Rear naked choke in BJJ

Moderator A complete rear naked choke walkthrough for someone who's never done it before, plus how to make it tighter if you already grapple. Entirely on topic.

Reviewer Outstanding - clear, correct, and demonstrated against real resistance.

Reviewer Hits every common mistake I actually correct in class — clear and accurate.

Moderator Textbook — explains what the choke is, why it works anatomically, when to go for it, and finishes with a numbered list of common mistakes. Every second is on-topic.

Reviewer Excellent, precise detail for when the choke isn't coming easy.

Moderator Entirely about finishing the rear naked choke against someone actively defending - hand trapping, chin control, the works.

Reviewer This is the detail that makes the choke work against real resistance.

Moderator Entirely about finishing the rear naked choke against a specific, realistic defense - opponent hand-fighting your choking arm - with a precise hand-hiding/swimming sequence to get there.

Reviewer Small clip, big detail - the fist-not-palm point alone is worth knowing.

Moderator Short and completely on-topic - literally hand-by-hand mechanics of locking the choke itself. No tangents, no story time, just the grip.

Reviewer This is the choke taught the right way - understand the strangle before you chase the grip.

Moderator This is Danaher going right at the RNC from first principles - anatomy of the choke, why it's a strangle not an airway choke, the control problem of stopping rotation before you even think about finishing. Every second of this is spent on the skill itself, nothing tangential.

Reviewer Explains why some RNCs feel effortless and others don't work at all.

Moderator About the exact finishing mechanic of the choke - pinch then shoulder retraction with the elbow going straight back - and the common error (elbow flaring, turning it into a trachea crush instead of a clean choke).

Reviewer Does exactly what it promises — a true zero-to-competent walkthrough with the real mistakes called out.

Moderator Entirely and explicitly the rear naked choke, built from the ground up as a course introduction for people with zero background. On-topic in every sentence.

Reviewer Explains the why behind every cue — this is how you actually teach a choke, not just show one.

Moderator This is entirely the rear naked choke — mechanics, anatomy, common mistakes, all of it. Nothing else is being taught here.

Reviewer Best one in this batch - explains the why, not just the what.

Moderator Black belt addressing the single most common finishing leak - the straight-on frontal grip that lets people defend - and replacing it with elbow-forward/lat-reach mechanics. Also covers prioritizing chest-to-back connection over chasing both hooks. All of it is RNC-specific.

Reviewer Great first lesson: clear grips, head to head so the top hand can't be stripped, and release the second they tap or go out.

Moderator Beginner walk-through of the rear naked choke from first wrap to release: elbow under the chin, elbow pit to the neck, hand to the bicep, other hand behind the head as a blade or palm, then the finish. Squarely the rear naked choke.

Moderator A structured lesson on the rear naked choke, covering grip, hand placement, and the difference between attacking from the strong and weak side.

Reviewer Clear lesson with a genuinely useful detail most tutorials skip.

Moderator A clean, basic rear naked choke from start to finish - grip, hand placement, squeeze. Exactly on topic.

Reviewer Clear, correct, and includes a detail that actually matters.

Reviewer Great fix for the I-get-the-position-but-they-are-already-defending problem.

Moderator Entirely focused on catching the RNC earlier - during the transition to the back rather than after hooks are locked in. Includes an actual drill (rocking side to side, shooting the arm through as weight lands) plus application to nearside-hook and turtle-roll back takes.

Reviewer The hide-the-grip-until-you-need-it idea is genuinely one of the better finishing details out there.

Moderator Entirely about finishing the RNC from half-back/half-butterfly - hiding the choking hand so the opponent forgets it is there, then the actual grip mechanics to seal it. No topic drift.

Reviewer The counter-to-the-peel detail alone is worth more than most full tutorials.

Moderator Entirely about setting up and finishing the choke — grip mechanics, hand placement, and specifically the timing window (chin off chest) to go for it. Nothing here is off-topic.

Moderator John Danaher's full lesson on the rear naked choke: what the strangle really attacks, how packed the neck is, why cutting blood flow works in seconds, then control and mechanics from a seated start. Squarely the rear naked choke, taught from first principles.

Reviewer Danaher explains what you're attacking and why, then gets into control and mechanics. Long with a theory-heavy start, but worth the time.

Reviewer Solid stuff - the squeeze-with-your-body-not-your-arm reminder alone is worth the watch.

Moderator Dead center on the sub-skill. Three separate finishing variations off the standard RNC - grip choice, the bear-hug/cuff option playing choking-arm-on-bottom, and an MMA-glove adjustment. Every minute is spent on the choke itself, no padding.

Reviewer Real hand-fighting detail here, not just 'grip like this' - worth drilling.

Moderator Full sequence for securing the choke from the back - foot-to-foot lift, hand-pummeling to a cross grip, dealing with the opponent's defensive hands, final adjustment into the finish. Stays on the choke-securing problem the entire time, with a short instructional plug at the end that doesn't take away from the teaching.

Reviewer Championship-level detail - this is how you actually solve a good defense, not just theory.

Moderator This is entirely about solving one very specific RNC problem - getting under the jaw of a thick-necked, hands-high opponent - using neck pummeling to create exposure. Every line is in service of finishing the choke from the back. As squarely on-skill as it gets.

Reviewer Good core mechanic, delivery is a little scattered.

Moderator Straightforward walkthrough of locking and finishing the choke from back control - tightening the arm, chest-forward/shoulders-back mechanic, grip options, calibrating pressure.

Reviewer This one's gold - the hide-your-hand detail is a real fix for a real problem, not fluff.

Moderator This is specifically about the grip-fighting phase of setting up the RNC - what to do with your hand as you transition from body lock to choke. Squarely the sub-skill, just the advanced entry point of it rather than the finish itself.

Moderator How to lock up the rear naked choke from the back when your support arm runs into your own chest: roll the shoulders forward to hollow out and shoot the strangle arm through, then set the fingertips on the bicep before you squeeze. Squarely on the lock-up and finish.

Reviewer Sharp fix for a classic problem: shoulders forward to make room, fingertips locked on the bicep. Assumes you know the grips.

Moderator A full rear naked choke walkthrough from back control - positioning, arm insertion, and it even flags the real danger of the choke and why kids shouldn't drill it live. Squarely on topic.

Reviewer Solid fundamentals with a welcome safety note.

Moderator A specific setup that uses a wrist-lock fake to open up the rear naked choke - the whole point of the video is landing this choke.

Reviewer Clever setup that's easy to add to your own game.

Reviewer Good technical meat - the pinky-grip and thumb-punch details are worth stealing. Skip the outro plug.

Moderator This is 100% the RNC finish, start to end - grip, chin clearance, closing the choke. Exactly the sub-skill, no padding besides the outro plug.

Moderator One rear naked choke detail from John Danaher: keep the choking hand tucked behind him with your chin on top so he can't find it, then finish or re-set the choke. Squarely on the choke, focused on the hand fight before the lock.

Reviewer Worth stealing: hide the hand and put your chin on top so he can't find it. One detail, not the whole choke.

Moderator A basic rear naked choke demonstration, straight through the grip and finish.

Reviewer Covers the basics and one useful correction, but it's brief.

Reviewer The arrowhead-hand tip for a tucked chin is the standout detail here.

Moderator Explains the choke from the ground up — what 'naked' means, single vs double arm variations, then walks the full sequence from controlling rotation to the finish. On-topic throughout.

Moderator Explains why the rear naked choke works and how to lock it: bicep and wrist across the neck, hand to the opposite bicep, free hand behind the head, and a warning about the movie-style lock that can be peeled off. Squarely the choke, mechanics and grips rather than the set-up from the back.

Reviewer Easy to follow: why it works, plus the grip mistake that lets him peel your hand. Squeeze slowly when you drill it.

Reviewer Most RNC tutorials skip this — and it's usually the actual reason people can't finish from the back.

Moderator This is the hand-fighting battle that happens right before the choke — stripping the primary defensive hand, controlling top-hand position. It doesn't touch the actual choke mechanics, but this fight is a real, necessary prerequisite to ever getting the choke on, so it's squarely in service of the rear naked choke even without showing the finish.

Reviewer If you can follow this you understand the RNC at a deep level - great stuff.

Moderator This is the choke from the defensive side - escaping a fully locked, belly-down RNC, which most coaches would call 'basically over.' Real BJJ vocabulary throughout (hooks, belly down), and the escape mechanics require and reinforce a deep understanding of how the choke itself actually works.

Reviewer Decent core technique, but doesn't go deep enough to stand out.

Moderator Straightforward application video — seatbelt, hand-in, the 'macarena' mistake callout, squeeze mechanics. Stays on the choke the whole time.

Reviewer Short but accurate — good bare-bones intro.

Moderator Simple, clean walkthrough of the exact grip sequence — reach around, grab bicep, hand behind head, lock with your own head, squeeze. Entirely on the choke, nothing else going on.

Reviewer Good finishing detail: chest forward, elbows together, don't just squeeze into his chest. You need the grips already and it's light on the final pull.

Moderator One finishing detail for the rear naked choke that he picked up from a top competitor: hand in deep with the elbow tight, chin over the top, chest forward, elbows together, then pull instead of squeezing into his chest. On the choke itself, though it covers the finish rather than the whole technique.

Reviewer Good answer for the he-is-just-too-strong-to-choke problem, once you get past the story.

Moderator The whole point of the video is a specific RNC setup for finishing much heavier, stronger opponents who out-grip-fight you. Lot of story time up front before he gets into the actual mechanics, but it is all in service of the choke.

Reviewer Good bones, but too much 'watch this' and not enough explanation to stand alone.

Moderator Dead center on the RNC finish — the whole clip is the grip and the squeeze, nothing else competing for time. He spends real effort steering people away from the wrist-grab/armbar trap, which tells me the video knows what it's about.

Reviewer Correct cue, way too short to actually teach it. Reminder, not a lesson.

Moderator Whole clip is about the RNC and nothing else - the mechanical point (position over squeeze) is squarely the sub-skill.

Reviewer Simple, safe intro to the standing version: grip options, a leg back for base, release the moment they go out. Light on detail.

Moderator Standing rear naked choke as a self-defense application: push the shoulder, pull, wrap deep around the neck, then lock it with hands together or the full bicep-and-head grip, with a leg back for base. It is the rear naked choke, but from standing rather than the usual back-control finish.

Reviewer Quick but accurate — hits several real details without wasting time.

Moderator Goofy presentation, but the actual content is genuinely about performing the rear naked choke — seat belt position, why you protect the top hand, staying cheek to cheek, sneaking the arm behind instead of around. On-topic despite the gimmick.

Reviewer Good detail once you get past the sales pitch in the middle.

Moderator This is really a back-control system video that ends in the choke — body lock, seatbelt side selection, controlling the far arm — good stuff, but a good chunk of it is control and arm-trapping before you ever get to finishing the RNC itself.

Reviewer The choke portion is good, just diluted by the kimura content.

Moderator Roughly half the video is Kimura from side control - arm-scoop position, hip switch, none of it about the neck. The second half is genuinely good RNC content: catching the choke transitionally from the double-under truck and near-side leg back takes while the opponent is still thinking about position, not the neck.

Moderator A comparative discussion of the rear naked choke that spends real time on it, but wanders into multiple-opponent awareness, disengaging from a fight, and even a different choke entirely - so it's RNC plus a lot of surrounding context.

Reviewer Interesting context, but don't expect a clean how-to here.

Reviewer The finish detail at the end is good, but you're wading through back-control grip talk to get to it.

Moderator Most of the runtime is back retention - the V-grip at the trap, hamstring over the back, dealing with his hand fighting for grips. The actual RNC finish only shows up in the last few lines ('flat hand under the chin, build a bridge, arm through'). It's in there, but retention is the main dish.

Reviewer Cool trick, but you'll need to fill in the mechanics yourself.

Moderator Short but squarely about forcing the choke open - using a wristlock threat against blocking hands to make the opponent let go, then finishing the RNC. On-topic the whole way, just brief and rough (translated, choppy).

Reviewer Promising setup, but you don't actually get the detail in what's here.

Moderator Good five minutes of Hickson-lineage history and rapport-building before Akins even shows Bernardo his hand placement, and the transcript cuts off right as he's about to name the actual 'hidden detail.' What's shown of the technique is on-topic, but a big chunk of what's here isn't about the choke at all.

Reviewer The idea (don't rush, reset off his own reaction) is decent but it's told, not shown clearly - hard to actually learn from as-is.

Moderator It's specifically working through what happens when the RNC stalls because the training partner's chin is tucked and jammed against the choking hand - that's squarely an RNC problem, just captured as a messy back-and-forth demo rather than a clean explanation.