In the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), few positions are as dominant or sought after as back control. Whether you're training for competition, self-defense, or just to refine your skills, securing back control and successfully applying the rear naked choke (RNC) is a fundamental yet sophisticated technique that can decisively end a match. However, taking and maintaining back control is far from simple. It requires not only precision and timing but also a deep understanding of body mechanics, leverage, and the ability to isolate your opponent's limbs.
This blog post delves into the nuances of back control, how to effectively transition into it, and how to use systems like the Straight Jacket to secure dominant positions and ultimately land the rear naked choke.
Understanding the Importance of Back Control in BJJ
Back control is the ultimate position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because it neutralizes much of your opponent's offensive options while giving you a plethora of submission opportunities, particularly the rear naked choke. From the back, your opponent can't use their arms to defend themselves properly or launch any meaningful attacks, and they have limited visibility of your movements. This makes it an ideal position to aim for during scrambles or when advancing through other positions like side control or mount.
However, as with any powerful position in BJJ, securing and maintaining back control requires more than just physically getting to your opponent's back. Knowing how to control their body, frustrate their defenses, and patiently build toward submissions like the rear naked choke is key.
The Key to the Rear Naked Choke
The rear naked choke, is one of the highest-percentage submissions in BJJ. It is favored because of its simplicity and effectiveness—when applied properly, it forces your opponent to tap or face unconsciousness within seconds. The choke works by using your arms to encircle your opponent's neck and cutting off their blood flow to the brain by pressing against the carotid arteries.
To effectively apply the rear naked choke, you must:
- Achieve deep back control: Ensure you have full control over your opponent’s torso. Your hooks (feet) should be secured, with your legs controlling the hips. The most effective back control includes having a seatbelt grip (one arm over the shoulder and one under the armpit, locking your hands together) or using more advanced control systems like the Straight Jacket, which we will discuss later.
- Isolate the head and neck: As you attempt the choke, the goal is to slip your arm under your opponent’s chin and across their neck. This requires subtlety. Forcing the arm into position will often lead to your opponent tucking their chin and defending the choke effectively. Instead, use control of their body to create openings. Manipulating their head with small movements can also help expose the neck.
- Proper squeezing mechanics: Once your choking arm is positioned across their neck, grab your bicep with your other hand and place your palm behind your opponent’s head. This “figure four” grip creates a structure that allows for maximum pressure. Rather than pulling with your arms, think of squeezing with your back and shoulders to finish the choke. The idea is to make it a total body movement rather than just using your arm strength.
The rear naked choke is a high-percentage finish, but what happens before you get the submission attempt is just as important. Securing your opponent's back and establishing a dominant position is essential to prevent escape and to give yourself the best chance at successfully applying the choke.
How to Take the Opponent’s Back Effectively
The first step in any submission from back control is, of course, taking the back in the first place. The transition to back control can come from many positions, such as:
- From the turtle: Many grapplers expose their back when they are defending in turtle position, whether intentionally or as a result of a scramble. From here, you can use techniques like the "seatbelt grip" to control them while transitioning your hooks in to secure back control.
- From the mount: High mount positions often provide opportunities to transition to back control. If your opponent turns to their side in an attempt to escape, they leave a vulnerable space for you to slide your knee over and start sinking your hooks.
- From side control or half guard: Certain guard passes and transitions open up back exposure. In half guard, for example, when your opponent fights to retain guard, they may turn away, giving you an opportunity to take their back.
No matter which method you use to take the back, the key is timing and control. Aggressively rushing for back control can lead to mistakes that your opponent can capitalize on. Instead, you must control their hips and upper body simultaneously, preventing them from escaping. A good principle to remember is that back control is a positional game—once you achieve it, don’t rush to finish; focus on maintaining control and setting up your submission.
The Straight Jacket System: Arm Isolation for Optimal Control
Developed and popularized by John Danaher, the Straight Jacket System is an advanced back control system that focuses on isolating your opponent's arms while controlling their torso, making it easier to set up submissions like the rear naked choke.
The core concept of the Straight Jacket is arm isolation. By trapping and controlling your opponent's arms, you limit their ability to defend the choke. This is typically done by controlling one arm with your legs and the other with your hands, creating a situation where your opponent’s defense is effectively neutralized. This method allows you to systematically break down their defenses while maintaining a dominant position.
Steps to Implement the Straight Jacket:
- Arm trapping: Once you have back control and a seatbelt grip, focus on isolating one of your opponent's arms. You can trap the arm by using your legs, crossing your foot over their wrist or hand to pin it to their body.
- Cross grip control: After trapping one arm, use your hands to grab the other arm in a cross grip (typically with your arm that is not threatening the choke). Pull their arm across their body, using this grip to further limit their defensive options.
- Advanced hook control: With the Straight Jacket system, controlling your opponent’s hips and torso is crucial. Use your hooks to manipulate their body, ensuring they can't rotate and escape. This is a subtle but vital aspect of maintaining back control.
- Gradually attack the choke: Once both arms are effectively controlled, you can begin attacking the neck for the rear naked choke. With their defenses isolated, it’s much harder for your opponent to defend against the choke, allowing for a cleaner, more efficient submission.
Why Arm Isolation is Key to Success
Arm isolation serves multiple purposes during back control. First, it prevents your opponent from using their hands to defend against the choke. Secondly, it breaks down their posture, making it harder for them to turn, escape, or reposition themselves. By controlling their arms, you can systematically advance to the submission without rushing or being overly reliant on strength.
The beauty of the Straight Jacket system is that it allows for control without overcommitting. You maintain dominant positioning while gradually weakening your opponent's defensive structure, making it much easier to apply the rear naked choke or other submissions.
Dominance Through Position: The Value of the Straight Jacket
The ultimate goal of back control is to neutralize your opponent's defense and secure the submission. The Straight Jacket system provides a highly effective framework to achieve that goal by emphasizing control, arm isolation, and deliberate submission attempts. Unlike other methods that rely on strength or brute force, the Straight Jacket approach is built on efficiency and control, allowing you to dominate from the back without expending unnecessary energy.
When applied properly, the Straight Jacket system ensures that your opponent has few options to escape, creating a sense of inevitability as you slowly work toward the submission. This control makes it easier to finish the fight on your terms, without the need to rush or force an opening.
Conclusion
Securing back control and applying the rear naked choke are vital components of any BJJ practitioner’s game. The ability to effectively take the back, isolate your opponent’s arms, and systematically attack their defenses makes this one of the most dominant positions in the sport. The Straight Jacket system is a revolutionary approach to back control, providing both advanced and beginner practitioners a pathway to better control, submission efficiency, and overall positional dominance.
By focusing on arm isolation and using deliberate control, you can make the rear naked choke not only accessible but also inevitable. Train these concepts regularly, and watch your back control game evolve into a powerful weapon.