You can have a choke that starts at your rear and wraps around your neck. You might try a bar-arm strangle where the attacker’s forearm crushes both your larynx, and trachea. If you are able to defeat a skilled opponent, this might be called shime-waza. This is when the forearm and bicep of the attacker crush your neck in a “V” shape. This blocks the carotid vessels that transport oxygenated blood to your brain and also occludes the jugular veins which carry the depleted blood back to the heart. In a matter of seconds, you will feel unconscious. A sudden blood pressure increase can cause convulsions and even a stroke. Either attack can be fatal and it is important to learn how to break out of a rear chokehold.
This is a very common street attack. It is a very common street attack. New York City thugs used the term “fiending” for it. In other areas, it’s called “the mugger’s lock” or “the mugger’s yoke.” Rapists use it often against women. It is crucial to be able to quickly release a rear chokehold if you are ever faced with it. This technique was developed by Soke Takayuki Kbota, a master of martial arts, more than 30 years ago. It’s simple, strong, and it works. It is based on leverage.
If you are able to recognize the attack before the stranglehold is in effect, use your elbow and strike your assailant in his face.
Step-By-Step: How to Get out of a Rear Choke Holder
Step 1: Get your Chin In!
Now, bury your chin in the crook of the attacker’s bent elbow. Your throat, carotids and jugular are now protected by your lower jaw.
As the arm wraps around your neck, take a deep breath and place your chin in the crooks of the attacker’s elbow. This will protect your throat and drive your lower mandible low enough that any crushing pressure that might have occluded your great vessels in your neck will now be able to squeeze against the hard bone. It will hurt, but not injure.
Your priority isn’t to put the bad guy on his ground, although that would be nice afterwards. Your priority is to stay alive. That’s why you should bury your chin in the crook at his elbow. It gives you time to finish the fight and, if necessary, your teeth are right next the big vein that he uses to collect blood samples.
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Step 2: Press your Attacker’s Elbow
Press your elbows with your hands on the joint of the attacker’s elbow. Continue to press down against your body. Keep this pressure. If your right arm is wrapped around your neck, you should move to your right.
To protect your throat and great vessels, place your chin under your chin. Next, take both your hands and press them against his elbow. You shouldn’t place one hand on each side of his elbow. This distributes pressure and takes away your focus. Place one hand on the image and place the other right above it. This will give you more leverage.
Do not try to pull down. You are probably stronger than him, otherwise he wouldn’t have chosen you as his victim. Instead, press his elbow in towards you, creating a pressure point for leverage.
Step 3: Swing your body towards the trap arm of your attacker
Now, move your entire body forward in the direction of the trapping arm. If he’s choking your with his right arm, turn to your right. If he’s choking your from behind with his left hand, pivot to your right.
Turn your right toe outward and prepare to spin on the ball. Your left knee should flex slightly to coil for the “kickoff”.
As you move with your entire body, keep the elbow joint inwardly pressured. Swing your outside leg (or your left leg if you have been grabbed by his right arm) to your right. A solid 180-degree turn is ideal, but 220 degrees is better. A 180-degree pivot is when you turn from facing north to south. If you’re a shooter and want to do a 220-degree turn, imagine starting with your back towards the target in an “El Presidente”, with both your heels on the firing line. Then, pivot into a Weaver stance, facing the targets with your nondominant leg forward, and your gun-hand-side foot to the rear.
Step 4: Create Your Escape
This forces your entire body against his arm, particularly against his trapped elbow joint. His elbow becomes the hinge for a gate that is his arms, and that gate swings wide to allow you to escape. You are now free from the choke and have many options. However, it is best to have decided in advance which option you will choose.
You can run if you aren’t naturally a fighter. You will literally be able to give him a running start by the 180-degree pivot of his rear leg. He will then be able to run in the direction he wants. His arm on the other side of your turn will still be up, and his vulnerable kidney area exposed to you. You might consider striking the kidney with whatever object you had at the time of the assault, or a hammer fist.
You can take him out if you have other options. Draw your pepper spray, gun, or other defense tool that may be legal and appropriate in the situation. If you are skilled in grappling, like demonstrator Anna Gunter, you can use your skills and take advantage of his bent arm to place him on the ground.
The woman in this sequence is in a Weaver stance with her back facing forward. This 220-degree pivot gives her more force and allows her to put her entire body against her attacker’s arm. She has now escaped completely from the hold. She has two options: run or choose other options.
Optional Step 5 – Takedown the Attacker
You can choose to end the fight with a takedown. The demonstration shows how the woman’s right hand is already on the elbow of the attacker. She will then slide her left hand over his wrist and pull his wrist down, pushing his elbow upwards. Notice how violently she has taken the attacker off balance.
Pay attention to her right hip and her leg. She pivots her right arm to strengthen her elbow and wrist. He is attempting to get down, as if he doesn’t she will tear out the rotator and literally rip out his arm from the socket.
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Without practice, you won’t be able to escape from a rear chokehold or any other hand-to–hand self-defense technique. It is important to practice it repeatedly. As a guide, use the captions and photos here. Pay attention to the details. Continue Reading
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Personal Defense World’s article How to Get Out of a Rear Choke Hold originally appeared on Personal Defense World.
