Chokes and Strangles

7/31/2019 Chokes and Strangles

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Strangulation and ChokingDANGER!

(For academic study only.)

Strangulation and Choking techniques are a very important element of the Assassin's Tradecraft. No

other method of ending a fight or ending a life (without weapons) is as efficient and bloodless. When we

say "efficient" we mean in terms of the smallest amount of effort and energy expended for the greatest

result produced. The result wanted is, of course, to subdue, or if necessary, kill the subject. Terrorist or

criminal attackers may use a variety of methods to perpetrate this crime. The counter-terrroist or

Bodyguard must understand these methods in order to protect a client (or themselves) against these

methods.

Simple awareness of these methods can be your best defense. Awareness itself can heighten vigilance.

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Unarmed Combat techniques are divided into two broad categories:

•Techniques that use impact or "percussion". Percussive techniques include punching, kicking, blocking,

parrying and striking.

•Techniques that use grabbing, throwing, joint locks, choking, or hold-down techniques.

The "mainstream" fighting styles specialize in one or the other. Mixed Martial Arts today makes the

distinction between the two by calling them STRIKING and GRAPPLING. The distinction between the two

needs to be made, because: obviously you can attack the regions of the neck and throat using impacts

or strikes, but strangles and chokes get their effect from constriction of the airway and/or the blood

vessels of the neck. This is a sub-specialty of grappling.

On this page, and in Jiu-Jitsu training classes, the terms "strangles and chokes" are used interchangeably

and are grouped together as a class of grappling techniques called by the Japanese term "SHIME-WAZA".

Shime means constriction, and waza means "technique", so this group of techniques are all those

involving constriction. In the practice of grappling, there are a couple of basic ways "constricting the

neck":







1. Strangles-by definition refer to the constricting of the Blood vessels that cary vital oxygen to the

brain; compression of the carotid arteries on one or both sides of the neck restricting the flow of

blood and oxygen to the brain.

2. Chokes-by definition denotes the collapsing or constricting the AIRWAY; the windpipe (called

the "trachea") through which one breathes stopping or reducing the flow of air to the lungs.

Without getting too technical and throwing around a lot of medical terminology, effective strangulation

must begin with a study of the anatomy of the neck and the throat:

In the illustration above from an anatomy website, you will notice that the 2 carotid arteries (in RED) are

located on either side of the windpipe. In this illustration, only the carotid arteries are shown. The

jugular veins, which are virtually right next to the carotid arteries, are not shown.

The windpipe is labeled vertically from bottom to top: "trachea, cricoid, thyroid and hyoid". (The Hyoid

is commonly known as the ADAM'S APPLE" It is a boney protrusion in front of the neck and is prone to

being crushed in an unskilled attempt at strangulation.)

Carotid Artery v Jugular Vein

A distinction needs to be made between arteries and veins of the neck. ARTERIES carry oxygen-rich

blood to the brain. VEINS carry de-oxygenated blood from the brain.

In the illustration, the right-side carotid artery, (in RED), is labeled from bottom to top: "cc, cs, cc and ic".

The object in a Strangle is to compress the BOTH carotid arteries at the same time. Done skillfully, the

flow of blood to the brain is shut OFF, and the windpipe is unaffected.







DANGER!

DO NOT EXPERIMENT WITH THESE TECHNIQUES

UNLESS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR!

The illustration (above) is taken from a Combatives manual for the U.S. Marine Corp. Notice that the

subject's Adam's apple is seated in the "crook"/inside of the elbow. The windpipe is unaffected in this

stranglehold. the bicep muscle presses against the carotid artery on one side, and the forearm muscle

presses against the carotid artery on the other side.







In the illustration compressed (above), the right palm is face DOWN. It is grasped by the other palm faceUP. The subject's head is pulled toward the chest and SQUEEZED. This restricts the blood flow to the

brain.

The third step illustration compressed (above) is to push forward, against the back of the subject's head,

with one's own head thus increasing the pressure and to prevent him from escaping the hold. Properly

applied this hold can result in "wooziness" within 10 seconds and unconsciousness within 30 to 45

seconds. Choke an air choke or tracheal choke specifically refers to a "true" choke that compresses the

upper airway (trachea, larynx or laryngopharynx), hence interfering with breathing, and leading to

asphyxia. Although less effective at inducing unconsciousness than its vascular counterpart, the air

choke causes excruciating pain and air hunger, and in combat sports a fighter will usually submit to such

a submission hold. Air chokes have been associated with fractures of the larynx or hyoid bone, and are

considered less safe than blood chokes to practice.







The common law-enforcement arm bar choke is an air choke done by placing the forearm across the

front of the neck from behind. The free hand grabs the wrist and pulls back the forearm, hence driving

the forearm (usually the radius bone) into the front of the neck. The Air choke tends to be considered

less effective due to the way that it is commonly performed; a properly performed air choke is just as

fast as a blood choke. Rather than going directly into the windpipe, they attack the nerve that causes the

gag reflex.

Strangle-Carotid restraint or sleeper holds, are a form of strangulation that compress one or both

carotid arteries and/or the jugular veins without compressing the airway, hence causing cerebral

ischemia and a temporary hypoxic (lack of oxygen)condition in the brain. A well applied strangle may

lead to unconsciousness in a matter of seconds. Compared to traditional manual strangulation, properly

applied strangles require little physical strength, and can be applied successfully by a smaller person.

Use in combat sports Most chokeholds featured in combat sports and martial arts are Strangles.

although some air chokes or combinations occur as well. Strangles especially the rear naked strangle,

triangle chokes, or gi chokes, ["Gi" is the Japanese name for the Karate or Judo Jacket] are commonly

used as submission holds in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In Judo, chokeholds, (Again, known as "shime-waza"), are

used but are often subject to restrictions based on age or rank.

Due to the effectiveness of chokeholds and their popularity in a wide variety of martial arts, they are

often used to force submissions in mixed martial art and submission grappling competitions.

Vascular Neck Restraint:

Some Vocabulary: This hold is called the "vascular" neck restraint because it closes of the system of

blood vessels of the vascular system. By definition the "vascular system" refers to both the arteries and

veins together.







The illustration below shows the proximity of the jugular veins and the Carotid Arteries. The direction of

force and pressure to be applied is shown by the arrows. Drawing: AL ARSENAULT-Wu Chi Kung Fu

Academy

Use in law enforcement -The "lateral vascular neck restraint" (A Strangle) was once a widely taught

technique, and was performed from behind by putting an arm around the neck with the crook of the

elbow over trachea (the midline of the neck). By pinching the arm together while assisting with the free







hand, the carotid arteries and jugular veins were compressed on both sides of the neck. This hold did

not put any pressure on the airway, but an improperly applied hold could quickly turn into an air choke

if the person being strangled resisted the hold by attempting to turn around. Due to risks of injuries,

American law enforcement agencies restrict or forbid its use.

The Los Angeles Police Department, for example, prohibited its officers from using air chokes and

restricted use of the carotid hold to instances where death or serious bodily injury was threatened, after

routinely using chokeholds for many years. The Bay Area Rapid Transit Police are completely prohibited

from using carotid holds.

NOTE: Properly taught, skillful and refined application would prevent this ENTIRELY! Nearly ALL

occurrences of injury were the result of sloppy, clumsy application by the officers involved.

There are about 20 strangulation techniques in traditional Japanese Shime-Waza. These are divided into

four broad categories: naked strangles and chokes, trap chokes and strangles, lapel strangles and chokes

and triangle chokes and strangles. The textbook (above) is A COMPREHENSIVE coverage of the topic by a

leading authority, Steve Scott, who makes it easy to learn the most effective chokes and strangles of

modern sport grappling.

Some of them use nothing more than naked arms and hands. Some rely on the use of the subject's

jacket or lapels. Still others use the legs wrapped around the neck in precise ways to strangle the subject

to submission, unconsciousness or death.







Stick, Ligature and Cloth Strangles:

Below is a photo of a WW2 issue GARROTTE (strangling wire with handles) complete with an olive green

canvas carrying pouch. Possibly a replica of the garrotte issued to O.S.S./S.O.E. personnel working in

enemy occupied Europe. The photos demonstrate its use. It was important that the wire chosen to

manufacture the garrotte be strong enough to support the weight of a full-grown man. Some form of

padding was required on the wire near the handles to prevent the users hands from being cut by the

wire.

See our page on Strangling Implements





STICK STRANGLES (above)-There are numerous other techniques for chokes and strangles that involve

"instruments" or tools. Most notably these include the use of cords, ligatures, scarves, neckties, sticks or

batons. These techniques will be discussed in future updates of this webpage.





Killer Cult of Thuggee Stranglers:

(For a quick, silent kill)

You may want to visit our page on the cult of "Thuggee", a fanatical religious cult of Stranglers. Click on

the link below:

Killer Cult of Thuggee Stranglers:

You may be interested in to following book on the techniques and history of the Ancient Art of

Strangulation. This controversial look at strangulation, the author chronicles the history of the Thuggee,

a cult of assassins that has stalked India for centuries. Find out how they caught and dispatched their

victims, what their tools of terror were, how elements of their art have been incorporated into modern

military and martial arts training and much more:





This link (below) will take you to a good web page on Japanese "Shime Waza". The specialized Judo and

Jiu-Jitsu art of chokes and strangles. There is even a page here with photos and illustrations of each of

the techniques!:

Judo strangles and chokes Link

Military personnel all over the world are instructed in the use of chokes and strangles in order to quickly

and silently “neutralize” enemy combatants.

(above) Illustration from a U.S. Military Unarmed Combat Manual. It shows a method for using the

strangling wire or cord from behind. This method is taught to Infantry and Special Forces units all over

the world.

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Chokes and Strangles