BJJ: Attack the back, immobilize the head

Here at Savarese BJJ Academy (www.njbjj.com), we have a saying: In BJJ, Attack the back, immobilize the head. Attacking the back and surrounding and immobilizing the head is so important. There are many effective ways to control and attack from the back, but one of the most important if your goal is to finish by rear naked choke is that of forming an effective circle of wedges around your opponents neck that inhibits head movement and positions you to choke them at a moments notice. The fundamental need in these cases is to always maintain your head on one side of your opponents head and your choke arm on the opposite side. This essential configuration must be locked in place by your control hand which goes under your opponent’s armpit to either snare his wrist/hand or lock up with your choke hand. The combination of tight head position on one side, choke arm on the other, all locked in place by the control hand makes for a superbly controlling position from where escape is difficult. In addition, you are just inches away from a devastating choke finish at any moment and from where it is easy to add additional lower body control by hooking your legs into your opponent’s hips or even locking a tight body triangle around his waist. Practicing this fundamental head and arm positioning as the basis of your back control leading to chokes will soon pay dividends in your submissions game.