Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Rear Naked Choke and The Short Choke
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Short Choke·Jordan Squires·Added by Admin
Another basic BJJ video explaining how to use the rear naked choke and short choke!
Short Choke
Genusショートチョーク(Shōto Chōku)
TransliterationTranslation: Short Choke (katakana loanword)
Overview
The short choke is a compact rear strangle variation where the attacker uses a shallow grip — often just the forearm across the side of the neck targeting the carotid, with a palm-to-palm or fist grip — rather than the deep figure-four of the standard RNC. [1],[2] The 'short' refers to the abbreviated grip configuration that requires less arm length threaded around the neck. [1] This makes it effective for attackers with shorter arms or when the opponent's chin defense prevents deep arm insertion. [1],[3]
History & Origin
The short choke emerged in competitive grappling as a pragmatic solution to modern chin-tuck defenses against the standard RNC. [1],[2] While abbreviated rear strangles existed in judo and catch wrestling, [2] the systematized 'short choke' became prominent in no-gi competition during the 2010s, particularly in ADCC and EBI formats. [1],[3]
Effectiveness
The short choke is effective as a quick-attack option when the full RNC wrap is prevented. Direct forearm-to-carotid pressure can produce rapid unconsciousness but requires precise bone-on-artery placement. [1]
Lineage
Traditional catch wrestling technique — direct forearm pressure chokes predate the modern figure-four RNC. Also found in military combatives and sambo. [1]
Competition Record
Appears in MMA and submission wrestling when the standard RNC wrap is defended. Less common in gi competition where collar chokes are preferred from the back. [1]
Images
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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
Videos
Seven Effective Chokes from Mount - No Gi
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Short Choke·Knight Jiu-Jitsu
These are seven highly effective chokes from Mount in no gi jiu-jitsu / submission grappling. Why are they so effective?…
BTS Craig Jones explains the Dagestani Darce choke ft Islam Makachev
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Short Choke·The B-Team
Support Brandon Buckingham's recovery - https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-brandon-buckinghams-medical-recovery ● Lear…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The short choke is a back-control submission executed from a dominant rear position with hooks and seat-belt grip control. Jordan Squires demonstrates the foundational mechanics: from rear control, the top hand runs fingers along the opponent's jawline while tilting the forearm underneath the neck to grip the far shoulder, then the bottom hand is withdrawn and the same shoulder is pushed forward to deepen arm penetration. The hands then establish a palm-to-palm grip (top hand palm-down, bottom hand palm-up) with the goal of positioning the elbow in the center of the opponent's back. Squires emphasizes a critical detail credited to Professor Rick Young: clamping the elbow downward toward the opponent's chest as if driving through it, combined with head pressure and leg kicks, significantly increases choke effectiveness. Squires notes the short choke transitions seamlessly to the rear naked choke (which uses a bicep-and-hand-behind-head grip instead) and vice versa—if the rear naked choke is defended or the top arm is controlled, the practitioner can revert to the short choke. The Knight Jiu-Jitsu and B-Team transcripts address mounted and leg-lock-adjacent submissions respectively, rather than back-control short chokes, and do not directly contribute technical details about the short choke itself.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- Jordan Squires — Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Rear Naked Choke and The Short Choke: Primary technical breakdown of short choke mechanics from rear control: jawline finger placement, forearm-under-neck positioning, shoulder grip, palm-to-palm grip configuration, elbow-to-center-back placement, and the Rick Young detail of clamping the elbow downward into the chest. Also demonstrates the relationship between short choke and rear naked choke, and their interchangeability.
- Knight Jiu-Jitsu — Seven Effective Chokes from Mount - No Gi: Does not directly address back-control short choke; focuses on mounted position chokes (punch choke, head-and-arm choke, mounted triangle, etc.).
- The B-Team — BTS Craig Jones explains the Dagestani Darce choke ft Islam Makachev: Does not directly address back-control short choke; focuses on leg-lock-adjacent neck crank defense and Darce-choke mechanics.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
8
Very High8/10
Compact rear strangle with rapid unconsciousness onset
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
— FIAS Sport Sambo — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— 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 RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The short choke is a compact rear strangle that uses a shortened arm position — the choking arm doesn't fully wrap the neck but instead presses the forearm directly into the throat or carotid from a close-range back position (Danaher, Back Attacks: Enter the System, 2018)
✓The 'short' descriptor refers to the arm position: instead of threading the arm fully around the neck, the forearm presses directly into the side or front of the neck from back control
✓The short choke is used when the full RNC wrap is prevented: the opponent tucks their chin or traps the choking hand — the short version attacks with what's available
✓From back control: press the forearm into the lateral neck while the other hand pushes the head into the forearm — a direct compression between the forearm and the hand
✓The short choke is faster to apply than the full RNC: less arm threading is required, making it effective in scrambles and transitions
✓The technique works through direct mechanical pressure rather than the wrap-and-squeeze of the RNC: the forearm bone presses into the carotid artery
✓In catch wrestling, the short choke is a traditional technique — direct forearm-to-neck pressure is a fundamental submission principle
Common Mistakes
!Pressing into the trachea rather than the lateral neck — the short choke targets the carotid artery on the side of the neck, not the windpipe
!Not using the support hand to drive the head into the forearm — the compression requires the head being pushed into the forearm; the forearm alone is insufficient
!Attempting from too far away — the short choke requires close body contact; separation reduces the forearm pressure
!Not maintaining back hooks — the opponent will try to turn toward the choking arm; hooks prevent the escape
!Using the short choke when a full RNC is available — if you can wrap fully, do so; the full RNC is more secure
!Pressing with the flat of the forearm instead of the bone — rotate the forearm so the radius or ulna contacts the artery for focal pressure
!Abandoning the short choke too quickly — maintain pressure and adjust; the direct compression takes time to restrict blood flow
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinkingTwo-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locksTurn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressurePosture 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
Japanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
1OtherJapanese Martial Arts Community Terminology
Japanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
2OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
3CitationJapanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
Japanese terminology sourced from Japanese BJJ community standard katakana transliteration
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I finish the short choke when my opponent has their chin tucked and arms defending?
According to Jordan Squires, bend your top hand fingers and run them against the jawline, then tilt your forearms underneath the neck and grab the shoulder. Push the bottom shoulder forward to get your arm deeper, positioning your elbow in front of their chin for a secure choke.
What's the key detail that makes the short choke more effective?
Jordan Squires, citing Professor Rick Young from Scotland, emphasizes clamping your elbow down into the opponent's chest as if trying to push through it—combined with pulling the elbow back, squeezing everything in, pushing your head against theirs, and kicking with your legs.
How do the short choke and rear naked choke work together?
Jordan Squires explains they link together nicely: if you're not finishing the rear naked choke or your opponent grabs your top arm, you can pull your hand back and transition into the short choke from the same back control position.
Where should I position my chin for control when setting up the short choke?
Jordan Squires recommends placing your chin on the opponent's shoulder to maintain control before executing the choke.
How does the Short Choke work?
The short choke is a compact rear strangle variation where the attacker uses a shallow grip — often just the forearm across the side of the neck targeting the carotid, with a palm-to-palm or fist grip — rather than the deep figure-four of the standard RNC. The 'short' refers to the abbreviated grip configuration that requires less arm length threaded around the neck.
Where does the Short Choke come from?
The short choke emerged in competitive grappling as a pragmatic solution to modern chin-tuck defenses against the standard RNC. While abbreviated rear strangles existed in judo and catch wrestling, the systematized 'short choke' became prominent in no-gi competition during the 2010s, particularly in ADCC and EBI formats.
Is the Short Choke 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 Short Choke?
Danger rating 8/10. Very High — compact rear strangle with rapid unconsciousness onset
How do I set up the Short Choke?
The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.
How do I defend against the Short Choke?
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 Short Choke?
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 Short Choke in competition?
Appears in MMA and submission wrestling when the standard RNC wrap is defended. Less common in gi competition where collar chokes are preferred from the back.
What are common mistakes when doing the Short Choke?
Top errors to watch for: Pressing into the trachea rather than the lateral neck — the short choke targets the carotid artery on the side of th… / Not using the support hand to drive the head into the forearm — the compression requires the head being pushed into t… / Attempting from too far away — the short choke requires close body contact; separation reduces the forearm pressure / Not maintaining back hooks — the opponent will try to turn toward the choking arm; hooks prevent the escape.
What are other names for the Short Choke?
The Short Choke is also known as Shōto Chōku, Short RNC, Forearm Short Choke, Abbreviated Rear Choke.