What is a Rear Naked Choke?
A rear naked choke is a type of attack found in many martial arts disciplines. It is executed from behind, where the attacker uses his arms to cut off the blood flowing through an opponent’s carotid artery. Combat disciplines that teach versions of the rear naked choke include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, MMA, professional wrestling, and U.S. Army Combatives. Other names for the technique include hadaka jime, lateral vascular neck restraint, mata leao, and sleeper hold. There are two ways to execute a rear naked choke. In both, the attacker is positioned behind the opponent. In the first method, the attacking arm is placed around an opponent’s neck so that the bicep pushes against one artery and the forearm pushes against the other. The hand of the attacking arm is then placed against the bicep of the non-attacking arm. The non-attacking arm’s hand is then placed behind the opponent’s head or neck. To complete the choke, the elbows are pressed together and the opponent’s head or neck is
