The bow and arrow choke is a collar choke attacked from back control in the gi. The attacker grips one of the opponent's lapels deep across the throat, traps one of the opponent's legs with their own legs, and then extends their entire body in opposite directions, pulling on the collar with the upper body while pushing on the trapped leg with the lower body. The shape of the attacker's body resembles an archer drawing a bow, which gives the choke its name.
How it works (mechanics)
The bow and arrow is a blood choke. The deep collar grip presses the fabric of the gi against one carotid artery, while the opponent's own shoulder, lifted by the rotation of the lock, presses against the other. The combination cuts off blood flow to the brain in seconds, similar to a rear naked choke but using the gi as the primary choking surface.
The critical mechanical advantage is that the attacker's entire body weight contributes to the choke. The legs push against the trapped leg, the back arches, and the arms pull on the collar grip. This converts the strangle from an arm-strength contest into a full-body extension, which is why the bow and arrow finishes reliably even against much larger opponents.
The lock also rotates the opponent into a position where escape is nearly impossible. As the attacker extends and rotates onto their side, the opponent is pulled across the attacker's body and pinned by the trapped leg, with their back arched and their hips immobilized. Without the ability to turn into the choke or to escape the hips, the opponent has no defensive structure left.
When to use it (setups)
The bow and arrow is the highest-percentage finish from back control in the gi. It appears whenever the attacker can establish a deep collar grip from back mount, which is most often after a back take where the opponent's chin has not yet tucked down to the shoulder. It pairs naturally with the rear naked choke as a constant double threat: defending one exposes the opponent to the other.
It is especially powerful against opponents who turn away from the choking arm in an attempt to escape back control, because that turn naturally feeds the collar grip and opens the leg trap. The setup also works from turtle position, after a successful sprawl, and from any position where the opponent's back is exposed with their gi still intact.
Common errors
- Grabbing the collar too shallow, which leaves the choking surface on the jaw or shoulder instead of the carotid artery.
- Failing to trap the leg before extending, which lets the opponent roll out of the rotation.
- Pulling on the collar with the arms alone instead of extending the entire body.
- Releasing the choke before the opponent's chin is fully exposed, allowing them to tuck and defend.
Variations
The classic bow and arrow uses one leg trapped between the attacker's legs. The reverse bow and arrow, the crucifix-style finish, and the bow and arrow from side control are all common variations. The clock choke and the gi-tail variation are close cousins that use similar collar mechanics from different control positions. In no-gi, the body triangle finish and the rear naked choke fill the same tactical role since the gi grip is not available.
Who's known for it
Xande Ribeiro and Saulo Ribeiro both built reputations on systematic back attacks ending in the bow and arrow. Roger Gracie used the technique to finish multiple world championship matches at black belt. Bernardo Faria has taught the position extensively as part of his over-under passing and pressure-style game. In the modern era, Lucas Lepri and the Miyao brothers are known for high-volume bow and arrow finishes in gi competition.