Defense Against a Choke From Behind

A two-handed rear choke is the most dangerous standing choke variant because the attacker can lift you off your heels, compromising your balance and reducing your strength. Air and blood are both at risk. You have roughly 8–10 seconds before loss of consciousness.

The defense

1. Tuck your chin hard into your chest. This is the single most important first action — it protects the airway and the carotid arteries.
2. Step out and turn 180 degrees toward the attacker's stronger-side wrist (the hand whose thumb is up), pivoting your body around to face him.
3. Counter-attack immediately — palm heel, knee to groin, eye rake. The choke breaks the moment you complete the turn; the counter-attack must already be airborne.
4. Continue retzev until the attacker disengages, then back away with hands up and scan for additional threats.

If the choke is one-handed from behind

Same turn-out, faster execution. A one-handed rear choke is structurally weaker; the attacker is committing one arm, leaving the other free for a punch. The turn-out must therefore complete before the second hand arrives.

Why we don't teach "pluck and run"

Plucking works from the front (see the front choke defense) because both your hands are forward of the attacker's. From behind, your hands have to travel backward and up to reach the choking hands — you lose the time advantage. The turn-out exits the geometry instead of fighting it.