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Safely Rear Naked Choke Escape
Mata leao, also known as the rear naked choke is probably the highest percentage finishing technique in all of Jiu Jitsu. No matter how big, bad or tough someone is, they all will fall to the rear naked choke sometime in their lives. Because it is a high percentage choke, you will need to know how to escape from it. Prevention is key. If you know prevention, such as tucking the chin, controlling the wrists, and bridging then hopefully you’ll be able to stop it. But prevention doesn’t always work. You’ll need to know how to actually escape the choke when the danger is high. This is for when your opponent is beginning his attack, but before it is fully locked in. Here is how…
Chin down, shoulders up and cross grab
Your opponent will either try to get seatbelt control on you or will right away try to go into the rear naked choke. This is where some of the prevention tips will come in to play. Tuck your chin, bring your shoulders up and cross grab the opponent’s hand, which is the one vying for top control or for the choke. This will make sure that he cannot get his arm around your neck to get the choke.
Trap the arm and fall to the underhook side
This is a crucial element to this escape. One of the opponent’s arms will be under your arm to try and hold you in position. Use your arm to clamp down on his so that he cannot successfully control you or use that arm to try and choke you. Once you have the clamp, you need to fall to the underhook side and drive towards that side.
Get your head, shoulders and hips to the mat
Now that you’re on the side, you need to continue to drive your body up. First get your head to the mat, and get your shoulders to the mat. That will make sure that there really is no way to get the choke without some major adjustment. Continue to drive and wiggle out of the control and get your hips to the mat.
Be ready to get half guard
Once all of the above parts of your body are on the mat, you will no longer be in danger of the choke. If he does nothing, you can use the hand that was cross grabbing the wrist to push his foot away and shrimp out to get to a neutral position. But if he is any good, he will try to end up in the mount position. When he does, be ready to lock him up in your half guard and go for an immediate sweep.
Learning this escape is going to be important if you want to get yourself to the next level in Jiu Jitsu. Being able to escape the choke and the back will aid you greatly and take a big time weapon out of your opponent’s arsenal. Learning escapes should not be pushed aside. Help yourself and grab Bernardo Faria’s Escapes from Everywhere. It’s on sale for $77!
Escapes From Everywhere at BJJ Fanatics! Click here!
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