Am i doing this right?

[Bjjexpertise@be]

I've been reading the renzo gracie book on "mastering Jiujitsu" and have been questioning my technique, especially my sleeper hold. So let me get thsi straight. When i get into the sleeper hold position, to apply the choke do i push his head forward with my arm behind his head or do i bring my elbows toward eachother like renzo says? When bringing the elbows together (this is through a righty's point of view) i swing my left elbow to my right and my right elbow to my left, right?

[Sean Dempsey]

Are you talking about a rear naked choke?

[arsen]

Indeed he is talking about the rear naked choke. Make sure you're grabbing the bicep of the arm that has the hand behind the head with your opposite hand, and as for bringing the elbows together you're right on point with that. also make sure you're around the neck sometimes people fail to see that their wrapped around the guy's chin

[Sean Dempsey]

when the rear naked is applied properly, it should:

have the trachea in the crux of your elbow, this isn't an air choke, its a blood choke, the pressure should be on the arteries on the side of the neck.

if you're doing it right handed, your right arm should be around his neck with your hand on your left bicep. Then, your left arm should be bent (trapping your right hand) with your left fist behind the guys head. Your head should then be leaning against his head like your cuddling on the couch, with your right cheek pressed firmly against the rear-left of his head.

Once that is on, that's the basic choke. Now, you should press your elbows together horizontially, as in, east to west, like your trying to make your elbows switch sides of your body from left to right, right to left.

at the same time, as with most holds and chokes, you should then sorta arch your back, pressing your chest out, and at the same time squeeze your shoulderblades together (but don't pull your elbows apart). You gotta be able to squeest those elbows together and at the same time pull your scapula's back with your back muscles.

try those things and see what happens.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

thanks guys that helps alot.

[MrPoopy]

You don't have to do it exactly the way to book describes. I prefer not to put my hand on the back of the head. Instead I like to reach across and grab my collar. If you manage to do this and your choking arm is across his throat, he's gonna either tap or nap. I don't like having the hand exposed right there on the back of his head. Often times ppl will just reach back and pick the hand off.

The whole point is to close up the choking arm as much as you can. It's like a nut cracker. Imagine your arm as the nut cracker and his adams apple is the nut. You'd want his adams apple right in the bend of your arm. Now you're not going to crack his throat, instead you'll be squeezing his arteries and obstructing blood flow util he passes out.

So put his adams apple in the bend of your choking arm, grab your bicep with the choking arm, then reach across with the non choking arm and try to grab your collar on the opposite side, or even the shoulder of the choking arm if you could manage it. No gi, no problem. Just bury your hand nice and deep so he can't mess with it.