Bottom of Back Control
Position · Back Control
He is behind you, chest to your back, hooks inside your thighs, and usually one arm over your shoulder and one under the other armpit. First defend the neck: tuck your chin, bring both hands to your collar or neck line, keep your elbows tight, and keep your back off his chest by turning toward the side of his lower arm. If he slides an arm under your chin, grab that wrist with both hands and pull it down for the Two-on-One Defense. If his hooks are in but there is no seatbelt, slide your hips down toward the mat and turn in for Slide Down to Guard. His goals are the rear naked choke and a body triangle; the mistake beginners make is grabbing at his hooks while the neck is open.
How to do it
- Protect your neck with both hands first: grab the choking arm at the wrist and pull it down off your neck, elbows close to your chest.
- Keep your chin down, tight to your chest, so their forearm cannot slide under your jaw.
- Slide down, pushing with your feet, so your head is lower than theirs and your shoulders reach the mat. With your head below theirs the choking arm has to reach down and loses depth.
- With your shoulders on the mat on one side, clear the hook on that same side from your hips: push their foot off your thigh with your hand and put your hips on the mat over that leg.
- Turn towards the cleared side and face them, keeping both hands on the choking arm until you are chest to chest.
Key details
- Neck first, escape second: while the choke is threatened, the hands stay on the choking arm.
- Shoulders to the mat on the side of the cleared hook: with your back on the mat on that side their hook has nothing to hold.
- Turn into them, not away: turning away puts your back in front of them again.
- Keep your head lower than theirs: the lower your head, the shallower their choking arm.
Common mistakes
- Taking the hands away from the neck to fight the hooks. — They slide in the rear naked choke. — Keep two hands on the choking arm.
- Turning to the wrong side. — You turn into their seatbelt and stay stuck. — Turn to the side of their lower arm.
- Sitting up. — It makes room for their hooks and choke. — Slide down and put your shoulders on the mat.
If they defend
- They go for the choke. → Two on one on the choking arm.
- They lock a body triangle. → Turn to the lock side and open it.
How to drill it
Partner holds the back with hooks, 3 × 1 minute: protect the neck and escape.
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