Submission escape

Escape the rear naked choke

Start here: your partner has the rear naked choke (Hadaka Jime) set but not finished.

Escape · 1 of 5

How to Escape Back Mount in BJJ

Report a problemDaniel Lewis Jiu Jitsu · on YouTube
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Before it’s locked

  • Chin down and shoulders up the moment they reach your back
  • Hands up by your neck before the arm comes across
  • Fight the hooks only after your neck is safe

The main escape

  1. Get both hands on the choking wrist (two-on-one) and pull it down off your neck
  2. Keep your chin tucked so the forearm can’t get under it
  3. Slide your shoulders to the mat on their underhook side, away from the choking arm
  4. Clear the bottom hook and turn into them to recover guard

Escape roadmap

The seven stages of this escape. Work from the top: the earlier you act, the less you need the later stages.

  1. 1
    Prevent
    • Turn to face them before both hooks are in
    • Keep your elbows tight and chin down as soon as they reach your back
  2. 2
    Defensive posture
    • Chin down, shoulders up: the forearm can’t reach your throat
    • Work to get your shoulders on the mat; sitting up gives them room to choke
  3. 3
    Hand fight
    • Two hands on the choking wrist and pull it down (two-on-one)
    • Never fight their arm with one hand while the other does nothing
  4. 4
    Make space
    • Slide your hips down so your head drops below their chest
    • Shrug the shoulder on the choking side up against your ear
  5. 5
    Clear the structure
    • Clear the hook on the side you’re escaping to with your heel or hand
    • Get your back flat on the mat beside them, not on top of them
  6. 6
    Late escape
    • If they lock the hand behind your head, keep both hands on the choking wrist and keep turning in
    • Tap when the forearm is under your chin and the hands are locked
  7. 7
    Back to safety
    • Turn in to face them and recover guard or half guard
    • Keep your elbows in while you turn so they can’t retake the back

Escape options

Two-on-one and slide to the matThe standard escape whenever the choking arm is across your chestOpen back escape to guard →
Shoulder to the mat, clear the hook, turn inOnce the choke is controlled and your back is on the mat
Defend, then escapeNever move your hips before both hands control the choking armOpen rear naked choke defense →
When to tap

If the forearm is under your chin and their hands are locked, tap. Chokes can cause unconsciousness within seconds.

Common mistake

Moving your hips before both hands control the choking arm.

Drill it

Partner starts with the seatbelt and one hook, choking arm across your chest but not under your chin. Round 1 at 30% resistance, round 2 at 60%, then live. Your partner applies the finish slowly; you tap the moment you reach the “when to tap” point. Switch roles each round.

How they apply it
Read about itGrapplearts articlesBJJ Heroes
In competition

The most-used finish at every ADCC World Championship BJJ Heroes has tracked since 2015. At ADCC 2026, chokes from back control were the top finish (19 of 50 submissions).

Source: BJJ Heroes, ADCC 2026 After Math, Data Compilation and Analysis; BJJ Heroes, 2026 ADCC World Championship Results

My notes

Saved automatically.

Guillotine →
Quick checkEscape the rear naked choke quick check4 questions

Related seminars

All seminars →

Longer seminars, classes and masterclasses that teach this. Free on YouTube.

Class recordingBottomEscapes

No Handed Choke Defence

Chris Paines

Rear naked choke defence without your hands

Chris Paines shows how to defend chokes (triangle, arm triangle, guillotine, rear naked choke) with posture and positioning instead of grabbing with your hands.

YouTube ↗

How it connects

The attack
Rear naked choke (Hadaka Jime)
Caught in
Back control (defend)
Escape to
Half guard
Related escapes
Escape the guillotineEscape the triangleEscape the arm triangleEscape the north-south chokeEscape the cross chokeEscape the d'arce choke
Seminars