The gogoplata is a shin choke submission applied from rubber guard or high guard, using your shin across the opponent's throat while controlling their posture. It is a rare but powerful submission that exploits the opponent's forward pressure and limited space in closed guard.
Start
Rubber guard or high guard
End
Submission
Prerequisites: Hip escape · Breaking opponent posture in closed guard · Rubber guard entry · Basic triangle mechanics
Steps
1
Break Opponent's Posture
From closed guard, use a collar tie or overhook to pull the opponent's head down, keeping their posture broken and their head close to your chest.
2
Establish Rubber Guard
With your right hand, reach to grab your left ankle and pull your left knee high over their back, bringing your shin in front of their neck. Your left foot should be hooked behind their upper back.
3
Secure the Omoplata Path
Thread your left leg over the opponent’s left shoulder, keeping your shin flush against their throat, and use your left foot to anchor behind their back to prevent posture recovery.
4
Clear the Opponent’s Arm
With your right hand, push their right arm across your centerline or under your left leg, creating a clear path for your shin to press into their neck.
5
Set the Choking Frame
Release your ankle and bring your right hand under your left shin, gripping your own foot or toes in a C-grip to keep your shin tight across their windpipe.
6
Angle Your Hips
Use a small hip escape to your right side to create a perpendicular angle, increasing the pressure of your shin against their neck and making it harder for them to posture up.
7
Apply the Choke
Pull down on your toes while flexing your left foot, simultaneously pulling their head down with your left hand or forearm, compressing their throat with your shin for the tap.
Key details most people miss
Your shin must be flush and centered across the opponent's trachea—if it drifts to the side, the choke loses effectiveness.
Flexing your foot and pulling your toes toward you increases the cutting pressure of the shin.
The angle of your hips (perpendicular, not square) is critical for both leverage and preventing posture escapes.
Controlling their arm under your leg prevents them from defending by pushing your shin off their neck.
Common mistakes
Failing to break posture allows the opponent to posture up and nullify the choke entry.
Letting the shin drift off-center lets the opponent breathe and escape the choke.
Not controlling the opponent’s arm allows them to push your leg off and escape.
Neglecting to flex the foot reduces the choking pressure, making the submission ineffective.
Counters & responses
They try: Opponent postures up forcefully
You do: Maintain a strong grip on your ankle and use your other hand to pull their head down, re-breaking their posture before proceeding.
They try: Opponent pushes your shin off their neck
You do: Trap their arm under your leg before attacking the choke, or switch to omoplata if they commit both hands to defense.
They try: Opponent stacks you to relieve pressure
You do: Angle your hips further out and use your free hand to post on the mat, creating space and maintaining the choke angle.
They try: Opponent circles their head out under your leg
You do: Transition immediately to triangle or omoplata as they expose their arm and neck during the escape attempt.
Drill prescription
4 rounds × 3 minutes; 50% resistance; goal is 5 clean gogoplata finishes per round, alternating top and bottom, with partner attempting realistic posture breaks and basic stack defenses.
How the masters teach it
Eddie Bravo
Pioneered the gogoplata from rubber guard, emphasizing posture control and transitions to omoplata.
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Shinya Aoki
Famous for MMA applications, using aggressive angle and shin flexion for rapid tap.