Of all the techniques in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the Rear Naked Choke has been responsible for more fight victories than all the rest combined. Based entirely on effective use of leverage, you can use this submission to defeat an opponent of any size.
To truly understand the Rear Naked Choke, it's important to know the background and influence of the Gracie family.
The Gracie Family Legacy
Ryron and Rener Gracie are the eldest grandsons of Grand Master Helio Gracie, the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Their father is Rorion Gracie, one of the world’s foremost experts in self-defense. In 1993, Rorion created the Ultimate Fighting Championship to showcase the supremacy of the family’s self-defense system in a realistic “no holds barred” confrontation against all comers. Rorion’s younger brother, Royce, won 3 of the first 4 UFC tournaments proving that the leverage-based techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu provided the most reliable way to defeat a larger, more athletic opponent.
Rorion introduced his sons to the art as soon as they could walk. As children, they watched him teach private classes in their garage in Southern California. But, it wasn’t until they observed their father and uncles - Royce, Rickson, and Royler - easily winning challenge matches that they began to comprehend fully the effectiveness of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Even more important, Ryron and Rener recognized the profound impact the family’s art had on all who studied it. The life changing transformations of Gracie University students motivated the brothers to teach the art. While constantly perfecting their physical techniques, they worked equally hard to master the powerfully effective instruction methods developed by their forbearers.
Ryron and Rener Gracie are the eldest grandsons of Grand Master Helio Gracie, the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Their father is Rorion Gracie, one of the world’s foremost experts in self-defense. In 1993, Rorion created the Ultimate Fighting Championship to showcase the supremacy of the family’s self-defense system in a realistic “no holds barred” confrontation against all comers. Rorion’s younger brother, Royce, won 3 of the first 4 UFC tournaments proving that the leverage-based techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu provided the most reliable way to defeat a larger, more athletic opponent.
Read also: Learn the Rear Naked Choke
Rorion introduced his sons to the art as soon as they could walk. As children, they watched him teach private classes in their garage in Southern California. But, it wasn’t until they observed their father and uncles - Royce, Rickson, and Royler - easily winning challenge matches that they began to comprehend fully the effectiveness of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Even more important, Ryron and Rener recognized the profound impact the family’s art had on all who studied it. The life changing transformations of Gracie University students motivated the brothers to teach the art. While constantly perfecting their physical techniques, they worked equally hard to master the powerfully effective instruction methods developed by their forbearers.
How to do the Rear Naked Choke in Jiu Jitsu | Jiu Jitsu Tutorial | BJJ Lessons
Setting the Stage: Clinch and Control
The safest place to be in a fight, while standing, is in a clinch. From the clinch, your opponent’s striking power is almost entirely eliminated. Once you establish the clinch, there is a good chance that they will get desperate and try to hit you in the face. You have already learned how to establish the clinch if they attempt to knock you out while standing.
Defense and Gracie Combatives
The Haymaker Punch Defense is used when a determined attacker comes at you from a distance with the objective of putting all of their bodyweight behind one fight-ending punch. The beauty of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is that it enables you to defeat virtually anyone while controlling the amount of damage you inflict. Once you complete the Gracie Combatives course online, or at a Certified Training Center, you may test for your Gracie Combatives belt if you are at least 14 years of age.
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