Sode guruma jime (“sleeve wheel constriction”) is a type of Judo chokehold, which compresses the opponent’s trachea or the carotid arteries. The technique can be executed from a variety of positions, but is generally performed by wrapping one arm behind the opponent’s head and grasping onto the sleeve of the gi with the opposite hand. While holding onto the sleeve for leverage, the opposite forearm is brought down across the throat and clinched tight. The choke is directly aided by the use of a gi but has also been adapted for no-gi application.
Sode guruma jime is widely known as an Ezequiel or Ezekiel choke (Portuguese: estrangulamento Ezequiel) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The chokehold was renamed in memory of Ezequiel Paraguassu, a Brazilian judoka. Paraguassu reportedly had difficulty in passing the guards of jiu-jitsu practitioners at Carlson Gracie’s academy and instead, he had managed to use sode guruma jime successfully inside their guards.
When you control your opponent from their back and they try to block your rear naked choke or collar choke, a good opportunity arises to shift to an ezequiel choke.
Key points that Renzo stresses:
- Control your sleeve with fingers inside.
- Turn your grip so that you don’t get your fingers trapped.
- Hand behind the head and squeeze to finish.
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