D'Arce Choke — BJJ Neck Lock Submission Guide

What Is the D'Arce Choke?

The D'Arce choke is a blood choke that compresses the carotid arteries by wrapping one arm under the opponent's armpit (the 'arm-in' position), threading it through to the neck, and locking a figure-four or triangle with the other arm. Unlike the guillotine, the D'Arce is typically applied from positions like north-south, side control, or the back — making it a top-position weapon.

It was popularized in competition by Joe D'Arce, a grappler under Renzo Gracie, and quickly became a staple of high-level no-gi and MMA grappling. In the modern game, it is closely related to the Anaconda choke — the two submissions share entries and setups, often in the same scramble.

Anatomy of the D'Arce

The choke works by encircling the neck with one arm that threads under the opponent's arm (the arm that is closest to the mat in side control or north-south). Your choking arm goes under their armpit from the front, threads behind their neck, and your hands lock in a figure-four or rear-naked-choke style grip. The pressure of the figure-four closes the blood choke rapidly.

Key detail: the arm must be truly under the armpit (not just around the shoulder) for the choke to reach the neck properly. Hip and shoulder pressure add force to the finish.

Common Entries

The D'Arce is set up from several common positions:

• Side control to north-south: The most classic setup. From side control, if your opponent tries to create an underhook and bridge, you can shoot the arm in under their armpit and begin the D'Arce entry as you move toward north-south.
• North-south: From north-south, if the opponent attempts to bridge or roll, slip your arm under their near armpit before they complete the escape.
• Sprawl/turtle defense: When your opponent turtles up to defend a takedown, step around to their side, get a whizzer, and thread your arm under the armpit into the D'Arce.
• Scramble recovery: Many D'Arce chokes are caught opportunistically during guard pass scrambles when the opponent exposes their neck while defending.

Finishing the D'Arce

Lock your hands in a figure-four (rear-naked-choke grip). Your choking arm's bicep should press against one side of the opponent's neck while your forearm presses the other side. Drive your chest/shoulder into the back of their head to add pressure. The opponent should be unable to roll or bridge to relieve pressure if your hip position is correct.

A common mistake is pulling the neck without hip pressure — this allows the opponent to roll away. Keep your hips low and heavy, perpendicular to their body, to prevent escape attempts.

D'Arce vs Anaconda

The D'Arce and Anaconda choke are closely related. The primary difference is the arm position: in a D'Arce, the choking arm threads under the armpit from the front (near the face). In the Anaconda, the arm threads from behind (away from the face). Both attack the same neck structures. They are often taught as a pair — if the opponent blocks one, the other becomes available.

Defense

The main defenses are: tuck your chin to protect the neck (makes threading the arm harder), maintain an underhook with the near arm to prevent the arm-in entry, and avoid dropping your head when bridging from bottom. If the D'Arce is partially locked, try to spin into your opponent (turning toward them rather than away) to relieve neck pressure before it tightens.

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