Advanced Students: Chokes and Strangulations

How much do you practice chokes and strangulations? Do you look for them in your techniques? Do you practice them alone as individual techniques? In a static or dynamic environment?

Here I'm defining strangulation as the prevention of oxygen to the brain, and choking as the prevention of air to the lungs.

Do you work these techniques on partners? Do you practice attacking and defending against these techniques? Standing and on the ground?

Do you practice tool assisted chokes and strangulations? Cords? Smothering? What about positional asphyxia? Do you practice defending against someone sitting on your chest and compressing your lungs?

Do you practice thumbs forward and pressing? Throttling the opponent? Lifting or pulling? From all directions?

Do you practice defending against these attacks in a dynamic environment? Do you practice using these techniques in sparring to weaken and overcome your opponent? Do you incorporate regular attacks against opponent's breathing and blood flow into your combinations, such as partial strangulation or smothering your opponent when fighting in close?

What kinds of activities or exercises do you do to improve this skill? Here are some drills to help!


Static Drill-
Opponent at 12, Attacks with Long Range Double Handed Grab to student's throat. Student attacks Opponent's Stance and Position with Strikes. (Angles of Execution, Weapons, Targets, Leverage)

Dynamic Drill-
Opponent at 12, Attacks with Long Range Double Handed Grab to student's throat. Opponent Moves dynamically, Manipulating student's Positions and Changing Stances. Student practices Strikes to Opponent's Body. (Openings, Bracing Lines, Range and Angles)


Static Drill-
Opponent at 12. Student stands Inside and alternates attacks to Opponent's air with one hand and strikes and grabs with the other. (One side strangles, Hands covering Opponent's mouth and nose, One Arm Guillotine)

Dynamic Drill-
Both Students Spar, close range. Lead Hand Attacks to Air/Rear Hand Strikes to Body (increasing speed and intensity)


Static Drill-
Chokes and Strangulations from 6
Students Drill both as Attacks and Defenses from

Dynamic Drill-
Student sparring with Opponent at 12, Opponent at 6 spontaneously attacks with choke or strangulation, Student must defend. (Attacker at 12 may continue to attack)


Static Drill-
Ground Fighting Choking and Positional Asphyxia
Moving to Positions (North South, Scarf/Reverse Scarf, Mount) in order to crush or smother Opponent.

Dynamic Drill-
Grappling to Submission, Incorporating Attacks on Opponent's Air


Static Drill-
Student practices Transitioning from Rear Bearhug (one arm pinned) to Sleeper Hold (one arm in) to Throw or Hang, and from Rear Bearhug (both arms pinned) to Rear Naked Choke Hold (or Rear Hanging Guillotine) to Dragdown or Hang.

Dynamic Drill-
Students Begin in Front Bearhug (both arms free) and fights to take Rear Position, Transitions from there to Choke or Strangulation to Takedown to Finish. (increasing intensity and speed)

Ground Fighting-
Students practice Falling safely while holding Opponent (Back, Forward, Side, Opponent Facing Towards or Away).

Students practice Transition to Rear Position when Standing in Top Position (Crescent Stepping, Waterwheel Technique), Takedowns from Rear Position

Students practice Rolling Opponent from Mount using Cross Arm Grabs and Checks

Students practice Positioning for Air while Mounted and In Mount, shifting to either crush or free the upper torso


Give those drills a try. Remember, these are dangerous techniques. Never hold a strangle more than six seconds, always take time to recover between each technique, and ALWAYS TAP!!! No tough guys!