What to do when someone is grabing your neck from behind?

[ShirKhan]

First, settle your weight down, lower your center of gravity, bend your knees, and simultaneously push your chin against your sternum and make your throat less accessible. Step forward quickly with one foot, let's say the right, as soon as your foot hits the ground shift torso left, with left arm make grand circle counterclockwise, breaking his hold and wrapping your arm around his arms. Take advantage of this temporary trap/arm wrap and start hitting full power to the side of his head, keep hitting as long as you have his arms under control, if he tucks his chin and makes the side of his head difficult, you also have his side exposed to rib strikes, you can deliver overhead elbow strikes to his shoulder socket, you can grab the side of his head and push your thumb into his eye. When you feel his arm or arms escaping your left arm wrap, take the R hand you have been hitting him with and cover his face with a claw, (thumb pointing to the floor) and put your l foot alongside and slightly behind his l foot in a heel trip. Push and throw his body with your R hand gripping his face, you are pushing only slightly backwards but most or the force is to your right and downwards...keep good stance as his fall will probably impact your L leg. Draw your l leg back and deliver a r foot stomp right after he hits the floor, then withdraw. Hope my description isn't too foggy.

[karate-ka]

Step forward quickly with one foot, let's say the right, as soon as your foot hits the ground shift torso left, with left arm make grand circle counterclockwise, breaking his hold and wrapping your arm around his arms.

 

You just described exactly what I was going to. Good call

 

except when you break out, you said to step forward. I have found it is more effective after you have raised your left hand, to step across your left foot with your right, THEN turn trapping the arms. Its is quicker, making it far easier to turn, and you wrap the your arms around their elbows, forming a lock and possible break. then of course you have your free hand at close range to do whatever you want

[Ironberg]

Try a backwards scrapping kick on the shin. This would work great if you are wearing normal shoes, primarily because of the way there is a nice rubbery edge on the heel! Just lift up and push hard all the way down the shin. If they are not Muay Thai fighters they should start to bend over. As they bend over you can manipulate them using a fake Judo throw, and land on them with your back to knock the wind out of them.

 

If they are trying a rear choke by wrapping the elbow around your neck this presents an amazing opportunity! Start by resisting them so that they are forced to apply a bit of force on their quads to support you. Then lift both of your legs so that your insteps are as far behind their knees as possible. Then slam the insteps into the back of the knees causing their joints to become unstable and fall to the ground; also causing their knee caps to feel real discomfort. If they fall all the way to the ground, use one of your hands to keep yourself from taking the fall. If their grip loosens you can reverse-headbutt 'em again and again until he lets you go. If not, get your feet back out in front of you while he is still on his knees. Then move your butt out to make the next maneuver easier - remove your shoes and pull off a sock. Start rubbing it in their face and they will let go. I realize the last part of this paragraph is mostly for humor, but a rear-naked choke is no laughing matter - use what works.

[JerryLove]

This is why no grappler worth his Gi pulls up when applying a RNC... They will sit down... Kinda screws up every kicking/stomping response.

[Warp Spider]

Plus the fact that the RNC can take effect very quickly and even if you knock the choker down, it probrably still won't break their hold. The RNC is a very strong hold in my experience.

[WhiteShark]

Karate-ka and Shjirkhan, have you ever had a RNC applied by some one who was good at it? there is no way they would let you get your arm up between them like that! Reducing space between you and your opponent is the first thin you learn when applying RNC. Seriously who taught you that? and how do you practice it?

[Sens55]

If somebody gets you completely in a RNC, there's not much you can do. It's quick if done right and by the time you realize you're in it, it's too late. However, it's rather difficult to get in most situations. The key is to not let them get it, and many of the techniques described can work if the person is attempting the RNC, but doesn't quite have it yet. Once they've got it, you're in a lot of trouble. Luckily for us, most people's natural reaction is to protect their neck and tuck their chin under. I now in grappling the opportunity presents itself now and again because two opponents are committed to grappling each other, and in the course of their session you can't protect everything all the time. But on the street you'd probably be a lot more aware of someone trying to grab you from behind, making it harder to sink it in. And if they don't get it sunk, then there a few counters available (i.e the shin/foot stomps, elbows to the ribs, tucking the chin and trying to pry the grasp/break a finger, etc).

[Warp Spider]

Well, that is more or less true. The RNC is nearly impossible to get out of. There's a technique that a friend of mine (who trains in BJJ) taught me that was for an unskilled choke from behind, but I haven't had the opportunity to test it against a RNC.

 

It's worth noting, however, that some people have a slightly different anatomy in their neck that makes strangulation attacks relatively ineffective. I've heard that it is relatively rare though.

[Drunken Monkey]

speaking of neck abnormalaties.

 

have you seen that speed eating guy who can displace his throat to either side by about three inches...

 

that is freaky.

[sano]

and where did you see this?