Choke-out

Lore & Background

Choke-outs are a subset of blood chokes, which disrupt blood circulation to the brain, as opposed to air chokes that disrupt breathing. Blood chokes can efficiently cause loss of consciousness, while air chokes usually require prolonged application. The mechanism involves compressing one or both carotid arteries and/or jugular veins, ideally with little pressure on the airway. Unconsciousness results from cerebral hypoxia due to direct blood flow constraint, with an additional baroreceptor reflex that can cause systemic blood pressure to drop dramatically, even after release of the choke.

Reader's Guide

The significance of the choke-out lies in its use as a controlled, non-lethal combat technique, particularly in grappling sports such as Judo. The long-term effects of a controlled choke-out under four minutes are disputed, but the five-minute mark is considered unsafe. Risks include short-term memory loss, hemorrhage, retinal harm, concussion, stroke, seizures, permanent brain damage, coma, and death. Studies show that choke-outs can result in a few seconds of flatline ECG in at least half of subjects, suggesting potential cardiac risk. Despite thousands of tournaments and hundreds of thousands of chokes applied in Judo since 1882 with no reported direct deaths, there are reports of strokes and permanent brain damage. The American Neurological Association's study observed that syncope lasted an average of 12.1 seconds, with muscle jerks in 90% of patients and visual or auditory hallucinations in 60%.

Did You Know?

• Choke-outs are generally safe when applied briefly and released promptly, but prolonged pressure can lead to serious complications.
• The baroreceptor reflex can cause fainting even with very brief choke pressure, as it may dramatically lower blood pressure.
• In controlled martial arts settings, choke-outs rarely result in lasting harm, though individual risks vary.

Naming Across the Martial Arts World

The rear naked choke carries a striking variety of names depending on the tradition in which it appears. In English-speaking combat sports, the word "naked" simply signals that the hold is executed without the aid of a training uniform or gi — the attacker relies purely on their own limbs to create the constriction. Japanese martial arts give it the name hadaka jime, which translates directly to "naked choke," while Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners call it mata leão, a vivid phrase meaning "lion killer." Within Kodokan Judo, the technique occupies a place among the thirty-six constriction methods listed under Shime-waza, and its defining characteristic there is that it generates the choking pressure entirely through the attacker's arms and wrist blade pressing into the carotid sinus, rather than gripping the opponent's lapel. Danzan Ryu jujitsu also recognizes the move, cataloguing it as Hadaka-Jime-San within its own Shimete list of twenty-five techniques. Across all these systems, the underlying principle remains the same: a rear-positioned attacker uses their arms to compress the neck without any clothing to assist the grip.

The Figure-Four Grip: Anatomy of a Blood Choke

The most widely recognized form of the rear naked choke is the figure-four or short variation, which functions as a blood choke by compressing the carotid arteries and cutting off cerebral blood flow. Executed with the right arm, the attacker wraps that limb around the opponent's neck so the trachea rests against the elbow crook, then reaches across to grip their own upper left arm or shoulder. The left hand is positioned behind or atop the opponent's head, though placing the palm flat against the attacker's own shoulder is considered a more effective placement that significantly limits escape options. Drawing both elbows together drives the biceps and radius bone into the neck from multiple angles. When applied correctly, this version renders an opponent unconscious in under ten seconds, and recovery is equally swift. Recent research confirms an average of 8.9 seconds to unconsciousness regardless of which grip is used. A notable practical advantage is that the choke can be delivered with a single arm while the attacker stands, kneels, or lies down, freeing the other limb to grapple or strike.

Leg Positioning: Body Locks and Hooks

Once the arm grip is secured, the attacker must decide how to position their legs, and two primary approaches dominate. The body lock method involves draping one leg across the victim's stomach or lower chest and crossing the other leg over that shin, forming a figure-four with the legs. This configuration pins the attacker tightly against the opponent's back, restricts the victim's mobility, and can even immobilize the victim's arms if the attacker is sufficiently flexible or long-legged. Anderson Silva employed this technique against Dan Henderson, and Jim Miller used it against Melvin Guillard. The alternative, known as the hooks variation, sees the attacker thread their legs inside the opponent's, then swing outward so the shins settle behind the victim's knees, using shins and feet as anchoring hooks. This approach sacrifices some security, as it exposes the attacker to potential leglock submissions from the opponent. When the choke is applied from a standing position, the legs additionally serve to pull the opponent down, trip them into a lower position, or deliver strikes.

The Palm-to-Palm Grip in Competition

A distinct variation called the clasping-hands or palm-to-palm grip has the supporting hand interlock with the choking arm's hand rather than grabbing the biceps. This configuration generates greater pressure on the neck but sacrifices some head control, shifting the mechanism toward an airway-restricting or mixed blood-and-air choke. The trade-off is more pain for the victim but a slower path to unconsciousness, which is why it sees less use at advanced Judo levels. In mixed martial arts, however, it has produced memorable finishes. Fedor Emelianenko, the PRIDE heavyweight champion, used it to stop Kazuyuki Fujita at PRIDE 26 in 2003, with Fujita tapping roughly five seconds after the grip was locked. He repeated the technique against former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, who tapped immediately in 36 seconds and later described the experience as extremely painful. Matt Hughes adapted a hand-on-biceps version to defeat Frank Trigg in their second encounter, Anderson Silva used the clasping variation against Dan Henderson in the UFC, and Joe Lauzon switched from a standard grip to palm-to-palm when finishing Melvin Guillard.

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