The Guillotine, named after the decapitation device

Guillotine

The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...

, is a move in amateur wrestling that is mostly taught in high schools. It is a pinning move that is deployed from upper referee position. It uses pain to force an opponent to go to their back. It is a combination of leg riding and an open side hook. In Mixed Martial Arts and Submission Grappling, it is referred to as the 'Twister' and has been taught extensively by Eddie Bravo in his 10th planet jiujitsu system.

Description of Technique

• Initially a leg ride is secured
• From the top, the same side leg must hook opponent's inside thigh, gripping the ankle with the attacker's foot
• Next the attacker reaches across to grab the arm opposite to the side that the leg ride is on
• Pull this arm back and up allows the attacker to slip his head under it, at or just above the elbow. (The guillotine is most easily applied if the opponent is reaching back during the leg ride.)
• Once the attacker's head is situated under the opponent's arm, the head is used to lift and turn the arm and opponent
• The attacker's other arm is applied under the opponent's arm and behind his head in a similar fashion to a half nelson.
• As the attacker rolls backward and the opponent is on his back, one of the attackers arms will be under his body. This arm then releases the wrist of the trapped arm.
• Next the attacker must reach across his opponent and lock his arms, straightening them as much as possible.

This final position is the guillotine, and the attacker applies it by squeezing as hard as possible while maintaining the leg hook to prevent the opponent from escaping.