Rear Naked Choke Drill: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Rear Naked Choke Drill is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed by starting from back control, sliding one arm under a partner’s chin, locking the hand into the crook of the other elbow and squeezing while pulling the head forward with the free hand. Squeezing the elbows together and pulling the head down closes the choke with compression, not brute pulling.
Equipment Needed
A yoga mat is optional, though a padded floor makes the repeated positioning noticeably more comfortable, and a cooperative partner able to tap safely is required throughout. The choke is released the moment the partner taps.
Why It Matters
Holding back control while sliding the arm into placement and squeezing asks for sustained grip control on top of strength. The biceps (biceps brachii) and a muscle underneath the biceps (brachialis) drive the squeeze, and the chest muscle (pectoralis major) and the front of the shoulder cap (deltoid, anterior) support the choking arm. The forearms (forearm flexors) maintain the grip, and the back of the upper arm (triceps brachii) stabilizes the locking arm. A large back muscle (latissimus dorsi) pulls the choking arm in tight, and a muscle across the upper back and neck (trapezius) supports the shoulder through the hold.
When to Do It
Rear Naked Choke Drill works well within a grappling-focused session, added once the grip placement already feels secure. A pace of two or three sessions a week builds this finish up steadily, provided the partner already taps out safely.
Anyone with a current wrist, shoulder or neck issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since the squeeze and the sustained grip both load those areas.
Getting Ready
Securing back control and sliding the forearm under the chin without squeezing checks the setup this drill depends on. A few slow, partial squeezes preview the full finish before a complete rep is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Secure back control. Settle into position with the partner’s back against the chest.
- Thread the arm. Slide the choking forearm underneath the partner’s chin.
- Clasp the figure-four. Lock the choking hand into the crook of the other elbow.
- Squeeze and pull. Compress the elbows together while pulling the head forward with the free hand.
How Many, How Often
Rear Naked Choke Drill is dosed by reps, with each full grip-to-finish sequence counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to finishing the choke against light resistance | 3 sets of 2 to 3 reps per side |
| Intermediate | The grip and the finish connect under moderate resistance | 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 4 reps per side |
| Advanced | Comfortable finishing against committed, active resistance | 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side |
Squeezing the elbows together matters more here than how hard the arm crushes inward, since a choke finished with compression closes more reliably than one finished with brute pulling alone.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Grip Placement Only isolates the hand and arm placement for the choke with no finishing pressure. As a harder version, Rear Naked Choke from Dynamic Position starts from live back control with the partner actively defending their neck and hands.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Crushing the arm inward without squeezing the elbows. Relying only on pulling the choking arm tighter, without also drawing the elbows together, leaves the choke incomplete. Both actions happen together for the finish to close.
Forgetting the head pull. Squeezing the arm alone, without also pulling the head forward with the free hand, leaves gaps the choke does not close. The pull and the squeeze work as one motion.
Rushing the grip before it’s confirmed secure. Squeezing immediately after sliding the forearm under the chin, without checking the figure-four is locked, often finishes on the jaw instead of the neck. The grip is confirmed before any pressure is applied.
After Your Set
The shoulder that held the choking arm benefits from a few slow circles once the set ends. A cross-body chest stretch, pulling the choking arm gently across the torso, eases it further after squeezing through every finish.
Going Deeper
A correctly placed grip becomes a finish once the squeeze, the elbow compression and the head pull combine against a resisting partner. The arm tends to squeeze hard while the elbows stay apart. Slowing down and checking that both actions happen together fixes this faster than repeating a rushed finish that relies on the arm alone.
A beginner typically needs the first few sessions to put together a slow, cooperative version of the finish, then spends the following couple of weeks building it up against resistance.
How to Know You’re Improving
- Elbows that compress together at the same time the arm squeezes
- A head pull that works in combination with the squeeze
- A grip confirmed secure before any pressure is applied
- A finish that works against committed resistance
Elbow compression matters more than how hard the arm crushes inward.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps Brachii (the front of the upper arm, bending the choking arm to close the squeeze)
- Brachialis (a muscle underneath the biceps, adding to the bend as the lock tightens)
- Pectoralis Major (the chest muscle, drawing both arms in toward the midline)
- Forearm Flexors (the muscles of the inner forearm, locking the hand into the crook of the elbow)
- Anterior Deltoid (the front of the shoulder cap, holding the choking arm high under the chin)
- Triceps Brachii (the back of the upper arm, holding the second arm rigid as the frame)
- Latissimus Dorsi (a large back muscle, pulling the whole arm in tight against the neck)
- Trapezius (the broad muscle spanning the upper back and neck, holding both shoulders set through the squeeze)
FAQ
Why does squeezing the elbows together matter so much? A choke finished by pulling the arm alone closes slowly and unreliably, while one finished by compressing the elbows together closes faster and more consistently around the neck.
Is this harder than the grip placement alone in Grip Placement Only? Yes, adding the squeeze, the elbow compression and the head pull against resistance asks for more strength and endurance than placing the grip alone.
Is some shoulder or forearm fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, a worked feeling through the shoulder and the forearm after a full set of finishes is expected. Neck or shoulder pain that lingers past the session is worth a visit to a doctor or physical therapist.
Does the grip placement come before the full finish? Yes, Grip Placement Only builds the forearm slide and the figure-four lock, which are worth having solid before finishing against resistance.
How often should the rear naked choke be drilled? Two to three times a week works well for most people, as long as the partner already knows how to tap out safely.
Related to Grip Placement Only as the easier version with no finishing pressure and Rear Naked Choke from Dynamic Position as the harder version on a defending partner.