Invisible Collar

The Invisible Collar is a sneaky gi choke in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that works from the Closed Guard. It's a variation of the Cross Collar Choke, but the setup is more subtle and deceptive, often catching opponents off guard due to its indirect application.

Key Concepts of the Invisible Collar

Deception

  • Unlike the standard Cross Collar Choke, the grip and pressure are applied in a way that hides your intention until the choke is locked in.

Grip Placement

  • One hand grips deep inside the collar, while the other hand positions itself lower on the collar or outside the gi to maintain control and tension.

Mechanics of the Choke

  • The choke works by applying pressure to both sides of the opponent’s neck, cutting off blood flow.

Steps to Perform the Invisible Collar

Grip the Collar

  • From Closed Guard, use your dominant hand to reach deep into the opponent’s collar, getting a four-finger grip on the inside.
  • Ensure the grip is deep enough to create leverage for the choke.

Control the Opponent’s Posture

  • Break their posture by pulling them down with your legs or controlling their head.
  • Use your free hand to grip the opposite side of the collar lower down or maintain control of their sleeve to limit their movement.

Set the Angle

  • Pivot your body slightly to create an angle that tightens the choke.
  • Your hips should turn so you can apply maximum pressure.

Apply the Choke

  • Use your gripping hand to pull the collar across their neck while maintaining tension with your legs.
  • The choke becomes "invisible" because the opponent doesn’t feel the traditional cross-pressure until it’s locked in.

Finish the Submission

  • Squeeze with your arms and pull with your legs to compress the collar around their neck.

Key Details

Deep Grip

  • The deeper your initial grip inside the collar, the tighter the choke will be.

Body Angle

  • Shifting your body slightly off-center ensures the collar applies even pressure.

Legs for Posture Control

  • Keep your legs engaged to prevent the opponent from posturing out of the choke.

Common Mistakes

Shallow Collar Grip

  • A weak grip won’t generate enough pressure to choke effectively.

Poor Posture Control

  • Allowing the opponent to posture up will neutralize the choke.

Overcommitting

  • Telegraphing the choke by pulling too hard on the collar early can alert the opponent.

Advantages of the Invisible Collar

Deceptive Nature

  • Opponents often don't realize they're being choked until it's too late.

Simple Setup

  • It flows naturally from Closed Guard control without requiring a complex transition.

High Percentage

  • It works effectively against opponents who focus on defending obvious submissions like the Triangle Choke or Armbar.

The Invisible Collar is an excellent tool to have in your arsenal, especially for gi-based grapplers looking to add an element of surprise to their submissions.

Positioning

The Invisible Collar is most commonly executed from the Closed Guard, but it can be adapted and applied from other positions where you have control over the opponent's collar and posture. Below are the positions where the Invisible Collar can be effectively executed:

Closed Guard

Primary Position

  • This is the classic setup for the Invisible Collar. You have full control of the opponent's posture and can use your legs to pull them down into the choke.

Key Details

  • Break the opponent’s posture before securing the grips.
  • Use your legs to maintain pressure and limit their movement.

High Guard

  • When your legs climb higher on the opponent’s torso, you can transition into a tighter version of the Invisible Collar.

Advantages

  • Elevated guard helps break posture further, creating a better angle for the choke.
  • Can lead to transitions to other attacks like the Triangle Choke or Armbar.

Butterfly Guard

  • While less common, you can use the Invisible Collar setup from Butterfly Guard if you can break the opponent's posture and control their collar.

Key Application

  • Pull the opponent forward with your butterfly hooks while locking in the grips.

Mount

Details

  • Use a deep grip with one hand and apply subtle pressure while controlling their posture.
  • Ensure you stay low on their chest to prevent them from escaping.

Side Control

  • In certain cases, you can use the collar grip from Side Control to transition into a choke similar to the Invisible Collar.

Execution

  • Secure the collar grip on the far side and use your body weight to create the necessary pressure.

North South

  • When controlling from North South, you can use the Invisible Collar as a sneaky choke if you have a deep collar grip on one side.

Advantages

  • The opponent often doesn't anticipate a choke from this position.

Technical Mount

  • From Technical Mount, you can reach for a deep collar grip and use it to set up the Invisible Collar as you control their posture.

Transitions

  • If the choke doesn’t finish, it can lead into attacks like the Bow and Arrow choke.

Back Control

  • While Back Control typically focuses on chokes like the Rear Naked Choke or Bow and Arrow, you can use the Invisible Collar as an unexpected submission by grabbing the collar deep on one side and pulling it across.

Key Details for All Positions

Deep Collar Grip

  • The choke relies on a firm grip deep inside the opponent’s collar to apply pressure on both carotid arteries.

Posture Control

  • Breaking or maintaining control of the opponent’s posture is critical to executing the choke effectively.

Angles and Pressure

  • Create slight angles to maximize the effectiveness of the collar choke while keeping the setup "invisible."

By mastering the Invisible Collar from multiple positions, you can add a deceptive and versatile submission to your game, surprising your opponents in various scenarios.

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