Peruvian Necktie

What This Is

The Peruvian Necktie uses the front headlock position with one leg swung over the opponent’s back to create a triangle-like compression. Where the guillotine uses only the choking arm, the Peruvian Necktie adds a leg over the opponent’s back — the leg pressing down on the back forces the opponent’s head up into the choking arm, creating a secondary point of compression.

The attacker begins with a front headlock grip. They swing one leg up and over the opponent’s back, placing the shin or foot on the upper back near the shoulder blades. From this position, the choke is completed either by rolling forward — which drives the opponent to their back and tightens the choke through the roll — or by applying direct pressure with both the arm and the leg simultaneously.

The Peruvian Necktie is most commonly used from turtle top, where the opponent’s back is horizontal and accessible, or from the front headlock ground position when the opponent has their head and upper back low. It is mechanically distinct from the guillotine because the leg contribution changes the compression angle and removes the need to finish from a static choking arm position alone.

Safety First

Tap before losing consciousness. The leg pressing on the back can accelerate the compression relative to the standalone guillotine. Both attacker and defender should understand this.

The Invariable in Action

The leg pressing on the back drives the opponent’s head upward into the choking arm. This upward force from the leg meets the downward force of the choking arm’s grip — the two opposing forces on the neck create the bilateral vascular compression. The Peruvian Necktie is not just a one-sided guillotine with a leg on top: the leg changes the mechanical direction of the compression.

The shin or foot must be in contact with the upper back — not floating above it — for the leg to contribute to the choke. The leg placement is not incidental positioning; it is an active compression point. If the leg swings over without establishing back contact, it is a positional element only and the choke reverts to guillotine mechanics without the leg contribution.

The Grip

The Peruvian Necktie grip begins as a front headlock configuration and adds the leg:

The choking arm: Wraps around the opponent’s neck from the front headlock position. This can be a standard guillotine grip (hand-on-wrist or hand-on-forearm) or a grip where the choking arm is secured against the attacker’s own body. The grip must be secure before the leg swings over.

The leg swing: One leg (typically the leg on the same side as the choking arm) swings up and over the opponent’s back. The shin or instep lands on the upper back, between the opponent’s shoulder blades. The exact landing point varies — upper back near the trapezius is most effective for driving the head into the choking arm.

Body position: As the leg swings over, the attacker’s body rotates slightly — they are no longer directly in front of the opponent but angled, with one leg over the back. This rotation is part of the mechanics. The attacker’s weight comes through the shin on the back.

The Finish

There are two primary finish methods for the Peruvian Necktie:

The roll finish: The attacker tucks and rolls forward over the opponent’s head, in the direction the choke is facing. The roll takes the opponent to their back and tightens the choke simultaneously — similar to the anaconda roll mechanic. The roll finish is the most reliable because it uses body momentum and takes the opponent out of their base. Post-roll, both attacker and defender are on the mat with the choke established.

The static finish: Without rolling, the attacker drives the shin into the back and simultaneously squeezes the choking arm. The leg and arm work together to compress both sides of the neck. This finish requires more arm and leg strength than the roll and is harder against a resisting opponent with good base. It is most effective when the opponent cannot base against the roll.

The preferred finish: Roll when possible. The roll amplifies the choke through body weight and momentum. The static finish is the fallback when the roll is not executable.

Setup and Entry

From Turtle Top (Primary Entry)

The most common entry. From turtle top, the opponent’s back is horizontal — the shin can be placed on the back without requiring the opponent to be low to the mat. The front headlock grip is established first; then the leg swings over. The opponent’s turtle posture provides the stable back surface that the leg needs to press against.

From Front Headlock Ground

When the opponent in the front headlock ground position has their head down and upper back exposed, the leg can swing over from the front headlock grip. The opponent must have their back accessible — this is harder when the opponent is more upright in the front headlock.

When the Opponent Shoots or Ducks

When an opponent shoots a single or double leg takedown, their head goes down and their upper back becomes available. The front headlock catches the head; the leg swings over the exposed back. This is a common standing entry — the shoot creates the exact head and back position the Peruvian Necktie requires.

Position Requirements

• Front Headlock grip — Mandatory starting grip. The Peruvian Necktie is a front headlock variant, not a standalone position.
• Opponent’s back accessible and relatively horizontal — The leg must be able to swing over and land on the upper back. An upright opponent does not provide the back surface needed.
• Turtle Top (POS-FHL-TURTLE-TOP) or equivalent — The most reliable context. Other contexts (standing, front headlock ground) are secondary but viable.

Defence and Escape

Priority 1 — Do not allow the front headlock: The Peruvian Necktie cannot begin without the front headlock grip. Preventing the neck control is the primary defence — the same defence used against guillotines and D’arce applies here.

Priority 2 — Tuck the chin: If the front headlock is established, tucking the chin reduces the choking arm’s access to the neck. A deeply tucked chin makes the initial grip less effective and forces the attacker to adjust before the leg swings over.

Priority 3 — Prevent the leg from swinging over: If the front headlock is established and the attacker begins swinging the leg, the defender can raise their back posture or use one arm to block the leg from completing the swing. Preventing the shin from landing on the back removes the leg-assist component and reverts the attack to a standard guillotine defence context.

Priority 4 — Prevent the roll: If the leg is over and the grip is set, the roll is the finish mechanism. Basing out and driving the weight low makes the roll mechanically harder. This delays the finish but does not escape the choke — tap if the compression becomes significant.

Common Errors

Drilling Notes

Ability Level Guidance

Ruleset Context

The Peruvian Necktie is unrestricted across all standard no-gi rulesets.

Also Known As

Related Pages