Back Crucifix Choke
Chain finish · Back Control
A rear choke with one arm while both his arms are pinned: your legs scissor one of his arms and your other arm wraps the second. It comes from back control when he strips a hook and starts to turn; instead of fighting for the hook you trap his arm with your legs and keep his back, the back crucifix. When he turns his head away from your free arm, the side of his neck opens. Slide that arm under his chin, elbow down the middle of his chest, and anchor the hand on his far collar in the gi or on his far shoulder without it. Pull the elbow back to your chest and expand the chest while your legs and other arm keep his arms down. He cannot defend with his hands, only tuck the chin, so keep the forearm on the neck, not the jaw.
How to do it
- When he strips a hook and starts to turn toward you, do not fight to reinsert it. Lift your leg over his arm on the side of your top, choking arm and lock your legs on his upper arm, the ankle behind the other knee, so the arm is pinned between your thighs.
- Your bottom arm, already under his other armpit from the seatbelt, wraps that arm at the elbow or wrist and pins it to his body. Now both his arms are tied up and your top arm is free.
- Keep his back tight to your chest and your head beside his head on the choking side. If he turns in to you, the crucifix opens and the arm slides out of your legs.
- When he turns his head away from your free arm, slide that arm under his chin, the forearm across the front of the neck and the elbow pointing down the middle of his chest.
- Anchor the choking hand: in the gi grip his far collar deep, thumb inside; without the gi cup his far shoulder. The anchor keeps the arm from sliding off the neck when you squeeze.
- Pull the elbow back toward your chest and expand your chest, while your legs and bottom arm keep pulling his arms down and away. Squeeze slowly.
Key details
- Pin both arms before you choke. With a free hand he pulls your choking arm off the neck.
- Lock your legs on his upper arm, above the elbow. Locked on the forearm, the arm bends and slides out.
- Forearm under the chin, not across the jaw. With no hands to defend, he can only tuck the chin, and over the jaw it becomes a crank.
- Chest to his back the whole time. Space lets him turn in and pull the arm out of your legs.
- Finish by gripping his far trapezius and pulling your elbow back toward your lap: with his arms pinned it works as a forearm choke, not a full squeeze.
- Before the choke is set, a figure-four on his arm lets him squirm free; hooking your foot behind his hip, squeezing the thighs and curling the heel back holds the arm much better.
Common mistakes
- Reaching for the choke before both arms are pinned. — His free hand grabs your choking arm and pulls it down. — Lock the legs and wrap the other arm first, then choke.
- Legs locked low on his forearm. — He bends the elbow and slides the arm out. — Lock the legs high on the upper arm, close to his armpit.
- Forcing the forearm over the jaw. — It cranks the jaw and neck instead of choking. — Wait for the head to turn away and slide the arm deeper under the chin.
How to drill it
From back control your partner strips a hook and turns. Trap his arm with your legs, wrap the other arm and set the choke five times on each side; then the partner adds chin-tuck resistance.
Safety
Both his arms are pinned, so he may not be able to tap with a hand: agree on a verbal tap or a tap with the foot, squeeze slowly and release at any signal.