Finishing details of the Baseball Bat Choke in the Gi

The Baseball Bat Choke is a powerful gi choke that can be effectively executed from many top and bottom positions. The submission hold can even be entered from underneath a dominant position, which makes it easy for a beginner to achieve during a roll. The name of the submission comes from the similarities between the position of your arms during the choke hold and the position of arms mid-swing of a baseball bat.

Baseball Bat Choke from under the opponent's side control

The Choking Mechanism

The choking mechanism is the blade of your forearm being pushed into the carotid artery on one side of the neck. Your other arm supports the choke hold, keeping his posture down and head still while closing off access to the choking arm. Your legs and hips move to push your choking forearm into his neck, tightening the choke.

Securing the Hand Grips

Both hand grips are on the opponent's collar, with one grip on each side of his neck. The grip of the choking arm is a four-finger-in collar grip. The grip of the supporting arm is a thumb-in collar grip. Both grips should be tight and deep to maximize the control of his posture. The collar grip of the choking arm should be made so that the forearm blade covers the carotid artery when you move the elbow towards the other elbow.

Hand Grip for choking arm of the Baseball Bat Choke

Hand Grip for supporting arm of the Baseball Bat Choke.

Locking the Forearms to enter the Submission Hold

The positions of your forearms are critical for the submission hold. Once you get your hand grips on the collar, it is very important to enter the submission hold as quickly as possible so that the opponent has little time to prevent it.

To get into the submission hold, move the elbow of the choking arm towards the other elbow, locking your arms in place once it is slightly past the other elbow. The movement of your choking elbow to the other elbow will drive the forearm into the neck and close the gap between your arms.

Forearms when starting the choke

Choking Forearm's elbow moving closer to other elbow

Choking Forearm's elbow moving past other elbow

It is very important that the collar grips are tight in your hands and that your wrists are straight in line with your forearms. This ensures that nothing slips during the tightening of the choke.

Keep your chest as close as possible to your forearms so that it is difficult for the opponent to straighten your arms or disrupt the choke hold with his hands. If you are underneath with good grips and forearm positions, and your opponent manages to posture, he would need to lift your entire body when he postures.

Moving your Hips to Tighten the Choke

Your hip movement is the key to tightening the choke once your forearms are in position. Use your legs to move your hips away from his hips and turn your belly in the same direction as his belly. If you are doing the choke from under side control, move yourself towards the north-south position while turning your belly towards the mat.

Tightening the choke using hip movement from under side control

Timing of the Hand Grips, Forearm Positions, and Hip Movement

The sequence and timing of the tasks at hand are very important:

1. Secure Collar Grips

2. Lock in Forearm Positions

3. Move Hips to tighten the choke

Timing for Securing the Collar Grips

Securing the collar grips should be done inconspicuously so that he doesn't suspect the choke entry. Many people sneak in their grips while the opponent is pressure passing or already in a chest-to-chest side control. To avoid alerting the opponent of your choking intentions, the grips should be loose in your hands until you are ready to lock in your forearm positions.

Timing for Locking in the Forearms

If you get the collar grips but his chest is directly connected to your chest or belly, you will not have the space to enter the submission hold with your forearms, which also delays your ability to move your hips. That is why you wait until his chest moves away from your chest so that your forearms can immediately lock into position. However, you should not lock your forearms into position until your hips are also clear to move.

For example, if secure the grips while the opponent is passing, it is best to wait until he clears your legs before you lock in your forearms. If you lock in your forearms too early, he will probably defend the choke before completing the pass, so you wouldn't be able to move your hips to tighten the choke.

Timing for Hip Movement

It's best to start your hip movement at the same time as locking your forearms into the submission hold. This way you give him little time to stop your hip movement, allowing you to tighten the choke.

Completing the Choke when the Opponent Mounts to Defend

When you attempt to tighten the choke while underneath side control, the opponent may defend by stepping over your hips into mount. This would prevent you from moving your hips away from his hips. However, you can still tighten the choke if your hips are still able to move belly down. This is why you immediately turn onto your side when you move your hips. If you are already on your side when he goes to mount you, he cannot stop you from moving your hips to a belly-down position. On the other hand, if you are still flat on your back when he mounts you, you will be unable to go belly-down, thus unable to tighten the choke.

Finishing the Baseball Bat Choke while Belly Down under mount

Entering from the Top Position of Side Control

The tasks to perform the Baseball Bat Choke while in the top position of side control are very similar to the tasks when you underneath side control. However, securing the grips on the opponent's collar would not be very inconspicuous. Most of the challenge for getting into the submission hold is securing your collar grips while the opponent is facing you. He would already be in a defensive mindset.

I won't get into the details of how you would achieve grips effectively, but let's assume you can get the grips without hindrance. Here are the steps to complete the Baseball Bat Choke from the top side of side control:

1. Secure the choking grip (four-finger-in grip) on the far side of his head, while the support grip (thumb-in grip) is on the nearside.

2. Staple his nearside arm with the knee that is on the same side as your choking arm. This stops him from using that arm for defense.

3. Lock your forearms into position. Do this at about the same time as stapling his arm in step 2.

4. Pivot off your stapling knee so you can move to the north-south position quickly to tighten the choke.

Step 1: Securing grips from dominant top position

Steps 2-3: Staple the nearside arm and lock in forearms

Step 4: Pivot off the staple knee into the North-South position

Finishing choke from the North-South position.

Suicide Roll from the Topside Entry for a Bottom-Side Finish

If you prefer to tighten the choke from the bottom, you can can roll over the opponent's body after your secure your grips and forearm positions. A bottom-side finish will allow you to move your hips so that your belly faces the same way as his.

To turn a topside entry into a bottom-side finish, do this:

1. Secure your grips from the top side (from side control or knee ride)

2. Immediately lock in your forearms.

3. Roll over his body with a shoulder roll over the choking side shoulder. The opponent will begin to rise while you are finishing your roll.

4. Immediately turn to your side while moving your hips towards the north-south, belly-down position.

   
   

Steps 1-2: Secure grips and Lock in forearm positions

Step 3: Start the shoulder roll over the body

Step 3: Finishing the shoulder roll while opponent starts to rise

Step 4: Turn onto the side while moving hips into north-south, belly-down position

Complete Video Tutorial of the Baseball Bat Choke

For those of you who learn better from seeing the instructions in video format, here is a complete video tutorial on finishing the Baseball Bat Choke in the gi.

https://vrjiujitsu.vhx.tv/videos/20250226-funbjj-baseball-bat-choke-finishing-details

Video tutorial on Baseball Bat Choke in the Gi