Learn rear naked choke defense techniques from Gracie Barra Calallen, including prevention, escapes, and common mistakes to avoid in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Rear Naked Choke Defense: Essential Techniques for BJJ
The rear naked choke is one of the most commonly used submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When an opponent secures back control with their arms wrapped around your neck, panic can set in quickly. With proper technique, however, you can escape dangerous positions and work your way back to a neutral or advantageous spot. At Gracie Barra Calallen, we teach back control defense strategies as a core part of our curriculum, suitable for students of all experience levels.
Understanding the Rear Naked Choke Position
Before you can effectively defend against this submission, it helps to understand how it works. The choke occurs when an opponent has achieved back control—their torso pressed against yours from behind—with both arms wrapped around your neck. One arm crosses the other, applying pressure to the sides of your neck and restricting blood flow.
Good defense starts long before your opponent fully locks in the choke. The best defense is prevention. When you recognize an opponent working toward your back, you can use defensive measures that make it much harder for them to finish the submission.
Prevention: Your First Line of Defense
Maintain Proper Posture
Keep your chin down and tucked into your chest whenever an opponent has your back. This protects your neck and makes it harder for them to slide an arm underneath your chin. An exposed head and neck leaves you vulnerable to chokes and related submissions.
Control the Hands
As soon as your opponent takes your back, prioritize controlling their hands. If you can prevent their arms from wrapping around your neck in the first place, you've addressed much of the threat. Use your own hands to grab their wrists or sleeves and keep them away from your neck.
Bridge and Shrimp Movements
Don't let your opponent settle into a comfortable back-control position. Bridge your hips and shrimp to create space, making it harder for them to lock in their hooks. Continuous movement makes finishing the submission significantly more difficult.
Early Defensive Techniques
The Hand Trap
When your opponent begins wrapping an arm around your neck, trap that arm with both hands before they can establish a full grip. Hold it tight against your body and turn into them, which can prevent the second arm from completing the choke.
Neck Posture Escape
If one arm has already started applying pressure, tuck your chin hard and turn your head toward the choking arm. This protects your airway and carotid arteries while you work toward a fuller escape.
Breaking the Grip
If your opponent has locked their hands together, work immediately to break that grip. Use both hands to pull theirs down and away from your neck, driving with your core and legs rather than relying on arm strength alone—your trunk and legs generate far more force than your arms.
Escaping Back Control
The Sit-Out Escape
One common way to escape back control is the sit-out. While managing the choking arm with your hands, shift your weight to one side and extend your legs outward, lowering your hips toward the mat. This can create enough space to slide out to the side or onto your opponent's lap.
The Roll Escape
Another option is to roll forward toward your opponent's chest while controlling their arm. This shifts the weight distribution and can help you escape to the side, though it requires control so you don't end up in a worse position.
Reversing the Position
In some cases, you may be able to establish an underhook and turn into your opponent to reverse the position entirely, landing in top control. This requires good timing and plenty of practice.
Drilling These Skills at Gracie Barra Calallen
Defensive skills like these aren't learned through reading alone. At Gracie Barra Calallen, our instructors emphasize live drilling and controlled sparring to build muscle memory for positional escapes and submission defense. These concepts are part of our adult BJJ classes and broader BJJ programs.
We recommend practicing at reduced intensity at first, focusing on proper mechanics, and increasing intensity gradually as your training partner allows you room to work through the escape sequence. Always train with a qualified instructor present and tap early when caught in a live submission attempt.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Panicking and Flailing
The biggest mistake people make when caught in this position is panicking. Uncontrolled movement burns oxygen faster and clouds judgment. Staying calm and breathing through your nose while working methodically gives you a much better chance of escaping.
Neglecting Hand Defense
Many practitioners focus only on neck position and ignore their opponent's hands. Without the arms properly linked, the choke can't be completed, so hand control deserves just as much attention.
Waiting Too Long
The longer you wait to respond, the harder the escape becomes. Acting early, as soon as you recognize the threat, is generally more effective than attempting a last-second escape.
Underdeveloped Grip Strength
If your grip isn't strong enough to break an opponent's locked hands, technique alone may not be enough. Incorporating grip work into your training can help.
Building Long-Term Skill
Consistent training helps these defenses become instinctive over time. Consider:
- Positional drilling: Spend time each session working on back-control defense before live rolling
- Graduated resistance: Start with a cooperative partner and build up to full intensity over time
- Scenario training: Practice specific sequences, such as defending the choke and responding to your opponent's counters
- Conditioning: Building general cardiovascular endurance can help you stay composed and technical under pressure
Take Your Defense Skills to the Next Level
Escaping back control is just one part of a well-rounded BJJ game. If you're interested in developing these skills further, join us at Gracie Barra Calallen, where our instructors teach proper mechanics in a supportive training environment.
We offer free trial classes so you can experience our approach firsthand. Whether your goals are self-defense, fitness, or competition, we offer programs for a range of skill levels, including self-defense classes and women's self-defense programs.
Start training with us and build the skills and confidence that come with consistent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practice under the guidance of our Gracie Barra instructors.