I’m not sure of the technical term for this hold, but it is a choke that is applied by locking your right (for discription sake) arm around opponent’s neck, forearm and bicep choking off blood to brain, crook of arm closing windpipe, right arm is locked onto your left bicep, and your left hand cupping his head to immobilize. When applied, it will usually put out the opponent in short time, legs buckling in about 4-6 seconds and he taps out, or it’s goodnite. I’m sure you’re all familiar with this.
Question: How do you escape from it? Obviously first you must “soften him up” with heel stomps, etc, but then what?
You can take the pain of elbows to the ribs, or groin shots knowing that he’ll be out in 5, you can turn your head to avoid eye strikes, the throat is vulnerable to inverted “crab claw” to soft tissue and trachea, but it is not a sure bet. Shoulder throw is out of the question-try this at home for lots of fun! You are dead meat if you are taken back on your heels, or if on your back with his legs locked on you. I know that any hold, once “finalized” is pretty much a done deal, but this is a common yet dangerous technique and I am looking for all and any methods to counter it.
Not saying that this is the best way, and it only could work under a few situations, but if the situation was from a standing position, then I have seen someone do some stomping, then drop all their weight down and reach for the chokers leg/foot from in between theirs, pull up, and squat. Of course this is one of those when the situation has to be just right but hey, if it can work, why not have it in your repituor.
To start with get your hand or fingers between you & the choke.
After that there are a number of reversals or attacks you can do.
Badger
If your adversary has this on clean, it is a very difficult situation to get out of. It’s true you have about 5 seconds at most until you go out, but you have only 1 or 2 before you start to panick and just flail. The first thing you have to do is give yourself more time, reach up with both hands and try to cause seperation between his arm and your throat. If you do get enough seperation to breath try to turn your head so he doesn’t have the choke clean on your adams apple. Once you’ve created a small pocket, then you can go to the eyes or the nuts.
If the choke is fully in, and the person knows what he’s doing, there’s no way out. 
Not without sheer luck or brute strength, but even then it’s pretty hopeless.
Yes you can put your hand between the choke and your neck, tuck your chin, and do any type of escape technique, but if it’s a good choke, and it’s all the way in…it’s too late.
It would be like asking to block a punch when it’s hitting you in the face already.
Ryu
ryu . .. my sifu said the same thing.
there are lots of ways out if they don’t set it in clean or if you feel it coming and manage to “block” it with your chin, hand, whatever, but once it’s in you’re fu cked 9 times out of 10.
Interesting analogy, ryu.
Can we extend this analogy to say that, much like there are better ways to take a punch that can save you from damage even though your are getting hit, there is a better way to “take” a choke?
Also, is it realistic to try to apply a hip throw to a guy who has you in a standing choke? I have done this technique, but never when someone was really trying to render me unconcious I don;t think.
definately not with that choke. i’m no grappler but at best it seems like you’d land on your face with him on top of you still choking your ass out.
shaolinboxer
A good grappler will be pulling you backwards, to keep you on your heels and off balance; it would be very difficult to get a good base in this position. IMO a throw would not be pragmatic.
Re: sleeper hold/naked choke challenge
Originally posted by TenTigers
Question: How do you escape from it? Obviously first you must “soften him up” with heel stomps, etc, but then what?
Soften him up w/heel stomps. lol :D. That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day! Like everyone else is saying, you’re pretty much screwed once the choke is applied. I agree w/everyone else, if you know the guy is going for the choke, standing or on the ground, you might want to tuck your chin and start turning towards your opponent.
After grappling forawhile it’s relatively difficult for them to get u into a guillotine type choke…just relax and try to dig your hands in…if he arches then hold on cause he may tire…after he tires he’ll get frustrated and u can try a body slam tactic…ralph gracie shows it in his video…just make sure the choke is not sunk in…experience will teach u this.
Reach up and grab the wrist to releive pressure. Then step you leg behind his bending yourself over. This will place you in a sidelock but will force the oppenent to lose leverage therefore relieving the choke. Now that your there wrap your arms around his waist straighten the leg behind him and sit back toward that leg taking him down. From there i like to place a knee into his side and use a crossface to break his grip. From there i throw my other leg over his face for a straight armbar.
your hands are free correct? What is to stop you from reaching back and grabbing a hand full of his goodies and giving a good squeeze?
Are you guys talking about standing chokes or on the ground??? Standing chokes give you much more movement IMO. It’s when you’re being grapevined from behind with the mata leao that you’ve got problems
I speak from experience.
I would say there are better ways to take a “choke” but it is all due to awareness of what’s coming, reacting before the choke is properly applied, etc.
Now not everyone knows how to choke. So it would be much easier to escape from Joe Blow’s street choke then say Royce Gracie’s.
Ryu
as you can see choking tiger, there are really two situations with the mata leao. Normal ryu is right about the rear naked choke on the ground, if he has his hooks (feet) in you’re fubar.
Here’s my advice for a standind defense.
you’ve got to act fast. this choke doesn’t give you much time, so the quicker you are able to sense this arm go over your head, the better for you.
as he is wrapping the choke around your neck grab it with both hands. One hand on his wrist, the other on his inner elbow (his arm will be inside yours so you will be kind of making a curl movement, similar to lifting weights.) try to bring his forearm parallel to the ground so that his elbow isn’t pointing down but out to the side (you’ll be pulling down) Now bend your knees and get your hips lower than his. quickly lower your upper body like you were bowing but make it very fast and powerful. you can lift him right over your back where he will fall and you will still have control of his arm. Remember this has to go quickly!! so practicing this alot may be the key.
just something that works for me.
There is one sure-fire way to escape any choke or lock: Tap on your opponent. Your opponent will almost instantly release you.
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Badger
There are many ways to escape the rear choke. An experienced grappler usually can feel it coming and will start defensive measures against it before it is locked in. There are a whole host of things someone must do to overcome a good defense to finally be able to lock the choke in (and there are also a variety of techs that have been developed to overcome each of these defenses). ST’s description is a good first measure if you are standing. Sometimes you can’t get the opt up and over and he will start to pull you back in, which is where you would use the defense that Brad described.
There are still couple of things that can be used even after the choke is locked in, whether the hooks are in or not. One final thing you can do (this is usually your last ditch effort after your other defenses have failed) is to use both hands to grab the wrist of the hand that is behind your head. Once you have the wrist you can sometimes pry the hand from there and straighten the opts arm over your shoulder and finish him with an elbow hyperextension before he finishes you with the choke.
As far as using your hands to reach back and grab the vitals, it is extremely hard to do as the opt is usually either pressed up against you, has his hooks in, or has pulled you down with his body away from yours. Additionally, by using your hands to attack, you have taken away your main defense that helps to extend the time before you are finished by the choke.
When they have your back their are two diiferent types of hooks ( the way people control you with their legs)
Mostly the new submission guys or someone who hasn’t had this counter done will do this. They will cross the legs around you (almost like a reverse guard) now the easy counter for you now is to first reach up grab their wrist pull down and tuck your chin. Get a feel for which foot is on top while they are scissoring you. Then simply place your opposite leg over that foot trapping it. Now straight your legs out and lift your hips. The pressure from the down motion of your legs and their foot underneath will create a ankle lock with your legs.
Now if they grapevine in it gets tricky. Fisrt do as before but only reach up and protect with one hand. the other take down and grab their foot and pull the hook off and force it to the ground while stepping the leg over trapping that hook. Now shrimp over the inside tigh of the leg with the hook still in cause now your free lg can push you over. After its all said and done you’ll end up in a side headlock But you will have crossbody. ( sounds like it won’t work but i’ve used hundreds of times just give it a shot)
LOL! I’ve seen Badger’s technique release even the tightest chokes!
“your hands are free correct? What is to stop you from reaching back and grabbing a hand full of his goodies and giving a good squeeze?”
You could, but the question then is, will it release the choke? Like many people have mentioned here, the effect happens in seconds. The grab/squeeze is definitely painful :eek: and could probably cause some good damage, but that likely will not automatically cause someone to loosen their grip.
What if you were being choked out by a woman?
Don’t ever cross your ankles in the hook position!! the guy just has to put his leg across them and make an “empty” triangle and you’ll SCREAM with pain. at least I did, but it’ll never happen again. 
everyone has provided great info.
here’s another one but in my opinion is harder.
assuming he’s using his right arm to choke you. squeeze your left arm under his and take your right and hold it vertical against his tricep. after you get your left under grab your right wrist (basically making a standing keylock or americana) now step back with your right leg and torqe this *******'s arm till his shoulder pops.
looking up now I see Brad has experienced this as well.
I also gotta agree with KF about the vitals and trying to grab the fingers. these can be pretty limited attempts when seconds matter. anything can happen! I’m sure they’ve worked for someone.