Calf Strangle

The calf strangle (aka calf cutter) is a grappling submission that works by driving a hard object (in our basic the radius bone) into a soft target – the calf muscle, which causes enough pain (hopefully) to make your partner tap.

We teach this move as a sort of guard reversal.  Basically, you break the guard by backing out but then instead of passing the guard, you under hook the leg, move off to a 90 degree angle and drive the radius bone into the calf.

There are lots of mistakes to be made with this submission.  The fatal one is to get put in a triangle choke.  Make sure to drill down the leg you’re choking with a fist or a knee to help prevent getting triangled.  The second mistake, (while not fatal, turns a sure thing into a strength match) occurs when you forget to take an angle and end up with your center line on your partner’s center line.  It’s a bummer.  Think like a good chess player (3 to 4 moves ahead) and set up your guard break such that when you fall onto your side, you do so at an angle.

Click on the photo above or here to watch the video.  Click here to watch a different version of the calf strangle done from half guard using the shin bone.