FormArm Compression Rear Strangle

SubFamily

前腕圧迫後絞め(Zenwan Appaku Ushiro-jime)

Traditional

Translation: forearm compression rear strangle

Overview

Forearm compression rear strangles use direct forearm-to-neck pressure from back control without relying on the gi collar or lapel. ^[1] The attacker threads the forearm across the opponent's throat and locks a figure-four or clasp grip behind the head, creating bilateral carotid compression. ^[1],[2] The crucifix position — where the opponent's arms are trapped by the attacker's legs — is the primary platform for this subfamily, as it eliminates defensive hand-fighting. ^[1] Without the gi, the attacker must rely on bone-to-tissue contact, making precise forearm placement critical for a blood choke rather than a painful but less effective air choke. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Forearm Rear Strangle^[1]Rear Forearm Choke^[2]Crucifix Choke Family^[3]

Used in

BJJ Judo Submission Grappling MMA Sambo

History & Origin

Forearm compression strangles from behind have roots in judo's hadaka-jime (裸絞め, naked strangle) concept, where no gi fabric is used. ^[2],[3] The crucifix variation gained prominence in catch wrestling and sambo, where controlling both arms from behind was a recognized restraint position. ^[1] In modern grappling, the crucifix rear strangle was popularized by competitors like Braulio Estima and became a significant positional threat in both gi and no-gi competition. ^[1],[4]

Effectiveness

The forearm compression rear strangle uses direct forearm pressure across the throat from behind to create an airway choke. ^[1]

Lineage

Forearm compression chokes are among the most basic choking techniques, appearing in military combatives and jūjutsu. ^[1]

Competition Record

Forearm compression chokes from the back are used in MMA and submission grappling competition. ^[1]

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Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Bilateral compression of the carotid arteries — restricts blood flow to the brain, causing unconsciousness within seconds

Joints Involved — Cervical spine (lateral flexion), glenohumeral joint of the trapped arm (if arm-in), nuchal region

Force Vector — Lateral squeeze creates inward pressure on both sides of the neck simultaneously

Choking Mechanism — Vascular strangle — occludes carotid arteries and jugular veins, distinct from airway (tracheal) chokes

Position & Entry

From back control with seatbelt — Establish hooks or body triangle, slide choking arm under the chin, connect hands and squeeze

From turtle top (back take) — Break down the turtle, insert hooks, secure seatbelt grip, slide to back control and apply the choke

From standing back clinch — Secure rear body lock, drag opponent to the mat while inserting hooks, transition to choking position

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Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Extreme9/10

Forearm compression strangle uses the bone of the forearm directly against the trachea or carotids

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

Illegal

— FIAS Sport Sambo — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

Legal

— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— shime-waza

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— ADCC — Legal

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

— Unified MMA — Legal — choke submissions are among the mos...

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal

FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓The forearm compression rear strangle uses the blade of the forearm directly across the front of the throat from behind — a power choke that combines blood and air restriction (Danaher, Back Attacks, 2019)

✓Unlike the RNC which uses the bicep-forearm-hand structure, the forearm compression drives the bony radius across the trachea and carotids simultaneously

✓This variation is used when the traditional RNC figure-four cannot be completed — the forearm alone provides sufficient compression

✓Execution: from back control, drive the forearm across the throat with the blade of the wrist bone on the Adam's apple, and use the other hand behind the head to push the neck into the forearm

✓The forearm compression is faster to apply than the full RNC — it requires only one arm across the neck rather than the complete figure-four setup

✓This choke combines air and blood restriction: the forearm compresses the trachea (air choke) while the edges compress the carotids (blood choke)

✓The forearm compression is common in MMA and self-defence: it works without gi grips and can be applied quickly from back control

Common Mistakes

!Using the flat of the forearm — the blade (the bony edge of the radius) must contact the throat for effective compression

!Not pushing the head forward with the other hand — the head push drives the neck into the forearm; without it, the opponent can pull away

!Squeezing only with the arm — use body positioning (arching the back, expanding the chest) to add force

!Applying across the chin instead of the throat — the forearm must be under the chin, across the throat; the chin blocks effective compression

!Not maintaining back control — the hooks must remain locked; losing back control releases the choke

!Using excessive force on the trachea — the air choke component can damage the trachea; apply controlled pressure

!Not transitioning to the RNC if the forearm compression fails — the forearm position is a setup for the full RNC; be ready to complete the figure-four

Related Techniques

Escape — defensive technique to relieve choking pressure and recover position Tap (Submission Signal) — the safety mechanism indicating the technique is effective

Counter Techniques

Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinking Two-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locks Turn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressure Posture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle

Setup Chain

1Achieve Controlling Position — secure the position from which the choke is applied

2Isolate the Neck — clear defending hands and establish access to the throat

3Set the Grip — lock the choking configuration (arm, lapel, or leg placement)

4Apply Pressure — squeeze to compress the carotid arteries for the finish

Sources & References

Primary Source

Kodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

1BookKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

Judo ushiro-jime (rear strangle) terminology

2SyllabusKodokan Judo Institute — Official Waza Names

Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)

3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)

Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)

4CitationKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

Judo ushiro-jime (rear strangle) terminology

Community

Athletics

Requires

grip or squeeze strength, positional control

Favours

strong upper body for sustained compression

Key muscles

forearms, biceps, pectorals, core stabilisers

Sub-techniques

Crucifix Rear Strangle

Genus

The crucifix rear strangle is applied from the crucifix position, where the attacker traps one of the opponent's arms with their legs (typically threading the far arm between the legs and locking it) while controlling the second arm with their hands or shoulder pin, holding the opponent face-down with both arms immobilised. [1,2] With both arms neutralised, the attacker threads a forearm or feeds a lapel/sleeve across the neck and applies direct compression without defensive hand-fighting. [1] The crucifix can be entered from side control, turtle, or back control by isolating one arm with the legs and rolling to trap the second. [1,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle work?

Forearm compression rear strangles use direct forearm-to-neck pressure from back control without relying on the gi collar or lapel. The attacker threads the forearm across the opponent's throat and locks a figure-four or clasp grip behind the head, creating bilateral carotid compression.

Where does the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle come from?

Forearm compression strangles from behind have roots in judo's hadaka-jime (裸絞め, naked strangle) concept, where no gi fabric is used. The crucifix variation gained prominence in catch wrestling and sambo, where controlling both arms from behind was a recognized restraint position.

Is the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle legal in competition?

IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes are the safest submission cat…; IJF: legal — Legal (shime-waza) — strangulation techniques are one of three permitted subm…; ADCC: legal — Legal; Unified MMA: legal — Legal — choke submissions are among the most common finishes in MMA; FIAS Sport Sambo: banned — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal

How dangerous is the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle?

Danger rating 9/10. Forearm compression strangle uses the bone of the forearm directly against the trachea or carotids

How do I set up the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle?

The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.

How do I defend against the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle?

Standard counters include: Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinking / Two-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locks / Turn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressure / Posture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle.

What are the variants of the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle?

Common variants: Standard grip variation (primary hand configuration for maximum choking pressure); Gi variation (uses the lapel or collar as an anchor for additional fric…); No-gi variation (adapted grip and positioning for submission grappling wit…); Transition finish (applied during a positional change to catch the opponent …).

How effective is the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle in competition?

Forearm compression chokes from the back are used in MMA and submission grappling competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle?

Top errors to watch for: Using the flat of the forearm — the blade (the bony edge of the radius) must contact the throat for effective compres… / Not pushing the head forward with the other hand — the head push drives the neck into the forearm; without it, the op… / Squeezing only with the arm — use body positioning (arching the back, expanding the chest) to add force / Applying across the chin instead of the throat — the forearm must be under the chin, across the throat; the chin bloc….

What are other names for the FormArm Compression Rear Strangle?

The FormArm Compression Rear Strangle is also known as Zenwan Appaku Ushiro-jime, Forearm Rear Strangle, Rear Forearm Choke, Crucifix Choke Family.

formarm compression rear strangle zenwan appaku ushiro jime submission choke and strangle lock forearm rear strangle rear forearm choke crucifix choke family