Glossary /// Alias
Reverse triangle
Also known as Back Triangle — the canonical term used on this site.
Training background: loose usage for the triangle applied from behind — distinct from the Reverse Triangle, which is the inverted lock from underneath a pin
Reverse/rear triangle applied from the back
Reverse triangle, in this sense, is an alternate name for the rear triangle — the legs-around-neck choke applied from behind the opponent.
Etymology. “Reverse triangle” is used for more than one position; here it names the rear triangle, locked from the back, and is disambiguated from the front-position reverse triangle of the triangle family. The “reverse” refers to attacking from behind rather than facing the opponent.
Mechanics. The rear triangle compresses both sides of the neck simultaneously: from behind, the legs close one carotid while the opponent’s own shoulder loads the other, the same two-sided strangle as a front triangle. The rear angle changes the entry, not the requirement that both sides press together to finish.
Cross-reference. Full mechanical coverage on Rear Triangle.