Don't Know Why

Have you ever done something in competition, then later on you wondered "Why in the world did I do that?" That's how I feel every time I notice the picture at the top of my blog, where I'm putting on a rear naked choke. I don't know why my hand is on her forehead. That's not how I was taught to rnc, and to the best of my knowledge that's the only time I have ever done it that way (and I've done it a lot!).

I guess it worked in this case, because she tapped, but my normal method is to put my hand on the back of their head. I've been doing it with my palm towards the head, but I was recently told to use the back of my hand instead. I asked why, but I don't remember getting an answer.

At the beginning of my recent Judo match with Ken, I got him in a rear naked choke, but since touching the head is forbidden in Judo, I wasn't sure how to finish it. I believe I gable-gripped my hands on the side of his head, but since I wasn't able to crank it in any way, I couldn't get him to tap (because he's a stubborn jerk). In that instance I should have just gone for a rear gi choke instead. Especially considering the fact that it is the only submission I have ever successfully tapped The Unchokable Ken out with. Exactly once.

I've seen many different variations of rear naked choke, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone put their hand on the forehead like I did in that picture. It was over a year ago, but to this day I still wonder why I did that. Over-think much? Perhaps it's simply because I had recently seen a Head-On commercial...apply directly to the forehead!