How to Do a Wrestling Backhand Chop

In wrestling, backhand chops offer a twist to the ordinary chop. Chop your opponent with style and flair. Watch wrestlers like Rick Flair and Giant Baba to see how a Backhand Chop is delivered, and then follow these steps to execute your own chop.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Watch professional wrestlers do a Backhand Chop to get a feel for how this chop differs from others. Professional wrestlers have popularized this chop and have it accompanied by certain sounds coming from the audience.
2. Get your opponent to stand at one of your sides but facing your back. Make sure that your opponent is not directly behind you. If your opponent stands directly behind you, you may not be able to execute the attack because your arm won't reach his position.
3. Choose a place to strike your opponent. Backhand chops are popularly dealt to chests, but they can be used on other areas. Shoulders and stomachs are other places where you may execute a Backhand Chop.
4. Flatten your hands in mid-air and turn them sideways to form a knife-like appearance. Stiffen the pinky area of your hand so that it can absorb the blow against your opponent's body.
5. Swing your hand at your opponent's body. Using a "chopping" motion, strike your opponent with the pinky side of your hand. You also can flatten your hand right before impact so that the back of it hits your opponent. The result is more of a slap than a chop, but the ensuing sound makes for great show.

Tips & Warnings

• Wrestling is widely considered an exhibition rather than a sport and professional matches may very well be staged so that the wrestlers have little risk of injury. Don't try this if you're not professionally trained and remember that even a pro can get injured or can seriously injure an opponent with this move.