenty-five can cost you six weeks at forty-five.
- Tap early and often. There is no scenario in training where riding out a submission is worth an injury. This gets truer every year.
- Favour chokes over joint locks. Chokes are safer for both people — you either go out or you tap, and there is no lingering damage. Prioritise the rear naked choke and the triangle.
- Be careful applying leg locks with unfamiliar partners, and leave heel hooks alone until you have a coach watching. Knee injuries are the slowest to heal and the most likely to end training altogether.
- Do not crank. Technique should finish the submission. If you are muscling it, you are more likely to injure your partner and less likely to learn the mechanics.
How to actually get better at finishing
Pick two of the five and drill them until they are automatic, rather than collecting attempts at all five. Most people plateau at finishing because they know fifteen submissions at a shallow level and none deeply enough to hit against real resistance.
Then chain them. The armbar and the triangle come from the same position and defend into each other, which is why they are the classic pairing. The rear naked choke and the armbar from the back work the same way. Knowing the second option is what turns a defended attempt into a finish.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest percentage submission in BJJ?
The rear naked choke. If you secure back control with hooks in, it finishes more often than any other submission at every level from white belt to black belt.
Which submissions should a beginner learn first?
The rear naked choke, the triangle and the armbar from guard. They cover the two most common attacking positions, the mechanics transfer widely, and they remain high percentage at every belt.
Are submissions safe to train after 40?
Yes, with adjustments. Favour chokes over joint locks, tap early rather than testing your flexibility, be cautious with leg locks and unfamiliar partners, and never muscle a submission that is not there.
Why can I not finish submissions against better opponents?
Almost always because the position underneath is not secure, or because you have no second attack when the first is defended. Fix control first, then learn one follow-up for each of your main attacks.